Beck & Jung ashtray

The Beck & Jung brass ashtray Ultima, designed by Swedish artists Holger Bäckström and Bo Ljungberg, exemplifies a sculptural fusion of functional object and geometric art. Produced in Denmark for Diverse Ting, a design gallery and concept store in Malmö, Sweden, this piece reflects the studio’s characteristic blend of graphic abstraction and material experimentation.

Crafted from solid cast brass, the ashtray features a square form topped with a removable lid adorned with a relief pattern of repeating concave and convex geometric elements arranged in a tight grid. This rhythmic three-dimensional texture incorporates a series of circular insets designed to hold cigarettes. Lifting the lid reveals an internal brass box that serves as the ash collection chamber. The exterior surface shows natural oxidation and visible patina, along with signs of handling, imparting a raw, expressive quality to the piece.

The design channels Brutalist aesthetics, combining ornamental structure with the material weight of brass. Its precise, systematic patterning echoes the visual language of 1970s computer graphics and op-art, both of which heavily influenced Beck & Jung’s wider artistic output. The verdigris traces in the patinated finish underscore the object’s dual identity as a practical tool and an artifact.

Holger Bäckström (1939–1997) and Bo Ljungberg (1942–2007) began collaborating in the late 1960s, becoming pioneers in integrating computer technology into visual art. Their work often explores modular repetition and optical illusions, concepts that naturally extended into their design of functional art objects during the 1970s.

The ashtray measures 14.5 centimeters in width and depth, and 5 centimeters in height (approximately 5.7 x 5.7 x 2 inches).