Danny’s Hide-a-Way Ashtray – Souvenir from the “Mad Men” Era

WHY YOU”LL WANT TO OWN IT:  This vintage black bakelite ashtray, sharply styled with white lettering and measuring five inches square, is an authentic survivor from Danny’s Hide-a-Way, the fabled 1950s celebrity supper-club where New York City loosened its tie after dark. 

Where Don Draper Came for a Drink.

Located at 151 East 45th Street, Danny's Hideaway was a beloved restaurant and bar that specialized in steaks, filet mignon and lobsters and was frequented nightly by famous names in entertainment and sports. New York columnist Louis Sobel wrote: “Danny’s is one of the chief gathering places for the comics Jack E. Leonard, Red Buttons, Jack Carter, Alan King, as well visiting cinema stars, especially owner Danny Stradella’s idol John Wayne. 

Danny's Hide-a-Way started as a one-room bistro seating six, with Mamma Rosa doing the cooking and Danny acting as his own waiter and barkeep. Within the next dozen years the operation was to expand to take in three four-story buildings, with 11 dining rooms seating 300, two separate kitchens and two completely stocked bars on different levels.

So legendary was this watering hole that even Don Draper stepped through Danny’s door in the Mad Men Season 5 finale, took his place at the bar, and, with the quiet authority of a man who understands ritual, ordered an Old Fashioned.