Today we are well aware of the health hazards posed by smoking.  But it wasn't always that way, and for much of the last century, smoking was common place.  The amount of aviation related ashtrays in our collection bear witness to this fact.  Some of these ashtrays are quite unique, and have interesting stories behind them!   Take a look at a few of our favorites here.

San Diego based Consolidated/Convair Aircraft must have been associated with many smokers, because they made an ashtray featuring virtually every aircraft they built.  Take a look below.

Consolidated/Convair/GD aircraft ashtrays include ones for the R3Y, the 440, and B-24 and the B-36! 

Many other companies also used ashtrays as a way to market themselves.  

Aerocommander, Ryan and Rohr were also companies that made unique ashtrays.

And yes, there was a time when smoking was permitted on aircrafft!  A few examples of ashtrays used in flight are below.

This old feller was used by smokers on the first Pan Am Clipper flight from San Francisco to Guam.

This Western Airlines ashtray was evidently used on flight to Mexico.

This ashtray from United Airlines features a Boeing 720. 

Below you will find some of our other favorite ashtrays, all very different! 

This ashtray is from a Boeing B-29...obviously the crews were not worried about setting off their payloads with ashes! 

An ashtray representing the U.S.S Wasp and the Bethlehem Steel Company, builder of the ship (we don't have records if this is from CV-7 or CV-18).

This ashtray is built from an engine piston which if fitting for the Lycoming Aircraft Engine company! 

Unfortunately, we couldn't find the ashtray that this guy used, but you can click here to see the rest of our Curatorial Collection.