It's hard to believe I haven't done a Halloween roundup since 2016, but here we are. Hopefully this post will compensate for the makeup I missed the past couple of years, as cosmetic companies continue churning out spooky and fun collections. I would have purchased some for the Museum, but by the time I made up my mind about which ones to add they had sold out and weren't restocked in time to arrive by Halloween. It says something about the demand when these collections are released in late September and sell out immediately…I think consumers and businesses are feeding off each other, both creating the increased frenzy for Halloween-themed makeup collections.
I'm not the biggest fan of either The Nightmare Before Christmas or Hocus Pocus – I've never even seen the latter – but I will hopefully add them to the Museum's collection as I thought they were cute and culturally significant enough to warrant purchasing.
(image from revolutionbeauty.com)
(image from colourpop.com)
I should probably re-watch Beetlejuice. As a kid it scared me half to death but obviously as an adult I should be able to handle it, plus it's got a good cast. This Melt collection would go nicely with Hot Topic's Handbook for the Recently Deceased palette I bought in 2018.

(images from popsugar.com)
Here's some other miscellaneous Halloween fun released this year.

- Shroud Cosmetics It's Freakin' Bats palette
- Hot Topic Chucky palette
- Profusion Here Lies Jester palette
- Alien Cosmetics Spooky Glam palette
- Kihitsu pumpkin face brush
- Milani Halloween edition Ludicrous Lip Gloss in Let's Bone (yes, that's really the name.)
- Peachy Queen Sweet Dreams palette
And now for a couple vintage pieces. I'm pleased to have added this Glebeas (pronounced glee-bay) to the Museum's spiderweb collection. Even though I hate spiders there are some great objects with spiderweb designs. You can read the whole history of Glebeas and see some of their other spiderweb packaging over at Collecting Vintage Compacts.

About three years ago I found a brass version of Volupte's awesome cobweb compact for a very good price in excellent condition and an original ad. The compact dates to about 1946-1952 and there were many variations, including sterling silver and 14kt gold, along with butterflies and ladybugs that had the misfortune of getting caught in the spider's lair.


Interestingly, the spiderweb design was created by Josephine Forrestal, a Vogue writer turned military wife. According to the patent the compact was originally intended for Paul Flato, for whom she created other compacts, so how it ended up with Volupte I'm not sure.

(image from books.google.com)
So while it's small now, I hope the Museum's spiderweb collection continues to grow. By the way, do you remember the Elegance eyeshadow on the right?

Some other spooky vintage finds include a celluloid coffin-shaped compact:

(image from rubylane.com)
Wound filler used in mortuary makeup:

(image from ebay.com)
And a makeup room in Illinois said to be haunted by the deceased director of the Peoria Players Theater:

I hope you have a fun Halloween! Are you dressing up? I am not but the plushies and I will be eating copious amounts of candy, of course.

Introduction
Welcome the Makeup Museum's spring 2020 exhibition! "Soaring Beauty: The Butterfly in Modern Cosmetics" explores the many ways butterfly imagery is used across all aspects of beauty culture. For 100 years the butterfly has been an endless source of inspiration for makeup artists and collections, ad campaigns and packaging. As the butterfly is perhaps the ultimate symbol of transformation, there is no motif more appropriate to embody the metamorphosis that makeup can provide. Like flowers, various butterfly species are a favorite reference for makeup colors, textures and finishes. More broadly, butterflies represent springtime, rebirth, hope, and freedom. With "Soaring Beauty", the Makeup Museum seeks to embrace this optimistic spirit and provide a peaceful oasis in the midst of a very uncertain and trying time.
The exhibition focuses on 5 main elements of butterfly makeup, which I will examine briefly before getting to the main show. Hover over the image for information, and additional details (when available) are listed in some of the captions.
I. Color
The vibrancy of butterflies' coloring and their wings' gossamer texture figure prominently in the beauty sphere. Makeup shades and artist creations include every tone from earthy moth browns and greens to bold blue and orange hues to slightly softer pastels.
Vogue Portugal September 2016. Makeup: Michael Anthony; Photography: Jamie Nelson; Model: Zuzana Gregorova; Styling: Melaney Oldenhof; Hair: Linh Nguyen

(image from blanckdigital.com)
Editorial: "Ephemeral", spring 2013. Model: Lola; Hair & Makeup: Sheri Vegas; Photographer: Clara Copley
(image from designscene.net)

(image from sheriterry.com)
Elle Ukraine, August 2012, makeup by Lloyd Simmonds
(image from pinterest)
Quality Magazine Germany. Hair and Makeup: Hannah Burckhardt; Photographer: Marco Rothenburger; Models: Krista Tcherneva and Alena N.; Styling: Jennifer Hahn
(image from pinterest)
As butterflies are largely synonymous with spring, rebirth and rejuvenation, the vast majority of butterfly-themed collections are released then and feature bright, fresh colors.
This ad is racist AF but I thought it was important to include.

