Original Item. Only One Available. This is a very interesting early post-WWII American souvenir ashtray produced by the Weatherhead Company of Cleveland, Ohio, commemorating the Allied victory over Germany in 1945. The piece is a miniature representation of the fireplace in AH's former mountain residence, the Berghof, near Berchtesgaden, Bavaria. Its most distinctive feature is a small reddish-brown marble inset, purportedly taken from the original fireplace following the Allied occupation of the property in June 1945.

The ashtray is constructed from heavy brass-colored metal, with a rectangular recessed basin, raised fireplace-style surround, and cigarette rests along either side. The upper border carries the provocative slogan inviting the owner to flick ashes onto AH's hearth. Beneath the basin, an engraved inscription identifies the design as a copy of the Berghof fireplace and states that the marble fragment was recovered approximately one month after V-E Day.

Of particular interest is the extensive printed testimonial on the underside, headed "Document." It describes the marble as part of the original hearth in the Berghof drawing room, reportedly recovered in June 1945 by three individuals visiting Europe on a technical war assignment. Three facsimile signatures appear beneath the statement, including that of Albert J. Weatherhead, Jr., founder of the Weatherhead Company. The signatures are presented as testimony supporting the fragment's claimed origin.

Below the signatures is the inscription: Compliments of The Weatherhead Company

A 1946 copyright marking appears near the bottom. Four protective felt pads are also fitted to the underside.

The ashtray measures approximately 6 1/4" × 5 1/2" × 1 1/2" [15.9 × 14 × 3.8 cm].

Condition is very good overall, with age-related surface wear and a pleasing golden patina. The recessed basin shows noticeable dark streaking, scattered scratches, and localized discoloration, particularly along the left side and upper interior edge. There are also some lighter areas of surface staining or residue. The marble inset remains securely seated, while the engraved lettering and printed underside testimonial are well preserved and legible. The protective felt pads show varying degrees of wear and deterioration, with some adhesive residue around their edges.

Historical Context

The Berghof was AH's principal mountain residence and one of the most important political centers of the Third Reich outside Berlin. Located on the Obersalzberg above Berchtesgaden, the property originally consisted of a modest Alpine house known as Haus Wachenfeld, which AH rented in 1928 and purchased in 1933. Extensive renovations followed, transforming the residence into the much larger Berghof by 1936.

The expanded residence combined private living quarters with formal rooms used for meetings, receptions, and political discussions. Particularly well known was its large drawing room, or Great Hall, which featured an imposing fireplace and an enormous panoramic window overlooking the Bavarian Alps. This room became a familiar setting for meetings with German political and military officials, as well as visiting foreign dignitaries. Important political decisions were discussed and made at the Berghof during the years leading up to and throughout WWII.

The surrounding Obersalzberg area underwent considerable transformation during the 1930s. Properties were acquired or requisitioned, and much of the original village was cleared to accommodate residences for senior officials, administrative facilities, and SS security installations. Access became increasingly restricted as the Berghof developed into a secondary center of government.

On April 25, 1945, the British Royal Air Force carried out a major bombing operation against Obersalzberg, severely damaging the Berghof and much of the surrounding complex. As Germany approached surrender, the remaining personnel abandoned the area, and the damaged residence was subsequently set ablaze.

American and French troops reached Obersalzberg on May 4, 1945. In the following days and weeks, Allied personnel explored the damaged buildings, underground facilities, and abandoned residences. The area contained an assortment of furnishings, personal possessions, decorative objects, and architectural material, much of which was subsequently recovered or removed as wartime souvenirs.

The end of the war also brought American technical specialists and industrial personnel to occupied Germany. Their assignments could involve examining German manufacturing facilities, industrial equipment, and technological developments of military interest. The account printed on this ashtray places the three individuals responsible for the purported marble recovery in Europe on such an assignment during June 1945, although their specific duties and the circumstances of the recovery remain unidentified.

The Weatherhead Company, responsible for producing this souvenir, had been established in Cleveland in 1919 by Albert J. Weatherhead, Jr. The business initially specialized in automotive components, including radiator drain cocks and related fittings, before expanding into precision engineering and manufacturing. By 1937, the company was producing aircraft components for the U.S. Navy, and its defense-related manufacturing activities grew substantially during WWII.

Weatherhead's involvement in aviation and military manufacturing provides the industrial background to the technical assignment mentioned on the ashtray. The participation of the company's founder in the printed testimonial also gives the souvenir a direct connection to the business responsible for its production. The wording "Compliments of The Weatherhead Company" indicates that it was intended as a company presentation or commemorative gift.

The ashtray's design reflects the anti-AH sentiment prevalent in the United States immediately following Germany's defeat. By reproducing the former dictator's fireplace as an ashtray, the manufacturer turned a prominent feature of his residence into an object of ridicule. The small marble inset, presented as an actual fragment of the original hearth, supplied the souvenir with a claimed physical connection to the occupied Berghof.

The 1946 copyright date places the design within the immediate postwar period, when American interest in captured German objects, battlefield souvenirs, and material recovered from prominent Third Reich locations remained strong. The ashtray combines this interest in wartime relics with a distinctly American form of victory memorabilia, incorporating both a mocking inscription and a manufacturer-issued statement of provenance.

The Berghof remained a damaged ruin after the war. In 1952, Bavarian authorities, working with the American occupation authorities, demolished its surviving structures to prevent the location from becoming a gathering place for supporters of the former regime. The Weatherhead ashtray consequently belongs to the early period following the Allied occupation, when portions of the original complex still stood and material from the site continued to circulate as souvenirs.