Of the five (5) sub-categories under “The Collection”, the one with the highest quantity of ashtrays is “Ships”. Literally every ship in the US Navy had ashtrays made for the crew, officers, captain, and if on board, the Admiral. Additionally, ashtrays were kept on board for visiting higher ranking Admirals. The category of “Ships” is broken down into the five (5) main sub-categories above. The US Military Ashtrays listed under these five categories, or the sub-categories below them, are only done so “IF” the ashtray is verifiably associated to that specific sub-category. Example: The ashtray identified to Admiral Ernest King while serving as the Commander-in-Chief of the US Atlantic Fleet is listed under four (4) of the five (5) sub categories under “Ships” for the following reasons:
“Iconic”, as it was used by a Commander-in-Chief, on board a historic ship, the USS Texas BB 35, during the longest battle of WWII, the Battle of the Atlantic.
“Lost”; N/A
“Flagship”, as it was being used from Feb 1st 1941 through the first 2 weeks of WWII until December 20th 1941 on board the Flagship for the Commander-in-Chief of the US Atlantic Fleet, the USS Texas. Please note that the USS Texas BB 35 was also a Presidential Flagship for President Calvin Coolidge in 1928 as well as the Flagship for the US Pacific Fleet prior to WWII, however this specific ashtray did not even exist during those events, and therefore it is not credited as such.
“Class”, as it falls under the class of ship “Battleship”.“Distinguished”, as it has distinguishing characteristics such as: (a) being the only ashtray in the collection that can be high resolution photo matched to a period photograph and (b) is the only ashtray in the collection with cursive writing cast into it.