Flowered double sided compact mirror

Collecting vintage powder compacts doesn't mean you should exclude other forms of compacts from your collection be them compact mirrors, photograph holders or cigarette accessories. Recently I've been coming across more compact mirrors which I've been adding in - they still have a history and a beauty in their own right. Today I'm featuring a 1980s silver toned double mirrored compact with blue top finished off with a gorgeous flowered design. As a find at the Royal Oak Antiques and Garage Sale for $3 it was a steal. While it may have slight wear to the ending of the top decoration the mirrors are in a very good condition. Plus I love all things square when it comes to compact.

Oval goldtoned compact with glass stone topping

We seem to be going all out on having pretty compacts on sale on eBay this week as this is the third compact we have up. Goldtone in colouring, it's a gorgeous oval shaped design measuring 3 inches at it's widest point set off perfectly with glass stones [they may not be glass - but you get what I'm meaning]. A couple of the stones have had better days but overall together they still capture the flicking in the light in such a stunning way.

There is some darking to the patina and indentations to the bottom but overall it's a nice compact and certainly a change from the regular circular designs. Like many compacts sadly this one is unmarked and unbranded, while it comes with it's white lining paper and stiff there is no puff. Nevertheless a cute little addition. 

Find out more on eBay

Yellow and blue plastic compact

For me, unmarked compacts end up being some of my favourites. Possibly because it's that air of added mystery and the challenge of trying to find just something no matter how small out about them. This bright yellow and navy blue compact is one we have on eBay this week it's unbranded and unmarked - a right little mystery. It's plastic construction leads me to think it's somewhat early [as in the 1930s] and I have a similar Chicago Buckingham Fountain design which dates from that era. Regardless it's still a beauty even if it's somewhat used and is without it's puff and doesn't that yellow make the blue just pop?

The navy blue section lifts up to reveal the powder well rimmed with a metal edging and remains complete with a plastic looking stiff. It's in a fairly good condition, the bottom is a little marked but that has to be expected with older compacts. To me these marks show the compacts had a life and been used, I'd prefer that over the pristine compacts I will be honest.

Make sure to check this compact out and out other items this week on ebay.

A Dorset Compact featuring Detroit University

I'm a magpie to all compacts related to something or somewhere I've been. When researching Dorset compacts for the last post, I came across another Dorset goodie one featuring an important personal Detroit link. 

 Source

This sweet little compact was given out as a party favour for the University of Detroit's high school prom back in 1958 which is printed upon the bottom of the compact. As mentioned previously Dorset discontinued manufacturing compacts under their own name after merging with Rex in 1951. Therefore we're left to assume these compact were brought en-mass and saved for such occasions. This scalloped compact is topped off with pearls and a mushroom latch. What is all the more impressive is the attachment to the university - one which changed its name after the merger of the University of Detroit and Mercy College into the University of Detroit Mercy - the university Joe went too to become a social worker. 

Sadly it's a little out of my current price range at $65 but it's certainly a current favourite and possibly well worth the price. This compact is currently avaible for sale via The Bag Lady Emporium.

Dorest 5th Avenue compact

With many of it's former 5th Avenue counterparts [including Rex, Columbia and Zell] Dorset was a big name along 5th Avenue when it came to powder compacts. Alongside their manufacturing of lucite handbags, Dorset produced moderately priced compacts between the 1930s to 1950, by 1951 they had merged with their 5th Avenue rival Rex to become Dorset - Rex and thus discontinued manufacturing under the Dorset brand.

This compact is one currently I have up for auction via eBay - it's unused and probably dates to the late 1940s. I love the attention to detail with the star design etched into the opening to the same design running around the edging of the goldtone case and upon the bottom. While the compact itself remains unbranded, it comes complete with original, unused puff - the name Dorset Fifth Avenue printed across the ribbon band. The compact is topped off with a cross design completed with flowers. For it's age it remains in a great condition - with sturdy hinge and few markings to the patina. It's certainly a lucky find.

