Different Butterfly Beginnings
Some years back, on eBay, a strange piece was auctioned. I bought it.
The seller was in the US and the item’s puzzled and
intrigued me ever since.
It’s a caterpillar ashtray.
Identical to YZ’s phenolic resin and ebony caterpillar
but a brass ashtray with a painted, cast iron caterpillar with over-large
eyes.
Those eyes though are typical of YZ eyes. There's no YZ mark on it.
Back to my puzzlement. Was it made by or for Henry Howell & Co. Ltd? If so, why?
a) Was it one of many given to retailers to help promote the YZ brand?
b) Was it, again one of many, used by YZ salesmen as a hard-wearing sample to show
to prospective buyers?
c) Was it perhaps used on the YZ stand at trade fairs as a talking point to stimulate interest?
d) Am I missing a really simple explanation?
If you've ever seen a similar metal piece please let me know. And if you've spotted that really
simple explanation I'd like to hear from you.
Incidentally, there is one metal YZ piece known. It's a napkin ring and it does have a YZ mark.
