Thanks Ken mc. I know as I have searched for some time..No lobby photos and even if I found some they would have to be from that era..they say a photo is worth a thousand words and as long as I have that Cary Grant photo that might well be all I will ever be able to put together. I often wondered what happened to pieces of decor such as this when remodeling is done and how this person came to be in possesson of it and what the owner’s connection to the theatre was if any. Nobody seemd to know at the time.
I have been trying to locate interior photos of the Grauman’s lobby from the 40’s and 50’s but have not been sucessful..Perhaps there are none around..I have an antique dragon motif cast iron. bronze and brass floor standing ashtray/smoking stand I purchased many years ago that I understand was once in the lobby of the Grauman. The adm. of the estate I purchased it from told me it was removed during a renovation and came accompanied with a picture of Cary Grant standing there putting out a cigarette in the very same smoking stand. I have treasured it over the years but always meant to try and find out more about the piece. I called Mann’s a few years ago and spoke to someone there and described the ash tray and was told after some deliberation that it was indeed one of a pair that once stood in their lobby. I am an antique collector and bought the piece for it’s value as a unique art deco piece of the era but it’s connection to the theatre was a real plus and has always had me fascinated. Does anyone know how I could go about getting more info on this fabulous piece.I have visions of not only Cary Grant but the likes of Bette Davis putting her cigs in the ashtray and it gives me goosebumps.
Love reading this message board. I think Grauman’s Chinese is one of our national treasures and I am totally fascintated by it’s history.I attended a private upscale estate auction some years ago where I purchased a fascinating art deco chinese motif cast iron, bronze and brass standing floor ashtray that I was told was once in the lobby of Grauman’s Chinese in the 40’s to 50’s. I could not get much information on the gentleman that owned the piece at the time but I do know that it was accompanied by a b/w vintage photo of Cary Grant putting out a cigarette in the very same astray. Even tho I thought this was a fabulous extra I bought the piece as it is a fabulous very early art deco work of art. As I collect antiques I had only seen one other one like it before but it was plain cast and brass and not decortrated and painted in the fabulous chinese motif that this one is so I am inclined and want to believe it is the actual piece from the theatre. I have tried to find picture from the lobby from that era and cannot locate any photos that would help me.. I made a phone call years ago and spoke to someone at the theatre and when I described the ashtray to them they told me that there was indeed a pair of these in the lobby at one time. It appeared to be custom painted and decorated in the chinese motif and unlike the other one I had seen. I was wondering if anyone here might have any information on how to get more information on something like this or anyone who might have any places to reference. The piece stands about 31" tall and has a large green cast iron dragon towering over a red iron ashbox with a flip lid that held the lit cigarettes. the standing stem is solid brass and is gold ribbed with a black cast iron base. Although I have the Cary photo (awesome!)I would love to have more history.
Thanks Ken mc. I know as I have searched for some time..No lobby photos and even if I found some they would have to be from that era..they say a photo is worth a thousand words and as long as I have that Cary Grant photo that might well be all I will ever be able to put together. I often wondered what happened to pieces of decor such as this when remodeling is done and how this person came to be in possesson of it and what the owner’s connection to the theatre was if any. Nobody seemd to know at the time.
I have been trying to locate interior photos of the Grauman’s lobby from the 40’s and 50’s but have not been sucessful..Perhaps there are none around..I have an antique dragon motif cast iron. bronze and brass floor standing ashtray/smoking stand I purchased many years ago that I understand was once in the lobby of the Grauman. The adm. of the estate I purchased it from told me it was removed during a renovation and came accompanied with a picture of Cary Grant standing there putting out a cigarette in the very same smoking stand. I have treasured it over the years but always meant to try and find out more about the piece. I called Mann’s a few years ago and spoke to someone there and described the ash tray and was told after some deliberation that it was indeed one of a pair that once stood in their lobby. I am an antique collector and bought the piece for it’s value as a unique art deco piece of the era but it’s connection to the theatre was a real plus and has always had me fascinated. Does anyone know how I could go about getting more info on this fabulous piece.I have visions of not only Cary Grant but the likes of Bette Davis putting her cigs in the ashtray and it gives me goosebumps.
Love reading this message board. I think Grauman’s Chinese is one of our national treasures and I am totally fascintated by it’s history.I attended a private upscale estate auction some years ago where I purchased a fascinating art deco chinese motif cast iron, bronze and brass standing floor ashtray that I was told was once in the lobby of Grauman’s Chinese in the 40’s to 50’s. I could not get much information on the gentleman that owned the piece at the time but I do know that it was accompanied by a b/w vintage photo of Cary Grant putting out a cigarette in the very same astray. Even tho I thought this was a fabulous extra I bought the piece as it is a fabulous very early art deco work of art. As I collect antiques I had only seen one other one like it before but it was plain cast and brass and not decortrated and painted in the fabulous chinese motif that this one is so I am inclined and want to believe it is the actual piece from the theatre. I have tried to find picture from the lobby from that era and cannot locate any photos that would help me.. I made a phone call years ago and spoke to someone at the theatre and when I described the ashtray to them they told me that there was indeed a pair of these in the lobby at one time. It appeared to be custom painted and decorated in the chinese motif and unlike the other one I had seen. I was wondering if anyone here might have any information on how to get more information on something like this or anyone who might have any places to reference. The piece stands about 31" tall and has a large green cast iron dragon towering over a red iron ashbox with a flip lid that held the lit cigarettes. the standing stem is solid brass and is gold ribbed with a black cast iron base. Although I have the Cary photo (awesome!)I would love to have more history.