Ashtray and matchbox holder advertising the Eastern Telegraph Company, 1901-1929

Globe ashtray with matchbox stand marked A. W. Savill and Co. 'Send your telegrams via Eastern', probably made by A. W. Savill and Co, British, 1901-1929

Globe ashtray with matchbox stand marked A W Savill and Co. 'Send your telegrams via Eastern', probably made by A W Savill and Co, British, 1901-1929.

This is an example of the advertising paraphernalia produced by telegraph companies. The Eastern Telegraph Company, with its headquarters in London, was one of the world’s largest submarine telegraph cable companies. This ashtray would have been given away to customers to keep the name of the company prominently in front of them, using the slogan ‘Send your telegrams via Eastern’. In 1929 the company was merged with others to form Cable and Wireless Ltd.