Powder Compacts

Powder Compacts

Although early examples can date back to the 1920s, compacts started to become widely used in the mid 1930s. Their popularity peaked from the 1940s to around the late 60s at which time disposables with refill blocks began to take over as more convenient. There are hundreds of different designs and makers available, making compact collecting extremely interesting in its variety. Novelty compacts such as the Kigu ‘Flying Saucer’ and the Schuco animals command a premium but there are many reasonably priced compacts out there to start or expand your collection. For additional information about powder compact books consult our useful information section. If you require any further photos of any of the compacts listed please email us.
____________________________________________________ Catalogue
	COMPACT1 Fantastic BOAC suitcase compact with all its labels intact. I believe that this was by MASCOT - it has a crown mark but no maker's name. On the back are larger labels for BOAC (one BOAC Monarch). The compact is in lovely condition with the labels bright and vibrant. It comes with its original pad (with BOAC on it), it's original slip cover and measures approximately 7.5cms at it's widest. The pad has some powder staining on it. A very striking and rare compact. £75.00
COMPACT2 Such a striking compact design. This lovely Stratton compact has a funky 60s or 70s floral design in deep pinks which is really striking. The compact has been used but is in very good condition, with a couple of small marks on the back and a bit of marking to the mirror which is still perfectly usable. It is a convertible so could be used for either loose or compressed powder. The compact is marked 'Stratton' on the bottom, Pat 764125 on the inner ring, and has a sifter but no pad. Wonderful pattern and vibrant colours. It measures approximately 8.5cms in diameter. £35.00
	COMPACT3 Fabulous American 1940s compact almost certainly by MARHILL. It has a tiled Mother of Pearl background which has been decorated in enamel and glitter with a flower cart and a lovely little butterfly up in the corner. It is in very good condition with just a few light scuffs on the base as if it has been on someone's dressing table. It comes with neither its original pad nor it's sifter but has an inner lid to keep the powder in. The compact measures approximately 7cms by 6cms and has no maker's mark. A really pretty and unusual compact. £52.00
COMPACT4 Beautiful Estee Lauder Erte designed zodiac compact. Fabulous enamel work on this series with exposed silver tone metal work showing through as part of the pattern and finished off with little diamantes down both sides of two corners. This design is ARIES and is ready to use - Estee Lauder refills, I believe, are available from most large department stores. It is in like new condition and comes with a pouch. I have other zodiac signs in this series so please email for details. It measures approximately 7cms by 5.5cms at its widest and is signed 'Estee Lauder' inside. Superb quality!. £45.00
	COMPACT5 Great compact and lipstick set by WAND ART. It is done in a leaf green with glitter patches all over in deep jade green and a sort of cherry red with gold accents and gold lines. In very good condition and I don't believe that this set has ever been used. Stamped 'WAND ART' on the plush pad it also comes with it's original sifter. A really neat and unusual set and great to actually have the Wand Art marking. The compact measures approximately 5.5cms by 4.25cms and the lipstick holder is 5.75cms long. £48.00
COMPACT6 Very unusual mirror topped compact. The top is mirrored and has been cut in a sunray design which really catches the light. The rest of the compact is done in a chrome type metal. It is in good used condition with a little bit of scratching on the bottom and a small shallow dent which can only be seen in certain lights. Inside there is a clear mirror and a sifter but no pad. I would date this one to the late 1930s or early 40s. A fabulous display piece it measures approximately 6cms by 6cms. £45.00
	COMPACT7 Gorgeous foil GWENDA compact depicting a Dutch girl herding her geese along the edge of a canal with a windmill in the background. The sky and canal are a silver foil which doesn't show to its best advantage in the scan. Compact is good condition with vibrant colours and only a little surface scratching to the black enamel on the back. It is marked GWENDA, Made in England under the chrome mirror and comes with its original sifter which has some tears in it. These are becoming very difficult to find nowadays in good condition. A pretty compact from the 1930s it measures approximately 7.5cms in diameter. £38.00
COMPACT8 Unusual crackle effect compact by MELISSA with an enamelled stage coach in the middle. The crackling is done in rich cream and gold colour. The powder compact, which comes with its original sifter, is in good used condition with slight marking on the back and some streaking to the top of the mirror. It is marked 'MELISSA Made in England' below the mirror and measures approximately 8.5cms in diameter. Unusual design and effect! £38.00
	COMPACT9 Very pretty petite point or tapestry compact/vanity. It has beautiful stitch work on the front and plain cream material on the back. There is a comb that slips in on the front and a lipstick holder to the side. The sides of the compact are done in gold tone metal. The compact does not appear to have been used and comes with its original sifter and pad. The underside of the pad is disintegrating a bit. It is not marked but comes with a paper tag which is gold coloured and says 'Vanity'. It measures approximately 9cms by 10.5cms (to the outer edge of the lipstick holder). £38.00
COMPACT10 Unusual compact with a detail from a WATERHOUSE painting in the top. It is done in gold tone and has the picture in the lid which is covered with a clear plastic protective layer. The compact does not have a makers mark and is in good used condition. It comes with its original sifter but no pad. It measures approximately 8.5cms in diameter. £34.00
