Pal Bell Brass Atomic Snail c 1950

This item has more names than a fugitive on the run. Back in the 1950s Pal-Bell listed it in their catalog as “#680 Ashtray Atzmon.” Then the designer, Maurice Ascalon, became famous and his ever-growing-more-popular designs demanded fancier titles: Ash Receiver, Googie, Populuxe, and of course, Atomic Snail. On offer here is a roughly 4x4x3” Objet D'Art, a solid brass sculptural ashtray designed by Maurice Ascalon for Pal-Bell, Israel. Bowl with slotted edge, the interior is hammered, exterior is dark green verdigris-enameled, supported on twin smooth finished prongs. And yes, verso (flipped upside down) it looks like a snail. Marked (under the prong attachment area) with the stamped Pal-Bell logo. Very good condition, structurally sound and aesthetically intact. As with any item of this age, it has some signs of wear: the verdigris enamel has worn on the bottom revealing a few spots of the brass underneath, the hammered interior has become a bit unevenly colored (we call this Patina, but if you call it tarnish, this could most likely be resolved with brass cleaner and elbow grease.) Overall, we think this is one of the nicest, authentically marked, Atomic Snail Ash Receivers by Pal-Bell currently on offer anywhere. It will make a great display piece and could function as a catch-all for keys and change, as a sugar caddy to perk up your morning coffee service, or if you're feeling indulgent, it could be used for its original intent.