Tucker Ashtrays

[TuckerCar]

While we're posting some of our collections, I thought I'd share my two ashtrays. Side by side you can see there are slight differences in the maroon and gold. The maroon has flat quarters while the gold has cutouts where the fender skirts are. I'm assuming they manufactured the maroon cars first before making changes to the casting for the gold cars.

I also have a brochure for the ashtrays that I've never seen anywhere else (different from the ad on the back of the May '48 Tucker Topics) that says the maroon cars have whitewall tires. I am fairly certain that never happened and they all had blackwalls.

Also note that there where never any black bases (contrary to repainted bases you often see on eBay), and there was no option for a silver car although I have seen those around as well. Perhaps someone knows if silver cars were offered or if they too are faded golds or replated originals.

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[MD]

Beautiful examples Joe!

You're right, the maroon one is an early casting and the plated one is a later version. However, some early castings were plated, so gold ones do exist without the fender skirt casting lines. A small number of maroon examples were cast with the fender skirt lines, but they are rare because the gold version was a bigger seller by the time the casting was updated. To the best of my knowledge, the maroon ones always had black tires.

The gold plating was very thin and could be removed with a damp rag. Thus any silver examples seen now are just gold ones that have faded, or have been cleaned to enthusiastically. Your gold one is stunningly perfect... Keep it dust free and never polish it!

Very cool brochure too, one I have not seen previously. Nice Zippo too!

Thanks for sharing,

Martyn

[Natalie]

Wow! What's some of that other neat lookin' stuff in the background...

[TuckerCar]

Wow! What's some of that other neat lookin' stuff in the background...

'55 Thunderbird couch and a Dog 'N Suds drive-in menu/ordering thing.

[Natalie]

Wow! What's some of that other neat lookin' stuff in the background...

'55 Thunderbird couch and a Dog 'N Suds drive-in menu/ordering thing.

The T-Bird couch looks very cool. I had a "retro diner" dinner table set (in a similar style) made for my last apt. It doesn't fit my co-op as we no longer have a dining room. I miss it.

[Tucker Fan 48]

Bonhams sold one of these for $1,380 back in August of 2004.

http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.s ... ectionNo=1

[Natalie]

Hi --

There is a pretty wiped-down gold one on EBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/1948-Tucker-Car-Ash ... 3caa9592b1

Can someone offer an opinion as to whether the condition warrants (at least) $500? Let's put it this way -- I'm eager to start a collection of more rare items (I have models, a stock certificate, etc.), but would rather wait and/or pay a few hundred more for an ashtray that looks a just bit closer to TuckerCar's above examples than jump at the first one available.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

[Tucker Fan 48]

That one looked pretty rough and the ashtray has been well used. Looks like the roof might be dented too. $500.00 seems a little steep.

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[TuckerCar]

I think $500 is a fair price.

It'll cost you about $300 to replate it in gold (half that if you do it in bronze). The base needs to be finished but that's simple. You can just paint it silver - it's not like you're going to 'use' it anyway.

Keep in mind in mint condition these things generally get $1200 in gold, and even more in maroon.

I'd buy it.

[Tucker Fan 48]

Does anyone know how many were made? Sounds like the plated one in the early casting and the maroon one in the later casting are more rare?

[CDB]

Bidding just ended on the Tucker Ashtray on ebay pictured above. I was the only bidder until I was torpedoed-"Tucker Torpedoed" that is- within the last 2 seconds of the bidding. I hope the model got a good home with a Tucker Club member however and will be restored to all its glory! Charles-the model went for $561.55. (I do take credit with my bid for the end figure being such an odd amount!)

[TuckerCar]

I still think that's a good deal.

[Larry Clark]

There was a question as to how many Tucker desk sets (car ash trays) were made. I do not know the answer to this question. However, bankruptcy inventory records show that there were 89 (valued @ $11.00 each) of one and 103 (similar value) of another version of the ask trays when the company came to an end. I never found what each lot sold for or the buyer(s). The desk sets were stored in the "Waiting Room safe" pending the bankruptcy sale.

Larry