| Collecting
Compacts by
Tracy Martin |
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| Powder
compacts come in all shapes and sizes, some depicting historical events,
others epitomising the eras in
which they were manufactured. Although completely individual in design
all have the same purpose - to hold those vital cosmetics that us ladies
cannot live without.
Each morning women wake up and
apply their make up without a second thought but this was not always so.
Ladies who wore make-up were not favoured by society in the late 18th
century and a law was passed by Parliament declaring any woman that
adorned herself was dabbling in witchcraft and was liable to punishment.
Even
into the early part of the 20th Century a woman wearing make
up was sometimes referred to as “immoral” or “a lady of the
night”. Fortunately all this was to change in the 1920s when adornment
became far more acceptable especially with the glamorous silver screen
stars setting the fashion trends and influencing females to follow.
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During
this decade face powder was exported from France but it was the USA that
supplied the UK with decorative and stylised compacts. Manufacturers
such as Elgin and Richard Hudnut are just two of the popular makers’
names that are sought after by collectors. When buying look out for
good examples, especially the geometric enamel designs as they are
highly desirable and worth as much as £150 - £200 if in mint
condition.
Left:- Richard Hudnut 'Profiles'
finger ring compact in original box |
| Also
at the height of fashion during the 1920s were tasselled compacts, made
entirely from Bakelite, the trendy “Flapper” girls favoured this
particular design. The main body of the compact was generally round in
shape with a long carrying cord and tassel decoration. Harder to come
by, especially in good condition, today these compacts can change hands
for as much as £200+.
Right:- French celluloid tasseled
compact or reticule with engraved deco motif & rhinestone decoration
C1920
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| Another
manufacturer that commands a high price on the secondary market is
Gwenda, their compacts were decorated using butterfly wings or foil and
can cost from £75 upwards for a true butterfly wing example.
An alternative to single compacts during this era were complete
vanity cases which housed additional vanity items such as lipsticks,
combs or pencils but if buying make sure that all the components are
present because this could effect the price. |
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Towards
the end of the 1930s the outbreak of WW2 meant production in fashion and
cosmetic houses was restricted or in most cases ceased, especially in
occupied France. This
included the making of compacts, although some were put into production
at the very beginning of the war for the armed forces to purchase for
their sweethearts as love tokens.
Left:-
American compact in the shape of an officer's hat
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| Elegance
and glamour was not reinstated again until 1947 when French Fashion
Couture House “Christian Dior” introduced its “New Look”. This
paved the way for other fashion manufacturers, one of the first to start
production in the compact industry was the British company Vogue
Vanities. A typical new
look to compacts in the 1950s was to produce them in a larger size
(approximately 9.5cm in diameter) and there are many Vogue Vanities
examples in this style. One
of their most well-known, sought after designs is “Equestrian”
(1951) which features a romantic couple on horseback and now sells for
£85 on the secondary market. |
| The
most famous British maker of
powder compacts is the company “Stratton”; originally founded in
1923 it is responsible for a vast amount of the compacts available to
collectors. Stratton was extremely innovative in its design using every
image you could imagine to adorn the compacts. They also took an
interest in the working mechanisms behind compacts.
The self-opening lid was an innovative invention by Stratton and
alerted buyers to the fact that Stratton compacts prevented ladies’
nails being damaged when opening it up.
By the 1960s Stratton’s vanity items became so popular that
there were agents selling all over the world.
Unfortunately compacts fell out of fashion during the 1980s and
the company was sold in the late 1990s. The name “Stratton” is still
in existence today but their products are no longer being manufactured
in the UK. |
Above:- Stratton
Birthday compact with original box |
| Within
the collecting market the most sought after compacts are the novelty
ones. The rarest one known to be in existence is by the famous
surrealist painter and sculptor, Salvador Dali.
He was commissioned to design a compact for American manufacturer
“Elgin” in the 1950s. The result, “Bird-in-Hand” was produced in
three different finishes - silver,
sterling silver and satin bronze. It
was not only a powder compact but also a lipstick was concealed in the
bird’s head and its tail was a pillbox. Should you be lucky enough to
find one of these gems then expect to stump up at least £1,500, maybe
even more because this work of art is worth its weight in gold to
compact collectors. |
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There
are cheaper novelty compacts on the market if you cannot afford one
designed by Dali. “Kigu” produced two versions of the “Flying
Saucer”, the musical one is the most popular with collectors,
selling for as much as £500+ if in perfect working order. The
second version does not have the musical mechanism but still costs £200+
on the secondary market.
Left:- Kigu 'Flying Saucer musical
compact compact with enameled finish |
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If
this still seems a bit steep then there are numerous modern powder
compacts on the market that you can still buy at retail price. The
leading manufacturer is
Estee Lauder who produces novelty compacts to
hold both powder and solid perfume. Each year a new range is released
and exclusives are sold from Harrods in London.
One of their powder compact ranges, the “Zodiac”, was originally launched in 1997 but they have since updated their
design with a new goldtone “Zodiac” set of 12 compacts all depicting
a different star sign. These compacts retail at £50 each and you can
decide whether you just want to buy your own star sign or try and
collect all 12. |
| Christian
Dior are constantly aware of the importance that packaging plays in the
cosmetics industry. They are continually bringing out innovative new
compacts to house lip-glosses, eye shadows or powders. “Girlie” was
available last summer in Dior’s branded pink design, it retailed at £32
but because it was used by one of the contestants on Channel 4’s
reality television show “Big Brother” this compact was selling for
£67 on internet auctions within days of release and became the “must
have” item for every girl’s handbag during the summer months.
The
world of collecting powder compacts is so vast that it’s difficult to
know where to start. Some people concentrate on collecting certain
manufacturers, others stick to themes and then of course the novelty
compacts’ appeal across the board. These products were originally made
to use and I feel still should be.
So whether you are buying for practical reasons or to display in
a cabinet it is always best to stick to the golden rule of collecting -
only buy what you like |
TIPS
- Only buy good
condition compacts, especially look out for missing enamel on the
art deco ones.
- Ensure that the
lid closes snugly – you don’t want loose powder spilling out.
- Check musical
mechanisms are working when purchasing.
- If bought with
original box or pouch keep as this adds to the value and keeps the
compact in good condition.
- Check the mirror
to make sure there is no damage.
Cleaning
your compacts
- Never wash as the
water can get under the mirrors.
- Use a toothbrush
to brush away surplus powder.
- Wipe surfaces
with a soft cloth.
- Methylated
spirits on a cotton bud is perfect for removing adhesive labels.
- As mentioned
before storing in their original pouches or boxes keeps the compacts
in good condition.
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FURTHER READING
Powder
Compacts By Juliette Edwards
Published
by Millers
ISBN
1-84000-186-0
Price
: £5.99 |
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Vintage
and Vogue Ladies Compacts (second edition) by Roselyn Gerson
Published
by Collectors Books
ISBN
1-57432-208-7
Price
£16.00
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All
photographs © Decogirl
1996-2006
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