Overview
A bold square ashtray in warm Italian travertine, 1970s, fitted with a removable polished metal dish. A solid, architectural object whose stepped, cornice-like moulded edge frames the natural beauty of the unfilled stone.
Description
This piece reflects the material-driven taste of 1970s Italian design, when travertine — the noble Roman stone — was reinterpreted into striking decorative objects for the modern interior.
It is carved from a single block of natural travertine, left unfilled so that the stone's open pores and warm ivory-to-honey veining remain fully visible. The square body is defined by a stepped, moulded edge that recalls an architectural plinth or cornice, while a removable round metal dish sits at its centre and lifts out for cleaning.
The contrast between the geometric, squared silhouette and the organic stone gives it a quietly monumental character.
Design & Function
Conceived as a generously sized table piece, it works equally well as an ashtray or as a vide-poche and catch-all for keys, jewellery and small everyday items, with the metal insert protecting the porous stone. Its weight and solidity lend it a reassuring presence on a desk, console, coffee table or bar.
Beyond its function, it reads as a miniature architectural fragment — a plinth translated to desktop scale.
Materials & Aesthetic
The charm lies in the honest pairing of natural travertine and cool metal: warm, tactile, open-grained stone against a reflective dish. The unfilled surface, with its voids and fossil veining, makes each example unique. This sensibility — raw stone elevated into refined, minimal form — is typical of Italian production in the 1970s, in the spirit of makers such as Fratelli Mannelli.
Technical Details
Product: Square Italian Travertine Ashtray with Removable Metal Dish, 1970s
Designer: Unattributed (Italian manufacture)
Manufacturer: Italian production, in the manner of Fratelli Mannelli — unmarked
Period: 1970s
Materials: Natural unfilled travertine; removable polished metal dish
Dimensions: Width 18cm | Depth 18cm | Height 4cm
Condition: Please note that this item is in good vintage condition. The travertine is solid and intact; its open pores, voids and veining are natural characteristics of unfilled travertine, not damage. Minor surface marks and small natural chips to the edges may be present, consistent with the stone and its age. The removable metal dish shows a darker patina and oxidation consistent with age and use. We kindly invite you to take these characteristics into consideration before purchasing.
Functionality: Ashtray / catch-all with removable metal dish
Collectibility
1970s Italian travertine objects are highly sought after by collectors and interior designers for their material warmth and sculptural, architectural quality. This square model is a versatile, decorative statement for both classic and contemporary interiors. (A matching round model is also available, should you wish to display them as a pair.)
Designer & Manufacturer
This ashtray belongs to the rich Italian tradition of 1970s travertine objects, when workshops — most famously Fratelli Mannelli, alongside other Italian stone ateliers — turned the classical Roman stone into bold, minimal home accessories. Although unsigned, it is a characteristic and well-made example of that production, prized today for its timeless combination of natural stone and modern form.