Carved wooden smoking accessory set

This set consists of two turned and carved dark-stained wooden smoking accessories displayed on a reflective surface. The piece on the left is a cylindrical container featuring a flat top pierced with numerous circular holes, functioning potentially as a holder for matches, pipe cleaners, or cigarettes. A band of carved or incised lettering is visible around its midsection, displaying characters that appear to read 'MERIDA'. Decorative notched carving borders the top and bottom edges of this cylinder. The piece on the right is a small, pedestal-style ashtray with a rounded, flared bowl section featuring a cigar or cigarette rest notch, supported by a turned stem and a wider circular base. Both items exhibit a visible dark wood grain, a polished or varnished finish, and signs of age or wear including minor surface dust, scuffs, and small chips consistent with vintage utilitarian objects. No manufacturer's marks or stamps are directly readable beyond the carved text on the cylinder. The design features folk art or souvenir characteristics frequently found in mid-20th-century tourist items, though the exact period and maker remain unverified.

Based on what I can see in the photograph, this set of turned and carved dark-stained wooden smoking accessories—comprising a cylindrical container labeled 'MERIDA' and a matching pedestal ashtray—exhibits folk art and souvenir characteristics typical of mid-20th-century tourist items. I cannot verify from a photo the exact period of manufacture, the wood species, or whether the carved lettering relates to a specific location or maker, as physical inspection is needed to evaluate the construction and finish closely. The value estimate of $45 to 75 reflects typical market behavior for mid-century Tobacciana and souvenir folk art pieces of this scale and material in secondary markets. This assumes the attribution and presumed mid-20th-century vintage are correct, though the piece shows minor surface dust, scuffs, and small chips consistent with age and utilitarian use. If physical examination reveals the set to be a later modern reproduction, replica, or made 'in the style of' rather than a period tourist piece, the market value would likely decrease to the $20 to 35 range. To establish a more precise evaluation and assess authenticity, an in-person examination by a decorative arts specialist, along with potential provenance documentation or detailed analysis of tool marks and wear patterns, would be necessary.