Vogue Vanitie laced square compact

Every collector has favourites, even if they claim they don't. This one is one of mine. This Vogue Vanitie is the one really behind my collection. Sadly this compact was on the way to be thrown out, it was formerly one of my grans, and with clearing out her house certainly family members were on the verge of just chucking it. Luckily I grabbed and rehomed it. What made me fall in love with this compact? The fact that it's just a little bit rare.

Based out of Birmingham in the UK, Vogue Vanitie[s] began manufacturing powder compacts in 1940, continuing until German bombs hit their factories in 1942. It wasn't until a year after the war ended that the company returned and did so until the mid 1950s when it became particularly popular for it's equestrian designs. But what makes my compact a little different occurs with the companies slight name change through their return post war when the addition of an "s" appears on the end of vanities. Any compact without the aforementioned "s" can be dated to 1940 - 1942. It was through the researching this compact alone that got me hooked into finding out more about compacts in general. 

The compact itself is square with a lace topped design and a chevron engraved bottom. Inside a round powder well is found under a circular powder flap, the compact name etched into the top with "made in England" underneath. The once cotton wool like edging to the powder well has warn away and I remember there being remnants of powder remaining in the bottom when I cleaned it up. While it's been used it's certainly in a great condition, it survived a war and being thrown out.

Yardley Lavender Sellers Powder and Rogue

 
Today we all may associate the brand Yardley with our grans - with smells of lavender, lily of the valley and roses. Yet Yardley is one of the world's most established toiletry and cosmetic brands. Since the 1770s Yardley became a popular manufacturer of soaps and perfumes, challenging the strong position of the French cosmetic houses by developing their own lines. With their strong grasp over the marketplace their compacts first started appearing in the 1920s, yet the popularity of the brand mean they are easy to come by today. While they are easy to find, they are often made with considerable style, detail and quality. Often they feature a tiny little motif which became the image of the firm - that of three Lavender Sellers, perhaps a mother and her two daughters. This motif became the brand, the success of both resting upon each other.

Source
1923 advertisement for Yardley's Old English lavender soap

This oblong compact opens by a red plastic clasp, which allow sounds and looks somewhat odd against the metal casing the colour makes a huge statement. Plastic claps look to be a feature of Yardley compacts of this shape - often coming in a contemporary colour to the outer metal ware. The case is marked with the Lavender Sellers motif on the top and Yardley England on the bottom, additionally the brand name is engraved between the two wells inside. 

Circa 1940s this compact has a framed mirror and original puffs, not only this but it came complete with both powder and rogue. Because these compacts were designed to be reused, the two cosmetic holders pop out rather easier with their colour details still attached to the bottom which makes interesting reading.

It is only the rogue [left] which still has Yardley visible in the powder that states it's shade number - that of "Rogue refill no. 1705". What shade this corresponds too I'm unsure but it goes on to state all the available shades as "medium, natural cherry, vivid and poppy". I would just love to see the colour of natural cherry and poppy - they sound really fun! The same accompanies the details regarding the powder - "Yardley Lavender compact powder refill - Natural English Peach, Rachel 1 and Rose Rachel, 33 Old Bond Street London".

While the company was London based they did open and work from New York often marked with an American patent number. However with the refills stating the London address this compact has me considering it's all English in its origin [then again I could be wrong]. While Yardley continues it's perfume and toiletry lines, it's cosmetic lines were discontinued nevertheless they carry on through their vintage compacts.

A Detroit compact - the Trio-ette

Drooling through reference books and searching eBay you start constructing a mental wish list of all the compacts you would dream of owning regardless of money. More often then not, these wish list items are the more noted and valued compacts within the circle of collectors. And the Trio-ette would be one of mine especially because of it's links to Detroit.

The Trio-ette has always been considered as one of the most practical and playful of powder compacts after being launched in 1945. Distributed under the Detroit based House of Plate the trio-ette was a triple based compact - one side holding powder, a branded puff and sift, the other side held rogue and a puff of its own and lastly, the handle held a matching lipstick. This multifunctional approach to women's cosmetics led the House of Plate as describing it as "the amazing new triple compact that blows make up fatigue and bag fumbling". 

Upon it's top is a raised rose design one inspired by Victorian hand held cameo mirrors with bobble edging. The trio-ette was made from Terite - an early plastic and was released in several colours - mock ebony, ivory and tortoise shell as well as in green, pink and blue sold with a gift box and refills available.

In the mid 1940s the tiro-ette sold for $5 and was later reached the UK shores after being sold through a London based mail order company by 1949. Today, references book suggest a commanding a price between $100-$250 with blue, pink and green coloured Trio-ettes selling higher price. Although they can be noted as selling around the $40 mark on Ebay.

If anyone ever comes across one, please point it in my direction!