Vintage Sculptural Cast Brass Ashtray, 1970s

Details

Description

I offer for sale a sculptural ashtray made of a very realistic brass casting and which has the shape of … Read more I offer for sale a sculptural ashtray made of a very realistic brass casting and which has the shape of a plant that has become a symbol of Sicily: The prickly pear The prickly pear, a succulent plant of the same family as the Cactus, was probably imported into Italy from Central America in 1493 following the expeditions made by Christopher Columbus and thanks to the mild climate it has adapted well and spread in the Mediterranean basin. Legend has it that the Sicilians were rather wary of this plant, invasive and dangerous because of its many thorns, they thought it had been brought to Sicily by the Turks to exterminate them. Over time, perhaps at the birth of the first fruits, they decided that there had been the intervention of Divine Providence to protect their people, which had made these plants produce very sweet and beneficial fruits. See less