Collectible Glamour: Vintage Compact Have Glamorous Aesthetics and Collectible Appeal
By Kris Manty
From boudoirs to collectors’ shelves, these charming beauty keepsakes double as mini works of art.
When I was allowed to start wearing makeup in high school, my mom graciously gave me her mirrored compact that I had admired since I was a little girl.
That pretty yellow, faux mother-of-pearl compact she bought in the 1950s conjures memories of being enthralled watching her get ready for a night out with my dad and “putting on her face.” Sometimes, she would sweep a little powder on my nose or blush on my cheeks and turn the compact my way so I could see how I looked.
It also makes me remember how I later discovered that, under the guise of reapplying my Dr. Pepper-flavored Bonne Bell Lip Smacker, I could use my compact to sneak peeks at the cute guy who sat behind me in algebra class. That crush is long gone now, but the compact remains a beloved treasure.
With their charming aesthetics, high quality, and variety of designs, Vintage compacts are also loved by collectors, who are willing to pay thousands of dollars for the best examples.
A History of Powdering Noses
There’s no other cosmetics item that lets you discreetly powder your nose, touch up your eye makeup—or covertly spy on someone—like a compact, once an essential accessory for every woman. These little cases came with a mirror, fine powder, and a puff to dust the powder on your face to quickly hide any blemishes, reduce shine, and give a flawless complexion.
While some compacts only carried powder, others held both powder and lipstick. Some were also equipped with tiny cosmetic tools.
French perfumers created the first powder compact during Louis XIV’s reign in the 17th century. Later, the compact made its way into the hands of English jewelers, who produced elaborate examples.
But it wasn’t until the 1920s that compacts began being produced en masse, thanks to young flappers of the Art Deco era who took to wearing heavy makeup. This gave rise to the cosmetics culture and made it socially acceptable to use a mirrored compact to primp in public.
These compacts were lavishly decorated and, like most jewelry and other adornments, were status symbols made to be seen and admired and to flaunt the wealth of the women who carried them in their purses. Many collectors consider the Art Deco era the peak of compact design.
Art Deco compact case.
During World War II, U.S. and British army divisions ordered vast numbers of compacts from manufacturers, which were sold on every base. These compacts became love tokens and popular gifts for U.S. servicemen stationed overseas to give to their sweethearts, often engraved with sentimental messages.
When girls turned 16 in the 1950s, powder compacts with spring-loaded powder plates and inset mirrors were regarded not only as a special gift but also as an initiation into womanhood.
By the 1970s, cheaply manufactured powders, liquid foundation, and natural faces were the fashionable trends, marking the end of the statement compact mirror.
Collectible Glamour
Vintage compacts for loose (with a fitted mesh sifter) or pressed powder have a retro feminine allure that makes them a favorite with collectors today for their artistic appeal and sustainability. They were made in a variety of materials, including beads, brass, cloisonne, and tortoiseshell, and in an array of whimsical shapes. This imaginative variety is partly because, for generations, a compact was considered one of the most acceptable gifts a young man could give a young woman.
A c. 1945 Van Cleef & Arpels compact featuring a ballerina
accented by round sapphires and round and rose-cut diamonds;
opens to reveal a mirror and powder screen, sold for $40,800.
Most serious collectors focus on compacts made in specific figural shapes, particular materials, like Bakelite, celluloid, gold, or silver, or by a specific cosmetics company, fashion house, or jeweler, such as Cartier or Hermes. Compacts made by luxury brands can command tens of thousands of dollars at auction: a gold, diamond, and sapphire ballerina compact made by Van Cleef & Arpels sold for $40,800 in June at Sotheby’s.
Though prices can soar for some examples, plenty of other vintage compacts can be found in the $10 to $100 range at antique shops, thrift stores, and online sites like eBay and Etsy.
The more eye-catching the compact’s design, the more desirable it is likely to be with collectors. Compacts from the 1920s and ’30s are some of the most popular because of their inventive designs, jazzy Art Deco details, and elaborate embellishments of faceted stones and enamels.
A round makeup case with interior mirror,
c. 1930, by Cesare Andreoni, Milan, Italy,
with embroidered fabric and drawstring.
Many notable beauty and fragrance manufacturers began producing compacts during the 20th century. One of the standouts is the Elgin American company, which made silver- and gold-tone compacts that were particularly popular—most notably the famous Bird-in-Hand compact designed by artist Salvadore Dali. A Holy Grail for collectors, these have recently sold between $800 and $5,000.
Pieces from the ’40s and ’50s became larger with the growing size of handbags that women carried around all day, and designs were innovative and flashy. The Volupte company of New Jersey, one of the most glamorous makeup brands during these decades, worked with many Hollywood stars and made compacts in various designs and styles, including whimsically shaped fruit, hands, and vanity tables.
“Collecting compacts like these is an exciting idea,” actress Rita Hayworth said in her endorsement of Volupte’s compacts. Today’s collectors agree, and these are among their favorites. Many Volupte compacts can be found between $100 to $250.
Tiffany & Company vintage 14K gold compact with emeralds
and diamonds, 2 3/4 in. by 2 1/8 in. by 1/2 in., $2,750.
Kigu of London also made some of the most delightful fantasy compacts of the mid-century, like its clever “Flying Saucer” compact, which reflected the obsession with all things related to space. This compact is a Holy Grail for collectors with its sapphire enameling, star constellation, and gilded, Saturn-like belting. Some even had a musical mechanism wound by a tiny key. These can sell between $200 and $2,000.
French cosmetics company Estée Lauder is well-known among compact enthusiasts for releasing yearly limited-edition examples since 1963, and its Golden Alligator compact of the ’70s features an alligator-skin pattern.
Other notable vintage compact manufacturers whose pieces are collectible include Cleopatra Vanity Company, Coty, Helena Rubenstein, Max Factor, Pozzini, and Stratton.
A 1955 advertisement for Creme Puff makeup by Max Factor.
As with other collectibles, the condition is critical. With any enameled or gilded piece, check the glassy surface and metal work for chips or other damage, as damage can significantly decrease value. Mint condition generally means an intact mirror, a puff, and the original box, though that’s rare. A compact doesn’t need to include powder to be valuable.
Whether you have one cherished compact passed down or a large collection of beautiful vintage pieces, you should display it somewhere it can be properly appreciated. These elegant vanity items were once viewed as valuable and treasured tokens gifted to loved ones and deserve to be admired as they were intended.
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