Designer: Walter Bosse (1904 - 1979)

Item: Set of four of brass fish ashtrays (price for the set)

Manufactured by: Walter Bosse and Herta Baller (1921 - 1957)

Country of origin: Austria

Year made: 1950s

Materials: Patinated and polished brass

Dimensions: Each is 4” x 3 “ x ¾”

Condition: Excellent to very good. Photos show some discoloration which is natural patination to the polished brass and some dust in between the raised sections.

Description: A fine set of four highly stylized modernist designed brass fish ashtrays by the famed Bosse/Baller partnership that began in the 1950s. These are the original vintage versions, and not more recent reissues which are commonly found. These could also be used to serve small candies or nuts, or simply admired for elegant modern design. Three are signed with the correct vintage impressed “Austria Baller” on bottom and one has an early paper label. An image from the original Bosse catalog shows these ashtrays and model numbers and can be found on the Internet.

References: Schreyer-Hartmann, Cherica, Walter Bosse: Leben, Kunst und Handwerk 1904-1979. Vienna: Brandstätter, 2000