ASHTRAY

Description: BROWN CERAMIC CIGAR ASHTRAY. SHAPED AS BEAR PAW, WITH FIVE CLAWS AT ONE END AND NINE NOTCHES FOR CIGARS AT OPPOSITE END. ASHTRAY HAS SOME LIGHTER BROWN COLORING AROUND EDGES AND TEXTURED PARTS OF TRAY. NO MARKINGS.

History: MANUFACTURED BY LETHBRIDGE'S SUNBURST POTTERY, WHERE DONOR WORKED AS FLOOR MANAGER UNTIL PLANT CLOSED IN 1975. FOR MORE HISTORY ON SUNBURST COMPANY OPERATION, SEE P19960004001-GA AND PERMANENT FILE. IN 1960, A LETHBRIDGE BUSINESSMAN RALPH THRALL FOUNDED SUNBURST CERAMICS. A NUMBER OF PROMINENT ALBERTA STUDIO POTTERS WORKED AT SUNBURST, WHERE THEY DEVELOPED VARIOUS LINES OF ARTWARE. HOWEVER, THEY WERE FRUSTRATED BY THE PRODUCTION SCHEDULE WHICH LEFT LITTLE ROOM FOR NEW DESIGN WORK. THRALL RELIED ON THE COMMERCIAL SUCCESS OF CROCKS AND MIXING BOWLS, AND SEEMED RELUCTANT TO TRY MORE CREATIVE DESIGNS. HE INVESTED HEAVILY IN UPGRADING THE PLANT’S MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT, BUT FINALLY REALIZED THAT THE OLD FACTORY WAS NOT SUITED TO MODERN PRODUCTION. IN 1966 HE RELOCATED THE COMPANY TO NEW PREMISES IN LETHBRIDGE, WHERE SUNBURST OPERATED UNTIL 1975. MUCH OF THE ORIGINAL MACHINERY AND THE OLD MEDALTA MOULDS WERE ACQUIRED BY ANOTHER POTTERY. MEDALTA (1966) LTD. WHICH SET UP IN REDCLIFF. THERE, SEVERAL FORMER MEDALTA EMPLOYEES REVIVED THE PRODUCTION OF CROCKS, MIXING BOWLS AND TEAPOTS. THE COMPANY FINALLY WENT OUT OF BUSINESS IN 1986. THRALL SOLD THE MEDALTA PLANT TO EARTHEX RESOURCES IN 1976, A REAL ESTATE AND INVESTMENT FIRM WHICH PROMOTED THE SITE AS INDUSTRIAL AND WAREHOUSE SPACE. IN 1990, THE CITY OF MEDICINE HAT ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY AND LEASED IT TO THE FRIENDS OF MEDALTA SOCIETY.