Modernist motoring

I'm not sure what the link was between motoring and cigarette smoking back in the 1950s/60s, but I have in my possession these two Scandinavian ashtrays from that era - both carrying advertisement for car related organisations.

The Domino ashtray designed by Stig Lindberg for Gustavsberg should be well-known to a lot of you. However this particular one has the symbol of Scania (or Aktiebolaget Scania-Vabis to be precise). Scania do buses, that's about all I know about them... Other than that, I'd just like to add that I was thrilled to find this piece in a flea market a few months ago :-)

This second ashtray is Norwegian, produced by Stavangerflint and signed 'Kari'. It promotes the Royal Automobile Club of Norway and its hotel in Oslo ('Kongelig Norsk Automobilklub-Hotellet').

I love the way the couple in the car look so chirpy greeting us, even if they're almost running over a black cat... Also they have really dressed up for the occasion of taking a car ride, which is cute, and then there's that little poodle sitting like a statue in the back seat. Priceless.