This ashtray has cutouts for TWO cigarettes, right next to each other. Possibly to promote comradeship between soldiers. It’s been painted and glossed, and the soldier head has a coquettish expression with a wink. He’s also got a cigarette in his mouth.

In the world of pottery, a little research nets the result that this piece is made by Beswick. The John Beswick factory was sold to Royal Doulton in 1969 and finally closed in 2002. There’s even a Beswick Collectors Circle which was formed in 1995.

The glaze has no chips, but has cracks called crazing all over it. These cracks are a sign of age and can only be seen when you look very closely. It’s just the nature of this kind of glaze. Typically, in these ashtrays, most crazing appears on rounded, concave or convex surfaces. For example, the top or bottom of the bowl of the ashtray.