Tuesday 24 January 2012

The Coty Envelope Compact


This compact happened to be one of my Christmas presents [I'm suffering from a bit of a serious compact backlog when it comes to posting them so beware of the forthcoming compact over load] and its additionally one of the compacts most collectors will come to own, it's sinuous with powder compacts and one of the most important powder compact manufactures. 

As a brand, Coty was one of the leading French perfume houses [later additionally producing from New York] and became known for introducing unusual styled compacts particularly during the 1940 and 1950s. One that they most famous for is their envelope shaped compact around 1954. Yet it wasn't their original design - they merely added extra presentation boxes in a post war era. In fact the envelope as a style for vintage powder compacts was first introduced in 1923 by the French jewellers Van Cleef and Arpels.

Its gold tone engine turned metal exterior has a smoothed edge with its Coty trademark engraved upon the lid of the powder well. Additionally attached to the powder well lid is a small clip, designed to hook over your puff, additionally featuring the brand of Coty to keep it in place - a tiny detail I've never seen before. Unlike some of it's American counterparts the mirror is held in place with an overlapping rim of metal - something more often associated with British compacts.

22 comments:

  1. lovely design, what do you use to clean your compacts?

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    1. If they are in an okay condition with no clipping/peeling I just use furniture polish on the metal parts but spraying it onto the duster and window/glass cleaner for the mirror, again spraying it onto the duster. If it's a bit tarnished and or I'm worried about damaging it, I just clean using a duster.

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  2. What a lovely present which led to a very interesting post. My mother had a beautiful little compact in the shape of a basket which she sorely regrets selling a few years ago. M x

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  3. Wow, this is gorgeous. I wish I had one like this that I could tote around with me.
    My mum has a collection of beautiful compacts that were her grandmothers and I've been bugging her to get them down from the attic as they are wasted up there

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    1. Definitely get them down, not only to see them but the damp etc in attics probably isn't good for the metal.

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  4. thank you for the lovely comment! that compact is so pretty

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  5. We adore your blog! So happy to have found it!

    ox,
    -Davie+Erica
    Wardrobe Stylists, NYC.

    http://www.lpfashionphilosophy.blogspot.com

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  6. Oh wow, this is utterly incredible!

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  7. This is so gorgeous! Your collection must be growing rapidly X

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    1. Yeah, think i'm in the upper 30s for compacts now - i'm on a buying ban at the moment though!

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  8. Aww that's really pretty cool that you collect compacts!! =) This one is very pretty!

    Btw...you've never had a fortune cookie?!?!?!??! That MUST CHANGE! They are so cool!! =) You & your boyfriend definitely should do a Chinese Takeout night!! =)

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    1. Haha for some reason we never end up getting a Chinese, this must be addressed your correct!!

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  9. OMMGG that is so amazing!!! i love the gold envelope design!

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