The complete vintage compact collection to date

Sher gave me the brilliant idea of detailing a full post on my blog regarding my complete compact collection - I say complete and later remembered i'd forgotten to photograph and mention two more compacts - one being a plastic purple flowered compact and another the powder I use everyday - a Per Una simple compact. A year and a half ago I started collecting compacts after finding one ... then four more random old compacts when we were clearing out my grans house. I took them to clean them up merely because I thought they were too nice to through away, this was their first every picture and mention on my blog;

The five inherited compacts originally blogged about on 21st September 2009

These were the ones that started it all off, and despite the two i've missed on this occasion (the purple one can be seen in the image above) this is a collection which varies in countries of origin, size, shape and cost. To make it easier to photograph and therefore for you to view, I've divided my collection into five "themes" with each compact briefly described underneath.

Stratton compacts 

During the 1950s up to 50% of all the compacts in the United Kingdom were made by Stratton, the market was dominated by them and to a point - still is. I don't have too many Stratton's I will be honest - I prefer lesser known brands. 

Back row 1952/3 Pantoon style compact with micraclean mirror cleaner (present from the parents), front row L-R first compact I found/owned gold toned flower engraved compact (inherited from my gran), white enamelled rose and butterfly two mirrored compact (from Joe), blue large compact possibly originally sold as a set with matching lipstick (ebay)

Vintage American powder compacts

All these compacts have been gorgeous gifts from my boy all sourced in America in random vintage shops in suburban Detroit or Ebay; I love American powder compacts - they seem a lot more daring, colourful with much more shape and content variety then their English cousins. 

Back row - Elgin 1940s chameleon two toned compact, unmarked Pennsylvania state map rectangular compact, middle row - the French Pegi of Paris plain square unused compact, Columbia of 5th Avenue powder and blusher compact, unused Marhill mother of pearl topped butterfly compact, first row - 1940s  American Beauty car boot shaped Greek key edged compact, small Elgina powder and rogue compact possibly from the 1930s when compacts went tiny and often were combinations of rouge, lipstick and or powder.

Branded English compacts 

Gathered from a various source of places and eras, showing the best of British between the 1940s to the late 1950s when compacts were at their height; showcasing British craftsmanship and engineering.

Unmarked British compacts

A lot of the compacts you might come across (away from Ebay) most probably will be unbranded, only marked by a "made in" and or patent number. Sometimes these were merely sold as cheaper alternatives, made by lesser known companies wanting in on the hay day or as souvenirs. 

Miscellaneous compacts - old and new

Just what I call my random compacts - brands that are unknown or compacts that are the contemporary version.  

So there you have it, a year and a half and 24 compacts down, here's hoping for a total of 48 in another 18 months. You can find more individual compact information, a more detailed reasoning why I started collecting them and some hopefully useful hints and tips on my compacts blogger page here.

Elgin America meets American Beauty

With JJ being in America, it means my American compact collecting is increasing in a huge way but I love having the variation of English and American vintage powder compacts together. American compacts seem to offer a variation in shapes and colouring that sometimes their English counterparts are missing. Perhaps this is because the key era of the late 1930s and 1940s in which compacts were designed in used occurred at a time when England was at war and supplies were limited, beautiful compacts weren't the key necessity of that time.

I have been more then lucky to have been given two Elgin powder compacts from Joe in the last couple of months. As a company Elgin began manufacturing compacts in the 1930s under the name of the Illinois Watch Company of Elgin. Moving into cosmetics, Elgin often designed cases for fashion houses; even commissioning Dali in 1950 to create a compact. Named the "bird in hand" Dali's compact designed in three finishes of satin, bronze and silver with a 14 carrot overlay on the birds wings;  features a powder, pill box and lipstick compartment. However company disputes in the 1960s, lead the company to move to Japan.

The first compact was produced around 1945 under the subdivision American Beauty;

The gold toned American Beauty vintage powder compact is bell shaped in design; edged with a Geek Key pattern.

I love the shape of this compact, it makes it very tactile and neatly fits into the palm of your hand through its sleek long design. Intact with it's original powder puff its still in amazingly good condition.

The second powder compact given to me as a gorgeous present for Christmas, is a chamelon effect covered compact.

This effect of gold and silver topping embedded with a pattern is really pretty and is "the result of light reflections created by lacquer, interacting glossy and brushed finished, or gold with silver tones. the design depends on highlights in surface texture to bring the design to life" (featured in L. M. Mueller Compacts).

The inside to the compact showing the flapping lid engraved with a curving line pattern locked in place
 

A similar compact is dated in a reference book of 1945. Nevertheless extra care has to be given towards compacts with this patterning as its noted it makes the compact surface tarnish easier then say your normal  conventional compacts. 

Pretty though, either way. 

Elgina powder and rouge compact

American compact manufactures are credited for offering the lady a more diverse and fun powder compacts in comparison to their European counterparts with much more glamorous, sparkling or mother of pearl tops. With makers such as Marhil, Volupte, Rex Fifth Avenue to name but three, typical American additions to the compact often includes either a chain, finger ring or rogue compartment. The later addition became increasing commonplace due to cosmetic companies aiming to attract women into buying a 2 in 1 product allowing the customer to perfect her "well groomed look" in an indulgent yet portable manner.

So let me welcome you to this Elgina duo New York compact. While i'm still trying to work out if Elgina is a company name that turned into Elgin [any information on this would be grand because I can't find anything, anywhere about Elgina as a company] this compact is my delightful latest addition to my compact collection so lovingly brought for me by my JJ.

This sweet little golden compact comes embedded with the Greek Caduceus symbol upon its top. A symbol comprised of a staff entangled with serpents, sometimes including wings it is one often seen to be held by Mercury, the messenger of Gods, a guide to the dead and protector to merchants, shepherds and gamblers.

The Caduceus

Opening up the lid reveals not only its mirror, but in addition its two distinct compartments designed for the rogue [at the top only its flap cover can be seen in the above image] and the powder [the larger compartment at the bottom]. The rouge itself is concealed and kept in place behind a flap.

Upon the silver compartment is engraved the directions for a quarter to be sent to 358 5th Avenue in New York in order to have your rouge refilled.

Its such a delightfully practical yet wildly gorgeous compact. With gifts like this my guy treats me, and makes me feel like a princess. My vintage treasures are all the more meaningful because of him.