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Description

Here's a truly delightful powder compact. A medium-sized scone powder compact with a very attractive exotic bird flying under a very leafy tree all in white enamel overlaid onto the shiny print of the same design against a matt brass background.
This lovely powder compact hails from the 1950s era, when they would have held loose powder and used a sifter and powder puff to apply. This is in really good condition for its age, nice and shiny, with just a few surface scratches in the matt brass finish. (The branching lines of shade are a reflection of the glazing bars in our conservatory roof)

This measures 8 cms in diameter (3 1/8") and only 1.3cm (1/2") thick in the centre, tapering to 80mm at the edge. It has a pretty spiralling machine-turned design on the reverse. The scone shape is where the lid and base protrude out beyond the sides giving the compact a very slim and sleek feel.

This is a fabulous little collector's piece and highly desirable. There is a 'Vanity Fair' script signature present on the back of the original powder puff. There is also the original sifter with this, which is in great condition.

USING THIS VINTAGE POWDER COMPACT

It's a fact that the 1950s powder compacts that were built for loose powder oinly tended to be very much more slim than the later convertible ones. The pressed powder refill was a standard thickness and so compacts had to get a bit thicker to accomodate them. Most of the compact manufacturers made the switch gradually, with the convertible compact proving to be very popular. If you have a desire to use this, you will have to get yourself a nice powder puff or brush, and some of the new mineral-based loose powders that are proving to be quite popular. Here is a link to the John Lewis Partnership's website, who stock a fine selection:-

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