What is the ball...

[OldGob]

As craig said, it's a handle used to remove the metal ashtray from the wooden base so you can empty the ashes.

If you see an ashtray with a large, cork ball in the middle that's about 1" in diameter, can you guess what that's for?

It's a pipe smokers thing. Used to knock the ash and dottle from the pipe when finished smoking.

[ashauler]

Great!
Finally, a resolution to this intriguing question, only 13 months or so of waiting required.

[kevin7]

well fuck me running ,I can sleep at night now without smoking a 20$
rock