Chalet’s Cigar Bowls/Cigar Ashtrays

Vintage art glass ashtrays and cigar bowls have a unique backstory. Why? They are tangible symbols of the culture of the period in which they were created. In 1963, an estimated 45% of the population were smokers with cigarette consumption having risen for the seventh consecutive year. There was no social stigma attached to being a smoker. The Surgeon General cigarette pack warning was two years out, smoking restrictions and/or bans and anti-smoking movements would not start gaining impetus until the later 1970’s with most smoking restrictions and banning not starting until the 1980’s.

This created a hugely significant commonality among citizens – you smoked in the workplace, in the home, in restaurants, in public institutions (even such as hospitals and schools), on air planes, on transit, car ashtrays and lighters were standard features… You were not banished to your back yard or to designated areas, you would not be arrested and fined… Magazine, television, and bill-board advertising was widespread – revenue from advertising tobacco products was in the billions.

There is already a website article on the Chalet ashtrays, but it did not go into great detail on the Chalet cigar bowls. A 50 Shades member recently found a very unusual one and asked me if I would do an article specifically on these Chalet forms. When I went to look at my files to see how many styles had been found, I was surprised to see the variety – definitely enough for an interesting article. So, here goes!

To start, what is the difference between an astray and a cigar bowl/cigar ashtray? Well, the differences come down to both design and function. An ashtray is a broad term for any shallow dish used to catch ash and discarded butts. A cigar bowl or cigar ashtray being a specific type of ashtray. These are blown with an extra-deep bowl to hold a large volume of ash and wide grooves to safely cradle thick cigars.

Pear cigar bowl from the collection of 50 Shades member Gionny Gueli. His brother-in-law was kind enough to loan him a cigar for a photo shoot!

A typical ashtray is often shallow with a flat resting surface. A typical cigar bowl always features a deep, bowl-shaped reservoir. As cigars are much longer and thicker, they produce a large amount of dense ash and, this deep bowl prevents ash from spilling over onto the table. The “butt rests” or grooves on a standard ashtray are small, shallow slots meant for skinny, tapered cigarettes. The “butt rests” or grooves on a cigar bowl are wider, more extended ledges or deeper grooves designed to hold large ring-gauge cigars without damaging the delicate wrapper leaf.

Although Chalet had many more ashtray styles than cigar bowl designs, there have been many differing styles of the former discovered. Moreover, like some Chalet ashtray styles, some of these cigar bowl designs can also be found on Chalet’s 1963 “Items Available” catalogue page. One design dating back to 1963 is iconic – a 2-toed pedestal cigar bowl. So, let’s start with it!

Chalet A5 is typically referred to by collectors as the Chalet “finger” cigar bowl. It is highly sought after by collectors.

A5 early production

From the collection of Carolyn Sebestyn.

A sampling showing some of the colours in which the early production “finger” cigar bowls have been found:

Left bottom “finger” cigar bowl from the collection of Troy Danby. Blue piece at right top as above. Olive at right bottom from the collection of Deborah Patterson.

The base style of this cigar bowl evolved. It became higher and more pronounced – a definite 2-toed.

A5 later production pieces. Produced in all the typical colours of the Chalet palette.

And in some rarer shades. A solid-coloured cranberry:

And a cranberry in crystal. Exceedingly rare – this is the only example I have on file.

The following crystal clear A5 (from the collection of Kevin Hall) and the 2-tone are also exceptionally rare. This clear is the only one I have on file, and I have only a handful of the blue/green. To date, this specific 2-tone colour combination appears to be the only one in which a cigar bowl, of any style, has been found. Despite purple being rare, this colour is found in the cigar bowls somewhat more frequently than cranberry.

A Chalet A5 cigar bowl mini. To date, this is the only Chalet piccoli cigar bowl of which I know.

A most unusual, and very cool, A5 variation:

We have found quite a diversity of branding on A5 “finger” cigar bowls:

Another iconic indicia – the large black Chalet label.

Cranberry A5 at left retains the small gold “Handmade…” Chalet label and on right, that cranberry cigar bowl retains the small silver “Lead Crystal…” Chalet label. This label is also found in gold.

Cigar bowl at left from the collection of Troy Danby. Photograph at right courtesy of Bradley Atkinson.

