Cigarette Butts — Get It?

The part of the cigarette that’s left when you’re done smoking is called a “butt” — and back in the day, millions were made on toilet-themed ashtrays. These are just a few we’ve had. The one sans donkey is a bit confusing… It has one small potty or chamber pot for matches, another for ashes, and the center toilet bowl is for “cigarettes”. Perhaps the “butts” thing didn’t translate well. Or maybe this is for fancy folk who have both the inclination and the time to separate their ashes from their butts.

vintage cigarette butt ashtray toilets

Both vintage tobacciana items were made in Japan (one in Occupied Japan) and are china Lusterware pieces. You can find lots of other versions of vintage toilet ashtrays on eBay, naturally.

We don’t always talk about our antique business here (we mainly do that here — sometimes here), however, I have to say that neither of these items were clean when we got them from the estate. So I had to take a tweezers and pluck out each old cigarette butt from the miniature toilets. It was very difficult to do with that toilet the donkey’s pulling because the bowl’s hole is so much smaller (however, butts can — and do — go where the bowl widens at the bottom). Not that you really care; but that’s the facts. The butt facts.

PS I wonder if women always made men put these toilet seats down too?

made in japan lusterware ashtrays

 

 

Children Who Play With Their Food

Grow up to be adults who play with their food. And even become magazine editors who encourage others to play with their food.

Exhibit A: How To Run A Successful Party: Party Ideas, Games, Fun, For Children & Grown Ups!, written by Elizabeth King (Fun Editor of Parents’ Magazine), copyright 1945, Doughnut Corporation of America. (This booklet, courtesy of my daughter, bears the name of Otto’s Bakery.)

doughnut donut vintage party booklet

elizabeth king party book

In these 30+ pages, are so many ways to play with donuts, I’m nearly speechless. Here are just a few of the games to play with donuts.

A horse racing game played with donuts:

donut horse racing game

Replace the pies with donuts for a donut-eating contest:

vintage donut eating contest

A donut relay:

vintage party idea donut relay

And, of course, the most popular donut games for all ages… Donut Dunking Contest, Donuts-On-A-String, Pass-The-Donut, and Pin The Dunk-ee. (Click to see larger scans.)

most popular donut games for all ages

Oh, there are more “most popular donut games for all ages” too! Though, as a parent, I’m not sure kids should be encouraged to play some of this smutty-stuff. Donut Treasure Hunt, Donut Snatch Dance, Donut Nose-Pushing Race, Dunking Relay Race, Chicken Fight with donuts, Donut Balancing Race, Donut Archery Contest, Donut String Kiss Stunt, Donuts From The Sky.

vintage doughnut games party booklet

This is by no means all of the games — nor all the things you can do with donuts. I’m just feeling the need to eat. And plan a party, maybe…