Pink and Gold Rex Oversized Compact

I love my oversized compacts although I often wonder how they fitted into a 1950s lady's handbag when they weren't all that big themselves. But whatever the size I'm sure they were "lost" in the handbag as much as I loose things in mine. This 1950s/60s pink compact with gold flower and leaf design was the second vintage compact from the eBay lot which came with the Stratton butterfly. Made by Rex [one of the 5th Avenue companies] I was lucky enough to grab this compact with it's original puff and sift. Rex sadly were one of the compact manufactures who frequently didn't mark their designs at least rarely on the actual body of the compact - therefore naming this one came down to having the puff complete and in fairly good condition with "Rex" marked across a ribbon. Although this compact had been used in it's lifetime [I always clean them out] it's stood up fairly well to it's use. One website I came across suggested the gold design was worth $125 - a little ambitious I must state. 

Pinterest Wishlist

Each week I'll be featuring five of my favourite "pins" I've come across via Pinterest. For me the image saving and sharing social media Pinterest is a great place to share and find images of vintage powder compacts. I myself have a couple of compact inspired boards and I love following like minded collectors.

Here's some of my favourite images I've found;

Souvenir Niagara Falls powder compact with painted front detailing - I love the effects of the gold in the water. [Source]

Whimsical giraffe Elgin 1940s painted powder compact - I love the cute detailing of the blue ribbon in her ears and tail. [Source].

Half moon shaped fuchsia decorated on a black enamelled compact measuring 10cm at it's widest diameter [Source].

Delightfully pink flower cameo compact with gold edge detailing hallmarked as Russian dated to 1935-45. [Source].

Gorgeous Art Deco peach and black compact and lipstick cases additionally comes complete with original box [not pictured] - certainly has a place on my wish list. [Source].

Do any of these hit you're wish list?

Lady Esther Compact Advert, 1934

 

[Source]

Don't you just love this ad and it's attitude?! This advertisement just makes me wonder what they would say about contemporary make up application.

Coty AirSpun Rogue Compact

When you start selling compacts sometimes some don't stay in your possession for long but they are still worthy of being noted and remembered, so at least you can say you use to own one. This Coty Sub-deb "Airspun" rogue compact has had a life - you can see that in the marked patina but even in use it's kept it's original stylised bright red puff and refill clip. The top design is simple - only an eagle and crown logo breaks the line detailing over the goldtone colouring. From the bottom we can clearly note this is was a container for the Dahlia shade, distributed by Coty, New York. It most probably dates to between the 1940s-60s [although I have occasionally seen similar compacts dated a decade earlier].

The refill clip is complete with a patent number - 1644085 which relates to a patent filed in the February of 1925 by a Philip A Reutter of Waterbury, Connecticut. Denoted as an invention for a "combined refill and puff holder" whereby replacing the need for separate instruments "in which the refill holder and the puff holder are combined ... so that both time and money [on the part of the manufacturer] is saved ...". This piece thus clips in place, still allowing the refilling of the compact once a powder/rogue is used while keeping the pan and puff in position. This is the first I've heard yet along seen of such a clip and was only referenced in other patents during the 1980s.

[Source]

While the patent was drawn with a vanity case in mind, Reutter even noted in his patent propsal the refill clip could be used for single item cases such as this Coty rogue compact. The clip of which is drawn in detail in figure four.

If this is of your fancy, we're currently auctioning this item via eBay. 

Google is a great place for researching American patent numbers and many are available free to download.

Compact for a cat lady

More contemporary compacts can delight me as much as their older ancestors and what more could a wannabe cat lady like myself need than a compact not only featuring, but moulded into the shape of a cat?! This plastic compact is marked "Hong Kong" on the bottom and is otherwise free of markings, it's even without a mirror - just a very unused pan. Regardless I love the simplistic cat face moulded into the top of the compact with the lip on the bottom pan curling out like a tail. We purchased this one in a lot for reselling but I couldn't let this one slip away - not when we already have two kitties in the household. He'll be staying with me a while.

Welcome to the vintage powder compacts blog

 
Today sees the launch of this new blog and a new challenge for myself. Being a collector of vintage powder compacts [although there will be the occasional modern compact thrown in for good measure], I've often battled endless google trawls to find information or history about compacts and got nowhere. Often the information you do find is limited, dull or you just get directed to endless eBay and Etsy pages. This blog is part of challenging that - a modern take on writing and learning about these vintage objects while taking my own collection to the next level.

As I start selling compacts - I have far fetched dreams of making a name for myself in world of compact collecting and if I can pass on any information along the way that is an added bonus. My aim is to provide an insight into my collection, share compacts that I admire and are on my dream list, some of the history of the manufactures and cosmetic houses and tips and hints about collecting along the way.

You're more then welcome to tag along and share you're experiences.