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Mirror Compact
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Beautiful Art Deco Green Black Elgin American EAM Ladies Makeup
Mirror Compact
$250
£189.45
€218.32
CA$353.57
A$380.23
CHF 203.31
MX$4,585.51
NOK 2,571.02
SEK 2,342.53
DKK 1,631.30
About the Item
Beautiful Art Deco Circular Elgin American EAM Ladies Makeup
Mirror Compact, Emerald Green and Black Enamel, c. 1920s
This exquisite Art Deco Elgin American ladies makeup compact embodies the glamour, innovation, and sophistication of the Jazz Age. Circular in form and styled with a distinctive flying saucer silhouette, the compact features a bold diagonal geometric design in alternating bands of emerald green and black enamel, accented by high-polish chromed metal detailing. The combination of color and symmetry perfectly captures the streamlined elegance of 1920s design.
The compact opens via a small top clasp to reveal a mirror on the interior lid and a rotating dial base, which was ingeniously designed to give access to rouge and face powder beneath. Though most of the original makeup has worn away with time, the mechanism remains intact and could be carefully refilled for display or functional use. The reverse side of the compact features a smooth field of glossy black enamel, elegantly framed by a minimalist chrome ring around the perimeter. It retains its original 2.5-inch chain, once used to attach the compact to a handbag or wrist loop for convenience and fashion.
Condition: The compact is in good vintage condition with expected wear from age, including minor enamel losses to the green and black enamel surface and a faint linear indentation. The mirror remains intact and clear, and the mechanism opens and closes smoothly.
The Art Deco Era and the Rise of the Compact
During the 1920s and 1930s, the Art Deco movement redefined fashion, jewelry, and design, celebrating modernity, geometry, and luxury. Compacts became one of the most essential and symbolic accessories for women, small objects of beauty and empowerment carried in handbags or displayed proudly on vanity tables.
These designs reflected a new era of independence and style. Women entering the workforce and social sphere embraced cosmetics as a form of self-expression, and manufacturers like Elgin American transformed simple powder cases into elegant works of functional art. Each compact was both a tool of beauty and a statement of sophistication, mirroring the sleek cars, skyscrapers, and machine-inspired designs of the time.
The History of Elgin American (EAM)
Founded in Elgin, Illinois, Elgin American Manufacturing Company was a division of the Elgin National Watch Company, long renowned for its precision timepieces. By the 1930s and 1940s, Elgin American expanded into fine ladies’ compacts, cigarette cases, vanity sets, and accessories, becoming one of the premier American producers of luxury metal goods.
Their pieces are celebrated for their exceptional craftsmanship, durable construction, and impeccable design sensibility, often combining chromed or gilt metal with enamel, guilloché, or engraved geometric patterns that exemplify Art Deco aesthetics. Elgin American compacts were sold in high-end department stores and often given as gifts marking milestones, from graduations to weddings.
Today, Elgin American compacts are highly collectible for their quality, historical importance, and timeless beauty, embodying the glamour of pre-war American design.
- Creator:Elgin American Mfg Co. (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 0.38 in (9.66 mm)Diameter: 2.25 in (5.72 cm)
- Style:Art Deco (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1920 s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Some losses to the black and green enamel at the top (Please see pictures) and a faint linear indentation to the top. General wear.
- Seller Location:Red Lion, PA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU10258247453332
About the Seller
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