	COMPACT11 Fabulous 1920s or early 30s nouveau inspired compact done in chrome with a beautiful lady looking in her mirror in relief on the lid. The compact is bright and shiny and comes with a pad which I do not think is original. It has a powder tray and I do not think that it would have had a sifter (could be for rouge?). Lovely classic design and in good used condition with no markings of any kind. The back is tooled in a sort of chevron design. It measures approximately 4.75cms by 4.75cms. £36.00
COMPACT12 So pretty, this frilly bottomed compact has wonderful colours. The compact is done in matt gold tone metal with a great picture of tropical fish painted on the top. The compact is in good used condition and comes with neither sifter nor pad. Very unusual compact with fantastic vibrant colours. It measures approximately 7.5cms in diameter. It is not marked in any way. £30.00
	COMPACT13 Pretty Mother of Pearl tiled compact, probably American circa 1940s or 1950s. The compact is in great condition and just a nice size for a handbag. It has neither a pad nor sifter, but does have an inner lid, and is not marked in any way. It measures approximately 6.25cms by 5.25cms. £35.00
COMPACT14 Lovely bird design Stratton compact signed 'JOFFRE'. This design, which dates to the late 50s and early 60s, is done on a red metallic background (very difficult to scan correctly) and has the most vibrant colours. It is a convertible so could be used for either loose or compressed powder, is in good used condition and comes with neither a sifter nor a pad. It measures approximately 8cms in diameter and is marked 'Stratton' on the bottom, within a star pattern. £34.00
	COMPACT15 Beautiful deco style square compact by CLARICE JANE. Done in gold tone metal with a green enamel deco design on it, it is in good used condition with a triangular well for both powder and rouge inside. Both of these have inner lids and the rouge is still in it's well. The metal back and front has a sort of satiny effect. The top and bottom are slightly rounded giving the overall shape a sort of cushion effect. It comes with its original triangular pad marked 'CLARICE JANE'. The compact is very stylish and measures approximately 5.5cms by 5.5cms. £48.00
COMPACT16 RARE half moon shaped compact with vibrant fuchsia pattern on the front. The pattern is enamelled on a black background and has fuchsias and other small flowers all over it in a chintzy pattern. The compact is in good condition with a tiny bit of tarnishing on the side and has its original pad and sifter. It is not marked in any way and measures approximately 10cms at it's widest. Fabulous vibrant colours and unusual shape. £38.00
	COMPACT17 Very elegant rectangular compact which is very good quality, with a bevelled mirror. It is done in gold tone metal which has been tooled lightly all over with a sort of mesh design. The top has stripes if very pretty rectangular pale blue diamantes which catch the light when you use it. The compact is in very good condition, any darker marks on the photo are down to my scanner. It comes with a clear mirror and its original sifter and pad. I do not believe that it has been used very much at all. It measures approximately 7.5cms by 5.25cms and is quite heavy. £60.00
COMPACT18 Pretty little damascene powder compact or patch box. Lovely far eastern scene done in gold tone metal on matt black enamel. The enamel is even matt black and not blotchy as in the photo (scanner strikes again!). It is in good used condition with a mirror inside and a bit of tarnishing on the powder well. It is not marked except for a Chinese character in gold tone on the back which is otherwise matt black enamel. A sweet little compact for your collection, it measures approximately 5cms in diameter and is 1.25cms deep. £28.00
	COMPACT19 Wonderful, stylish rectangular compact covered in pretty pastel shaded shells. There are tiny faux pearls scattered over the top of the shells. Quite a few of the small shells have an iridescent effect and catch the light beautifully. The compact is in lovely condition and looks to be hardly, if at all, used. Inside is a good mirror and an inner lid with the original pad. There are no makers marks but I would guess that this one is American. The compact measures approximately 7cms by 6cms. £45.00
COMPACT20 Fabulous iconic REVLON Love Pat 'Honey Bun' compact from the 1960s. Done in blue plastic with a 'Flower Child' motif this compact has never been used. It has its original pad and powder which is still covered by the plastic insert that came with the compact. The compact is in wonderful unused condition and opens like a purse. The shade of powder in the compact is Misty Rose. Wonderful design and condition these don't come along every day. It is marked Revlon New York under the mirror and measures approximately 10.25cms in diameter. The little bit of pink at the bottom left is just a reflection of some sort £60.00
	COMPACT21 Striking WADSWORTH compact which is done in stripes of silver, black and gold tone metal. In good used condition it has a few surface scratches which look worse in the picture than in real life, a couple of shallow dents in the bottom that can only be seen in certain lights and a very thin line of fogging around the edge of the mirror. It has an inner lid, a fully reflective mirror and comes with its original pad which has Wadsworth on it. It is also marked 'Wadsworth made in the USA' on the inner lid. A stylish design and tactile shape this would be a great compact to use. It measures approximately 8.25cms by 5.75cms. £18.00
COMPACT22 Great all round book for compact collectors. Written by Juliette Edwards of the British Compact Collectors Society it is now out of print and contains lots of useful information about compacts and an indication of value at the time of going to press. The book has 64 pages and lots of colour photos and contains sections on Art Deco, Stratton, plastics, novelties and many more. This copy is unused £14.00