(image from magi-mania.de)
However, some color stories reflect different seasons via butterflies' natural habitats. Chanel's summer 2013 collection featured rich greens and blues reminiscent of the tropical morpho butterfly, while Anastasia Beverly Hills and Colourpop's fall releases opted for warmer tones inspired by monarch butterflies and their migration in the cooler months.


(images from popsugar.com)


(images from anastasiabeverlyhills.com and ulta.com)
II. Texture and Finish
The delicate, lightweight nature of butterflies and the softness of their wings is repeatedly referenced in early 20th century advertisements for face powder.

(image from maudelynn.tumblr.com)


(image from lesanneesfolles.ocnk.net)

(image from hprints.com)

(image from wikimedia.org)
For Australian brand Lournay, the "butterfly touch" was an integral part of their marketing for two decades.




As for finishes, butterfly-themed makeup excels at imparting an iridescent, pearlescent or metallic sheen that reflects light similarly to that of a butterfly's wing. New technology is being developed to artificially yet seamlessly recreate the iridescent butterfly wing effect in cosmetics, among other areas.
(images from vogue and stylecaster)

(image from pinterest)
"Inspired by the beauty of a butterfly's wing, these moisturizing lipsticks shimmer with a flash of turquoise iridescence that lights up the complexion and makes teeth appear whiter. In soft and whimsical shades of pink that flutter and float over lips, this collection of lipsticks brings a butterfly radiance to your entire look."
(image from lookfantastic.com)
Harper's Bazaar Netherlands, October 2015. Makeup Artist: Gina Kane; Photographer: Felicity Ingram; Model: Amy Verlaan; Creative director: Piet Paris; Hair Stylist: Anna Cofone
(image from pinterest)
The fascination with butterflies' iridescent quality is also expressed in "morpho" compacts of the 1920s and '30s. These were made with real morpho butterfly wings or foil and commonly depicted tropical locales. Popularized by jeweler Thomas Mott at the 1924 British Empire Exhibition, morpho designs were also used in jewelry and other accessories.
(images from etsy and pinterest)
III. Movement
Butterfly beauty products embraced the notion of flight and the insects' graceful motion, at times linking them to dance or music to more fully capture the joyous, free-spirited movement of a butterfly soaring through the air. K-beauty brand Holika Holika simply titles their butterfly embossed blushes "Fly", while jeweler Monica Rich Kosann named the compact she created for Estée Lauder "Butterfly Dance". Pat McGrath's "techno butterflies" look at Dior's spring 2013 combines pastel "wings" with rhinestone details to impart a rave-like vibe.


(image from neimanmarcus.com)

(images from beautyfw.com)
But the fluttering movement of a butterfly is best captured in makeup via the eyelashes.

(image from paperself.com)
Vogue Portugal September 2016. Makeup: Michael Anthony; Photography: Jamie Nelson; Model: Zuzana Gregorova; Styling: Melaney Oldenhof; Hair: Linh Nguyen

(image from pinterest)

(image from buro247.sg)
IV. Design
Butterflies proved to be a popular design element in general. As far back as the 1900s, jewelers created exquisitely detailed butterfly compacts made with fine glass and sterling silver, and many compact manufacturers incorporated the motif in their offerings. The butterfly's more whimisical side is expressed in Max Factor's acrylic "Butterfly Kiss" set and more recently, in a Jill Stuart Beauty lip gloss filled with iridescent butterfly-shaped glitter.

(image from pinterest)

- Austrian sterling silver and glass compact, ca. 1920s
- Lady Wilby compact, ca.
- Jill Stuart Butterfly lip gloss, spring 2019
- Vantine powder box, ca. 1923
- House of Sillage lipstick case (in collaboration with the film The Aeronauts), fall 2019
- Nacon compact, ca. 1982
- Volupte compact, ca. 1946-1952
V. Mood and Metamorphosis
Whether it's subdued or taking a more literal approach, butterfly inspired makeup is a universally recognized symbol for spring and transformation. Many companies release items embossed with butterflies or incorporate them in the advertising for their spring campaigns to express the larger ideas of hope, joy, freedom and rejuvenation.

(image from worthpoint.com)

(image from hprints)

Shown here are Pop Beauty, Mark and Paul & Joe blushes/bronzers/highlighters from spring 2012 and a spring 2016 Clinique GWP bag with a Vera Neumann butterfly print.

The theme of metamorphosis is reinforced through the fusing of faces and butterflies. By adhering butterflies to the cheeks, lips and even eyes, the effect is a physical transformation intended to turn the mundane into the magical and capture the essence of the butterfly as it emerges from its cocoon.

(image from fashionista.com)
Schon Magazine, Issue 19 (fall 2012), makeup by Elias Hove
(image from trendhunter.com)
"The Garden of Eden theme continued with the make-up – glitter eyes beneath net masks to look like delicate mythical creatures, and butterflies on the models’ lips as though the insects had just landed there for a moment." – Jessica Bumpus for
British Vogue
(image from vogue.com)
An outstanding example of this concept is the spring 2020 runway show by Manish Arora. Makeup artist Kabuki was responsible for the dazzling, otherworldly looks. Some of the models were drag queens, emphasizing the transformational nature of both makeup and butterflies.


(images from buro247.sg)
As noted in part 1 of the introduction, butterfly-inspired makeup usually features an array of colors found on various butterfly species. However, when combined with butterfly application directly to facial features, barely-visible makeup speaks to butterflies' undomesticated environment and conveys the human bond with nature.
Dazed magazine, June 2012. Makeup: Peter Phillips; Hair: Syd Hayes; Photographer: Ben Toms; Model: Elza Luijendijk; Stylist: Robbie Spencer
Dazed magazine, June 2012. Makeup: Peter Phillips; Hair: Syd Hayes; Photographer: Ben Toms; Model: Elza Luijendijk; Stylist: Robbie Spencer
(images from fashiongonerogue.com)
Exhibition
All of the above elements are well represented throughout the objects in the exhibition. So let's get to it!





Top row, left to right.
Let me just say that the story of Lucretia Vanderbilt makes Tiger King look tame by comparison. I tried to summarize it the best I could, but for the full story head over to Collecting Vintage Compacts.




Possibly my favorite pieces in the exhibition and one of my all-time favorites: Chantecaille Les Papillons eyeshadows and Garden in Kyoto palette.


I had to do several labels to cover the Mamechiyo and Chinese New Year collections for this shelf. I was also going to include the Lisa Kohno collaboration, but given the lack of space and the fact that there's another Shu collection in the exhibition I left it out.







I'm hoping to dig up more information on the artist behind the design on this Stratton palette, which may be tricky as his archives are located in the UK.




Second row, left to right.
I couldn't find much information on the inspiration behind Marcel Wanders' compact for Cosme Decorte. I'd love to know how he came up with the design. All I know is that the model in this video is wearing a dress made with the same pattern.


Slightly better shot of the powder so you can see the lovely little butterfly details.



(promo images from cosmedecorte.com)



(runway images from vogue.com)





I wish I could have found a little more info on the Hampden brand and DuBarry's Vanessa face powder. I remember adoring the 3D butterfly in my brief history of DuBarry but could not find any reference specifically to Vanessa.





Third row, left to right.



You might remember I featured the La Jaynees powder box in the spring 2016 exhibition. I managed to scrounge up a rouge box. No rouge, but the box is lovely on its own. Once again Collecting Vintage Compacts did an amazing brand history.



Recent acquisition, which you can read more about here.


I wish I could have cleaned up this Avon palette a little better, but I was afraid of damaging it. However, one in better condition and with the original box popped up on ebay, so get ready for new photos!


I wonder if Sears has archives that I could look at to find out anything about their cosmetic line.

Bottom row, left to right.
I have the lipstick somewhere but am unable to locate it at the moment. What I really regret is not buying the accompanying Météorites powder or pressed powder compact, but they were so pricey and at the time I just couldn't afford them.



More Shu!




I was unable to find any information at all on this powder box, but yet again Collecting Vintage Compacts had everything on the Jaciel brand.



(Advertisement image from Collecting Vintage Compacts)

Some more items that were included in the spring 2016 exhibition.

For the life of me I couldn't get decent pictures of them on the shelves so here are the images from my original post on them.






There was one more item I wanted to include, but couldn't fit it so I'm using a photo from when I wrote about it.


Exhibition Notes
I had been wanting to cover the butterfly theme for about 8 years now. An article on butterfly compacts called "High Fliers" in the February 2017 issue of the BCCS newsletter also inspired me. I wish I could have written a deep think piece on the idea of makeup as metamorphosis or was able to do more research besides what's online, but given the current situation I kept it simple and decided to save my energy for different topics that I can tackle when the libraries reopen, which will hopefully happen in the summer. (I discovered some local university libraries may have the resources I'm looking for, but I cannot access them remotely as I'm not a student or faculty member.) But access to certain archives might have allowed some examples of runway/editorial butterfly makeup that's older than 2012 and more images featuring models of color. And I know it seems like I included every instance of butterflies in makeup that is at my disposal, but I promise it was thoughtfully edited (curated, if you will.) There were actually even more looks that I wanted to include but got frustrated at the lack of basic information about them like the makeup artist or year. As for the objects themselves, I don't think any of them are vegan or cruelty-free, even though some of the companies that made them are now cruelty-free/vegan, such as Chantecaille.
Decor Notes
The husband did an amazing job of "butterflying" the Museum's logo for the exhibition poster and labels. I was going to buy a paper butterfly garland or use the mini paper butterflies I had gotten for Instagram props in the exhibition, but in the end decided it was too gimmicky (and the garland reminded me too much of a baby shower for some reason.) I figured given the current space the focus should be more on the ads and objects. But if the Makeup Museum occupied a physical space, here is some art I would include as decor. It would be like stepping into a very artsy butterfly garden!

(image from rebeccajcoles.co.uk)
(image from mymodernmet.com)

(image from eden-gallery.com)

(image from axelradart.com)


(images from @omsi)
And that wraps it up! Remember you can participate in the exhibition – find out how here. In the meantime, one easy way to weigh in is to tell me what your favorite objects, looks or ads were (either in the intro or main exhibition or both) and why. 🙂
Welcome to the 2019 edition of Curator's Picks and Pans! It's been a bad year for me and the Museum, but at least there was some great makeup! And some not so great too but again, they were a welcome distraction.
First up are my picks, i.e. the items with what I thought had the best concepts and design.
1. Mikimoto holiday 2019 collection: I haven't even written about this one yet – I hope to get a post up early in the new year – but as with last year's holiday collection as soon as I laid eyes on it I ordered without batting an eye. This year Mikimoto partnered with artist/illustrator Brecht Evens, who created even more mermaid-laden and fantastical underwater scenes than last year's collection.

(image from mikimoto-cosme.com)
2. Paul and Joe x Doraemon: I must admit I was totally unfamiliar with Doraemon, a wildly popular manga character from Japan, when I first heard about this collection. It was a perfect fit for Paul & Joe given the founder's love of cats as well as her penchant for quirky, playful prints and collaborations (see the 2016 Warner Bros. collaboration.) I hope to write about it sometime in 2020.

(image from blog.ulifestyle.com)
3. Chanel Eiffel Tower Illluminating Powder: I don't have much to say about this other than it was released in honor of the opening of Chanel's first beauty-only boutique in Paris. The embossing was so lovely and intricate, and the exclusivity made it impossible for me to resist – it was only available at Chanel boutiques in France and and the French website (I acquired it through ebay). Plus it's a fabulous piece to have if I ever want to revisit the Museum's fall 2015 Paris/French-themed exhibition.

As the Museum continues to expand its vintage holdings, for the first time I'm including my top vintage acquisitions.
1. Stila paint cans: The picture shows the Museum's entire collection since I was too lazy to weed out exactly which ones I got this year, but back in February I bought 20 rare vintage (okay, maybe not quite vintage yet but very close) paint cans on ebay from a former collector who didn't have room. I was sad for her but glad I could give them a good home. Plus they really added something extra to the Stila girl exhibition.

2. Volupté Petite Boudoir: among my many weaknesses are novelty compacts and palettes. I had been coveting this adorable vanity-shaped compact for ages, so when I saw one in excellent condition at a great price I pounced. For photography purposes (and because I love miniatures) I purchased some mini makeup items as accessories.


Here's an ad for it from one of my collector's guides, in case you're curious.

3. Yardley Glimmerick eyeshadow set: Another I haven't gotten around to sharing, but I was so pleased to get this one in fantastic shape and still with with the insert.


And now for the more lackluster releases this year.
1. Madonna by Too-Faced: A hugely successful brand collaborating with a pop culture icon seems like a surefire hit, but dear lord was this unimaginative. I'm truly shocked at how boring this was. Between the flamboyance of Jerrod Blandino and Madge's propensity to push boundaries, I expected way more not just in packaging but the entire concept.


(images from shop.madonna.com)
2. Revlon x Mrs. Maisel: Another squandered opportunity, and much like the Estée Lauder Mad Men collaborations, a good idea but poor execution. You would think The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel would be a goldmine for inspiration. Midge worked at the Revlon makeup counter so the brand makes sense, but why the packaging didn't get a fabulous retro/vintage treatment I'll never know.

(image from ew.com)
3. Guerlain Rouge G Wild Glam case: Maybe it's sour grapes because I can't afford it, but I wasn't a fan of this one. It's a cool design, but not $290 cool! I honestly have no idea what Guerlain was thinking.

(image from neimanmarcus.com)
If I'm going to pay 300 bones for a lipstick case (and I've done it before, embarrassingly enough) it better at least have some sort of handmade element or utilize precious materials. As far as I can tell, neither of those things came into play here. It's just plain old rhinestones (not even Swarovski – I mean COME ON) and a silver-toned case, not real silver plating. And it wasn't handmade by a jeweler, just designed by one. It does say the rhinestones were "hand-set", but I'm skeptical. Plus this other rhinestone-encrusted case is within a normal price range, costing a mere $36. Finally, I'm confused by the snake motif, as it doesn't have any significance for Guerlain that I'm aware of. It felt like a very uninspired piece overall.
And those are some makeup highlights and lowlights of 2019. (I was going to do picks and pans for the past decade but immediately got overwhelmed, so I'm keeping it simple.) What do you think of these choices? Please visit the archives and let me know!
Tiffany? Harry Winston? Fred Leighton? Forget about 'em. While they might be supplying the sparkling baubles for today's red carpet, back in the late '30s and '40s there was a jeweler bigger than those 3 put together: Paul Flato. I'll get to why I'm talking about a jeweler in a sec, but first a brief bio is in order. Paul Flato (1900-1999), moved from his home state of Texas to New York City at the age of 20. He opened his own jewelry store shortly afterwards and employed several designers. By 1937 he had another store on the West Coast to further solidify his status as the go-to jeweler for the biggest Hollywood stars (think Joan Crawford and Katherine Hepburn) as well as a jewelry designer for major films.
Now here's where his story goes off the rails. In 1943 he was arrested for pawning over $100,000 worth of jewels that clients and fellow jewelers had entrusted to him on consignment and served 16 months in Sing Sing. Upon his release from prison he started a lucrative business designing compacts, which was fortunate as his Hollywood career was basically over. After the compacts, Flato continued to design jewelry in the store he opened in Mexico City from 1970-1990, then returned to Texas for the last decade of his life. To my knowledge he never got back into Hollywood's good graces – I couldn't find anything about him supplying jewelry for movies/actresses after 1943 – but it didn't matter since he had already become a legend.
I had seen the Flato brand floating around previously during my various vintage compact hunts and figured one would be a good addition to the Museum's collection, but none of the designs really appealed to me. Since they can be on the pricey side I decided to hold off to see if any really caught my fancy. And as luck would have it this adorable compact and lipstick case, still in the original box, eventually surfaced. Against my better judgement I got involved in a nasty Ebay bidding war, but ultimately won (and probably overpaid a smidge).

Looking back it was totally worth it given how awesome the design is. You may or may not know I have a thing for mint green/jade/bakelite so when I gazed into this kitty's glowing mint green eyes I knew she had to be mine.



Love the matching design on the lipstick case!

I thought it would be good to discuss Flato's style a little so we can see how it translated to the compacts. I find his pieces to be whimsical and tongue-in-cheek, while still piling on the sparkle. Some examples, according to his obit in the New York Times: "Among them were a diamond 'corset' bracelet, with garters in rubies and diamonds, based on Mae West's undergarment…a compact for Gloria Vanderbilt was studded with gold and enamel angels, including an angel on a chamber pot. A pair of little brooches of gold feet with ruby toenails was originally made for Irene Castle, a play both on her maiden name, Foote, and her dancing career." Flato also drew on everyday experiences and items – his observation of fallen leaves one crisp autumn day turned into this brooch, while a basic belt buckle became a dazzling aquamarine necklace.


(images from langantiques.com)
Another prominent motif in Flato's work was hands, according to this site: "Hand imagery had always been of interest to Flato, who notably used antique hand sculptures to display jewelry in ads that appeared in Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar during the 1930s." Here are some quite literal examples.

Not only that, but Flato's own battle with hearing loss at a young age inspired a series of sign language pins.


(images from jewelsdujour.com)
This same playfulness mixed with a healthy dose of sparkle carried over to Flato's compacts. I liked that he created designs that were different from his jewelry line but still maintained his signature style. It looks like Flato filed the patent for the compacts in February 1948 and they were available for sale later that year. Interestingly, this wasn't the first time Flato had the idea to design compacts, as evidenced by this 1940 patent for a compact, cigarette case and lipstick combo.
(image from google.com)
I meant to order this ad from hprints in time for this post and completely spaced on it. Sigh.

(image from hprints.com)
The ones shown in the ad above are fairly common. I wouldn't mind adding the seashell one to my collection. ;) There's also a patent for it too, which is pretty cool.

(image from pinterest.com)
The popular dogwood design:

(image from etsy.com)
And this circular patterned one.

(image from ebth.com)
Apparently the compacts were a pretty big hit right away, according to this news snippet from 1949.

Some more, just for fun.


(image from pinterest.com)


(image from perfumebottles.org)
It's not just a key design; it's a key holder! Yes, you could have the key on this compact custom filed to fit your door. Personally I'd be petrified of losing it – my keys need to stay on a ring – but you have to admit there's some innovation there.


(image from pinterest.com)
Another key ad, plus the wonderfully blinged-out teardrop design.


(image from liveauctioneers.com)
This one definitely shows Flato's sillier side. Would you like one of his "scatabout" pins while you're at it? You know, to anchor your lapel flower? Fashion sure has changed!


(image from etsy.com)
This one is also a lot of fun. I couldn't find any ads for it but I wonder if it was a special release for Easter.


(images from liveauctioneers.com)
The kitty one I have seems to be relatively rare. In my searches I did see one other in a beautiful tiger-eye colorway instead of the green, but I can't seem to find the photo of it now. In any case, I'm pretty pleased with this acquisition as I do think it's one of Flato's better compact designs.
What do you think, both of Flato's jewelry and compacts? Most of them aren't my style but I appreciate them nonetheless. If his jewelry is really striking your fancy you can always buy this lovely catalog of his work.
For St. Patrick's Day I originally thought I'd do a quick round-up of vintage compacts adorned with clovers and such. I was searching for a particular vintage Stratton compact, one that has more traditional lucky symbols, and came across this one instead. It was so delightfully strange I simply had to shove aside the other compact I was looking for to investigate this one further.
(image from etsy.com)
Here's another from a later date (ca. 1950s).
(image from etsy.com)
If you're all, "WTF am I looking at?", don't worry, I was too. Apparently the little fella on the front of these compacts is known as a billiken, a symbol of good luck. Both of the websites that list these compacts for sale point out that the Stratton compacts with a billiken on the front are very rare, and are on page 103 of Mueller's Overview of American Compacts and Vanity Cases. So off I went to consult my copy.



Okay, so the billiken was created by an art teacher in 1908 and is a lucky figure. That's a start, but not enough information for me. So I went searching and found myself down quite a bizarre rabbit hole. The billiken was created by Florence Pretz in 1908 after it appeared to her in a dream, while she found the name in an 1896 poem called "Mr. Moon: A Song Of The Little People" by Canadian poet Bliss Carman. The billiken represents "things as they ought to be." Buying a billiken for oneself brought luck, but receiving one as a gift brought even more good fortune. Pretz explained to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "I concluded if there is a chance that we shape our own lives, and my clay was mine to fashion as I would, I might as well make an image, which embodied hope and happiness to sort of live up to."
I found her original design patent at the Virtual Corkscrew Museum (the fact that a corkscrew museum exists is proof that a makeup museum is a completely normal and valid idea, yes?) Such a weird-looking little creature, what with the pointy head, prominent ears and compact body – not quite human but not animal-like either.

(image from bullworks.net)
And here's a sketch.

(image from slu.edu)
The billiken's popularity skyrocketed less than a year after the patent was filed and took off as a novelty across the U.S., its likeness appearing on all kinds of ephemera from basic figurines to salt shakers and belt buckles. St. Louis University even adopted the billiken as their mascot, which they still use today.

(image from stltoday.com)
The craze also spread to Alaska, where billikens were carved from whale bone/teeth or walrus ivory and sold as souvenirs. They're still made today, of course from different materials.

(image from liveauctioneers.com)
(image from 1stdibs.com)
Finally, the Royal Order of Jesters, a group belonging to the larger entity of Freemasons, adopted the billiken as their symbol in 1911. The billikens associated with the Jesters differ from other figures as they're usually wearing crowns.
(image from phoenixmasonry.com)
This lapel pin especially makes me think that the billiken on the Stratton compact was related to the Royal Order of Jesters, as the design is nearly identical.

(image from fratline.net)
And Stratton did make other Freemason-themed compacts.
(image from etsy.com)

(image from ebay.co.uk)
I guess what I'm still trying to figure out is how the billiken ended up on the Stratton compacts. Were these part of a custom order for the Royal Order of Jesters? What kind of relationship, if any, did Stratton have with the Freemasons and their associated bodies? Or did Stratton simply decide to put a billiken on their compacts at several points throughout the early 20th century since the billiken was so wildly popular and appearing on nearly every object one could think of? I really can't answer any of these with any certainty. Plus, if the billiken on the Stratton compact is somehow related to the Royal Order of Jesters, it doesn't make a lot of sense to put it on an item primarily used by women. Near as I can figure, the Royal Order of Jesters is your typical boys' club (with some rather sordid, remarkably misogynist moments throughout their history to boot, though I don't know if can trust the sources I linked to.) However, according to the British Compact Collectors Society, Freemason compacts were in fact "presented as gifts on Masonic Ladies’ Nights, when wives of Masons were invited for a special dinner." So maybe the ROJ had similar ladies' nights in the U.S. and these were gifts?
I also found this compact, which just leads to more questions.


(images from etsy.com)
Unlike the Stratton billiken compacts, this one is unmistakably related to the Royal Order of Jesters given the initials on the billiken's crown. No maker is listed but the shape, embossing and the handle are all identical to these enameled compacts. So I'm wondering if this was just a generic compact and you could have it customized. In this case, I'm guessing someone belonging to the Royal Order of Jesters had it made and inscribed with the year they were inducted, given the "78" on the billiken's feet. But again, why a compact? I can only assume it was a gift, since I don't think women can be members of the ROJ.
Anyway, I don't think I'll ever get to the bottom of how a billiken that looks similar to the one used by the Royal Order of Jesters ended up on a vintage compact, but I'm glad I at least found a very interesting, if not totally weird, piece of history. And I always welcome learning about benevolent beings such as the billiken, as we could use a little more good luck and positivity in this world.
Had you ever heard of a billiken? And have you ever dreamed up a totally mythical creature? I have – a few months ago I dreamed of flying rabbits that were called angel bunnies. Their wings were not like feathered bird wings but covered in soft white fur, like the rest of their bodies. They were so cute and fluffy and they only came out at night…I wish they existed, or that I at least had some artistic skill so I could sketch them! Who knows, maybe if I file a patent for them the way Ms. Pretz did with billikens, they could be the next craze sweeping the U.S. 🙂
As I've said before, I think Valentine's Day is kinda dumb so the husband and I don't celebrate it, but I do love any sort of holiday-themed makeup. Vintage compacts are especially fun to browse for V-day, as there's no shortage of lovey-dovey designs.
If I had to guess, I think Elgin's heart-shaped compacts were originally created for Valentine's Day (and eventually marketed for Mother's Day and Christmas), since the earliest ad I've seen for them was from February 1947. I'm greatly amused by the fact that this one appeared in Esquire magazine. Clueless men, here's what to get your girl for Valentine's Day!
(image from elgintime.blogspot.com)
I always love it when I can find the item that I spotted in a vintage ad.
(image from etsy.com)
Here's another ad from February 1948. While it seems to be targeting women, it does mention the compacts as Valentine's Day gifts.
(image from pinterest.com)

(images from ebay.com)
Some other Elgin compacts that would have been appropriate for Valentine's Day:
(image from rubylane.com)

(image from worthpoint.com)
(image from etsy.com)
It looks like some of them had space for engraving so you could customize them.

This one is my favorite. Like I said, I'm not really into Valentine's Day crap, but this is precious. It really hits all the love notes – Cupid, flying hearts, and "I love you" in several languages. At least, I think that's Cupid…he doesn't have wings, which is a little odd.


(images from etsy.com)
If I had been more organized I would have gotten one for the Museum in time for V-day. Fortunately there are lots of this particularly design floating around so I can still get it.
What do you think of these? And do you celebrate Valentine's Day? (I won't judge if you do!)
I've always been fascinated with the zodiac, so I'm drawn to any products that feature the 12 signs. And obviously since I love makeup I have a special affinity for compacts with zodiac imagery. There's also something deeper going on – perhaps because of my ever-present need to create order out of the cluttered chaos that is my brain, I like anything calendar-related, whether it's the 12 months of the year or the 12 zodiac signs. Twelve is such a nice neat number, and each month or zodiac sign signifies a particular time of year, making it easy to recognize its passage. And January seems like a good a time to talk about the 12 months/zodiac signs as they all start in January. But enough of my ramblings and onto a very cool find. I stumbled across this while looking for vintage compacts for my own personal use (more on that next week).

I liked the strange cartoon character representing the Aquarius sign and thought the little rhyme on the back of the compact was genius. I also appreciated both the traditional zodiac symbol above the rhyme and the corresponding element (water, earth, wind, fire) beneath – such great details. But what really caught my eye was the artist's signature on the lower right. I definitely wanted to see more work by this S. MacNiel, and I also wanted to find out how he ended up doing these illustrations for Elgin.
(images from etsy.com)
I set about finding as many images of these compacts as I could. Here's Aries:

(image from onegiantyardsale.com)
Taurus:


(images from worthpoint.com)
Gemini:
(image from onegiantyardsale.com)
Cancer:


(image from worthpoint.com)
Leo:

(images from ebay.com)
Virgo:


(images from worthpoint.com)
Libra – no pictures of the back, but the seller included the rhyme: "Libra people love nice things/Lollypops and diamonds rings/ They're happiest when they have bought/A lot of stuff they hadn't ought."
(image from ebay.co.uk)
I couldn't find a photo of the actual compact, but here's an ad from a Pittsburgh newspaper from May 7, 1948 for Scorpio – based on the ad copy, they were playing these up as a Mother's Day gift. What I was confused about is why these were advertised in 1948 and the date near MacNiel's signature on the compact is 1940.