The hand engraved Chalet “Canada Art” signature. Photograph courtesy of Sabrina Brunetti. The purple trio shown earlier were also branded this way. For details with regard to the Chalet “Canada Art” marking please see pages 155 through 168 in “Chalet Crystal Clear Continued.”

Chalet retailers’ branding has also been found. At left, the Eaton’s etched <E> along with the Chalet signature. A5 at right retains a Birks company inventory sticker.

A5 at right from the collection of Wallace Addison White.

The other style of 2-toed pedestal cigar bowl - Chalet A37.

The “horn” cigar bowl. It too was produced throughout the entire operation of the company and is also found on the 1963 “Items Available” catalogue sheet.

This early production A37 cigar bowl bears an exceedingly rare marking – one of the first Chalet brandings. The “furnace” label. It was not retained by Chalet as an ongoing indicia.

It has been found in other colours.

Violet-blue A37 at bottom left from the collection of Brad McGillivray.

Like the A5 “finger” cigar bowl, there was the same design evolution regarding its base style. In addition, the overall profile of this piece is now more upright – with a steeper slant from pull to bowl.

Photograph of early (left) and later (right) A37s courtesy of Bradley Atkinson.

The later A37 design. This later, 2-toed style is much less often seen than its early production relatives. Moreover, we have found no minis, 2-toned, rarer coloured or crystal- clear versions of the “horn” cigar bowl.

Two more later production A37 pieces.

The Chalet “Canada Art” hand engraving is often seen on the earlier production style A37 cigar bowls.

Chalet “furnace” label at left, etched “Chalet Canada” signature in middle and the Chalet retailer Russells hand engraved signature at right. For a photograph of the etched Russell’s signature, please see page 251 in “Chalet Crystal clear Continued.” It is a very elegant branding.

A variation of the A37 “horn.” A “swirl” base form. To date, we have found two such.

From the collection of Deborah Patterson.

The second – note it is also in amber. And it also bears a hand engraved Birks signature.

Another cigar bowl style found on the 1963 “Items Available” catalogue sheet is A34. It is a large, heavy piece and very scarcely seen.

There was also an evolution in the base design of this style. The base is still a swirl but higher and more pronounced:

A35 is yet another cigar bowl from 1963 production. However, I do not think that this particular form was carried forward into later production years.

A very heavily cased piece with a deep bowl. It is typically found etched “Chalet Canada” (as directly above and below) or with the hand engraved “Canada Art” signature.

A few more colours.

A41 is yet another from the Chalet inventory offered in 1963.

Olive pieces from the collection of Ella Hanks.

This form also underwent changes in design:

The later A41 production style is very common. It is found in typical Chalet colours and with common Chalet branding.

This B42 is the last cigar bowl style shown on the 1963 page. This form is typically found with the hand engraved “Canada Art” signature. It can be mistaken for the A42 Chalet “splash” ashtray.

Other colours:

And an etched B42 piece in a more unusual shade of olive:

I do not have catalogue sheets or inventory numbers for any of the remaining cigar bowls. Some styles you will recognize instantly, others you will not find familiar at all.

A familiar design. Often found with the Eaton’s branding.

The orange cigar bowl above was shown at the 2010 Cornwall Chalet retrospective:

This very large, heavy cigar bowl is scarce – not rare but certainly not commonly found.

It has been found in other colours typical to the Chalet palette.

Olive at bottom left from the collection of the Zhao family. Top right photograph courtesy of Jeremiah Shaver.

The underside of this cigar bowl is beautifully done.

An etched “Chalet Canada” signature is typical.

But there are pieces with bases that are a bit surprising!

The sorely missed, incomparable – and surprising, Bob Burgess.

A 50 Shades “Super Supporter” member, Jeremiah Shaver, won a “Shadey” award for the “Best Sales Video” in 2020. The “Shadey” awards are presented every August as part of a week-long celebration of the artists, the group and group members and the glass.

The very lovely apple and pear “fruit” cigar bowls are highly collectible.

These are also substantial, heavy pieces. Both have attached stems with leaves. These are clear crystal with gold dust 99% of the time. Most often etched “Chalet Canada” or retaining the large, black Chalet label.

A stunning set: