Long before pressed powder compacts were available in drugstores, ladies carried fancy compacts in their handbags. In fact, most ladies had an array of compacts to choose from since they were often presented to them as gifts by husbands, suitors and friends.
Although many of these little accessories were rather plain and practical, designed to hold loose powder in a way that's transportable, many were far from ordinary.
Collectors discover everything from art deco styled compacts from the '30s to rhinestone-studded examples from the '50s and everything in between.
The most rare compacts seem to offer crossover appeal to collectors. Hatpins with compacts built into the head are a wonderful find. These came complete with and tiny ostrich feather puffs when they were new. Both vintage toy and compact collectors covet the hard-to-find Schuco jointed teddy bears and stuffed monkeys hiding powder containers within the bodies.
Some people prefer to focus on the extreme compacts known as "flapjacks." These collectibles get their name by resembling a large, flat pancake. They often measure 6" or so in diameter. If a large mirror was in order, the flapjack surely filled the need with glare to spare.
At one time compacts were also favored souvenirs. All types of compacts featuring everything from the Florida Everglades to Mount Rushmore can be found on the market today. Sweetheart compacts are also popular crossover collectibles since they feature patriotic and military themes generally related to World War II.
Over the last couple of years, compact prices have continued to rise. Some collectors who started finding these little beauties 10 or 15 years ago gasp when they see that even the most common examples usually sell for $20 and up. The rare examples mentioned above can sell for hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars each when found complete and in excellent condition.
Figural compacts tend to be categorized as rare, but it may be more appropriate to deem them scarce. These examples, shaped to resemble everything from chairs to pianos, surface fairly frequently but the steep prices and heavy competition keep many collectors from owning them.
Even with some compacts garnering formidable prices, a nice collection featuring a wide range of examples can still be accumulated with no more expense than many other collecting areas.
In fact, if you're seeking them more as curiosity pieces representing a nostalgic era rather than finding all the rarest pieces, you'll do pretty well amassing an interesting collection with only moderate cash output.
For collectors serious about finding the compacts of their dreams, attending yearly conventions, subscribing to newsletters on the topic and collecting reference guides to compliment their treasures isn't unusual. Spending time with other compact enthusiasts builds a greater appreciation for this collecting niche that goes right along with shopping and accumulating a collection.
Two great books on compact collecting are Collectors Encyclopedia of Compacts, Volumes I and II by Laura M. Mueller for Collector Books. These titles feature not only page after color page of wonderful compact examples, but also include magazine reprints showing original advertising and a glossary of compact terms.
Roselyn Gerson, a well-known compact lover who organizes the Compact Collectors Club (see link below), has also produced a good Collector Books reference called Vintage Ladies Compacts. This book offers many beautiful examples and the history of compacts as well.
Both these references can keep a fan of ladies accessories busy for hours ogling pictures and marveling at all the ways a functional item can be transformed into something special.
All in all, appreciating vintage compacts stirs memories of an era when powdering one's nose could be considered an art form. There's just something wonderful about that.