(image from news.google.com)
I was determined to reconcile the dates, so I went digging in search of information on man of mystery S. MacNiel. I found out the S. stands for Stanley, and MacNiel was a Scotsman who traveled the world but ended up in New York City. In 1940 he published a book of cocktail recipes based on zodiac signs. This wood-bound book fetches hundreds of dollars at various auction sites. The cover image is bizarre, but I have to admit quite creative. Grapes for hair, orange slices for ears, lemons for eyes, cherry nostrils, and I particularly love the way the cocktail glass becomes her mouth.

I can't believe he mentions Mussolini as a Leo of note. Uhh…

(images from read-em-again.com)
The book might not have been strange at all if our buddy Stan was a known author and artist, but he didn't seem to have a defined career. He was described as a "lecturer and leader of the Ambassadors of Good Cheer," whatever that is. (I googled and didn't find much – may have been something alcohol-related.) The book's introduction doesn't give much of an idea of what he actually did for a living either. MacNiel says, "For twenty years I was a Vagabond Cocktail Collector. During those years of travel I found great interest in the native foods and beverages of the countries I visited. If a native beverage, of whatever concoction, was palatable to me, I acquired the recipe. Thus, after several trips around the world, 'wining', and 'dining', I began to feel sufficiently well-acquainted with cocktails and other drinks from the four corners of the globe to tell others about them." So he's very well-traveled, but what did he actually do? How did he get into illustration and design? I do like the title of "vagabond cocktail collector" though. That must have been a pretty sweet gig.
Anyway, equally peculiar was MacNiel's creation of a very ornate jeweled brooch in the shape of the head of the "fruit lady" that appears on his cocktail book's cover. I don't know why the patent spells his name incorrectly. I also have no idea why he made this piece of jewelry.


(images from trifari.com)
The brooch (a.k.a. a "fur clip" – fancy!) was apparently sold at Saks in New York and, like MacNiel's book, sells for hundreds of dollars.
So that's interesting, but what does all this have to do with the compacts? And what about the fact that the book was released in 1940 and the compacts seemingly weren't released until 1948? Well, here's the connection: the same rhymes that appear on the back of the compacts are in the book under each sign. The illustrations are different but the rhymes are the same. Compare the rhyme at the bottom of this page with the Virgo compact above.

(image from winkbooks.net)
So my best guess is that he patented everything in 1940 (see his copyright for "Zodiac Humor" that year) and in 1948 allowed use of his illustrations and rhymes for the compacts, so they weren't created specifically for Elgin. Also, he lent his work not only to Elgin, but to several other endeavors as well: tiles (that could be used as trivets or wall decorations), cocktail glasses and napkins. This article in a Brooklyn newspaper from April 15, 1948 sheds a little light on the various zodiac collections, but still doesn't explain what Mr. MacNiel did for a living other than he was a "man of varied careers". It does mention that he once hiked across the entire U.S. in 90 days and took credit for introducing mens' shorts as casual wear in the States. Near as I can figure, given these facts and his seemingly endless globe-trotting, he was simply a nomadic (possibly often drunk) jack of all trades who wasn't content doing one thing or being in one place very long. (Why is his name is spelled wrong again?)

(image from newspapers.com)
Additionally, it looks like in 1953 MacNiel licensed his images to be used for a set of mugs produced by a ceramics company called Rossini Japan.
(image from ebay.com)
I also searched for some tiles in hopes of unearthing more images that would have appeared on the compacts, and I found some I couldn't find in compact form: Sagittarius, Scorpio and Pisces.
(image from liveauctioneers.com)
(image from pinterest.com)
For the life of me though, sadly I couldn't find any images of Capricorn. I guess 11 out of 12 isn't bad, but that's going to drive me crazy. Hopefully one will surface eventually.
While I've figured out the release date of the compacts and a little more about the person behind the illustrations, I'm still not sure how the collaboration came about, i.e. whether MacNiel approached Elgin or the other way around. I also wonder whether he was an Aquarius, since the character for that sign seems to be Scottish (given the kilt and bagpipes) and is labeled as the "Connoisseur" while examining a drink in his hand. We know MacNiel was Scottish and considered himself a cocktail expert, since he mentions mixing "thousands" of drinks as research for his book, so perhaps the Aquarius fellow is meant to be a self-caricature. Unfortunately I can't find a date of birth anywhere for him. But overall, I was pleased with my detective work and I love these compacts, silly and cartoonish though they are. And MacNiel sounds like a hoot – I would have loved to have a drink with him.
What do you think of these? My collector's itch is definitely acting up and wants me to start hunting down all of them…if I ever come across a Scorpio one I'm going to pounce for sure!