This is a scratch carved wooden Memento Mori ashtray featuring three hand carved bovine bone skulls.
The ashtray itself is nicely carved with geometric shape lending some of its design features from the later Art Deco styles.
The front has the words Memento Mori carved into it in gothic script, contrary to popular belief Memento Mori, derived from Latin is the opposite of a negative motto and means: remember that you have to die, a symbolic reminder to live your life as death comes to all.
What makes that statement all the more symbolic or perhaps satirical is the fact that it is carved into an ashtray and smoking is bad for the health.
Sitting atop the ashtray are the three hand carved bovine bone skulls that have primitive yet jovial expressions and these have been fixed with large nails.
It is Unmarked, c1910s.
A must have the collector of skulls, satire, memento Mori or tobacciana, this is a very interesting piece.
Condition: Good used condition overall, some light surface wear and signs of use commensurate with age, small marks.