Powder Compacts date from the early 1900’s, during this period of time make-up did not have the social acceptance it now has. The first powder cases were often concealed within accessories such as walking sticks, jewellery or hatpins.
As make-up became more mainstream, compacts became more popular. In 1923 British manufacturer Stratton began importing part-finished powder boxes from the US for assembly. By the 1930’s it was creating them from scratch. The company developed self-opening inner lids in 1948, designed to protect the powder and prevent damage to fingernails, and by the 1960’s it was exporting to agents worldwide.
Compacts were heavily influenced by prevailing fashions. By the 1930s, compacts were regularly updated to match the season’s fashion trends. Compacts started to evolve incorporating further cosmetic items such as lipstick and miniature perfume bottles. These items would be situated in their own compartment of the compact.
Compacts became popular souvenir items, both the Chicago and New York world’s fairs of the 1930s included souvenir powder cases. In England compacts of this nature were being manufactured to mark Royal Commemorative events.
Although compacts continued to be in widespread production up to the 1960s, their popularity diminished as the cosmetics industry created plastic containers that were designed to be discarded once the powder ran out.
The heyday of the Powder Compact maybe gone, however the memory of this era still lives on. Today compacts are considered highly collectable with so many different designs, shapes and durability it is easy to see why.
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We love history and enjoy keeping the memories and nostalgia alive. We love anything curios or unusual, alongside more mainstream antiques, vintage and retro.