Below is an introduction to the web site for the BCCS

This website contains numerous fascinating pages of great interest to compact collectors which are accessible only to members. For example, there are 17 pages in the Question & Answer section, details and photos of members’ other vintage collections, photos of members’ "Favourite Five" compacts, "First Loves", past Conventions, Sales & Wants, Merchandise and Archive entries.

Access to all of this, including our very successful "Q & A" system, where experienced members answer other members’ queries, is one of the benefits of belonging to the BCCS. We have suspended our practice of answering queries from individual non-members but will be happy to try to assist groups and organisations such as museums, companies, broadcasters etc. whenever possible.

If you would like a chance to appreciate our society further, please browse the following samples from our website.

16^th Annual Convention – Marriott Hotel, Peterborough

Saturday 8^th October 2011

Time flies by and it hardly seems possible that it has been a year since we met at Bracknell in 2010 for our Convention! This year, for the first time since 2003, our Convention was held in one of the Eastern counties of England. As a national society, we like to try different locations around the country and Peterborough is an attractive Cathedral city while the Marriott Hotel was an excellent venue for us. Amalia, this year’s Convention organizer, worked so hard to bring us this highly successful event, focussing this year on a theme of Fifties’ Glamour.

Once again we thank Annette for coordinating a marvellous exhibition of compacts, bags and accessories. The aim of our display this year was to illuminate key events of the 1950s, the Festival of Britain and the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, as well as high-lighting many examples of innovative fifties’ design, glamour and glitz. Everything in the exhibition had come from members’ collections and it’s wonderful to see so many rare and lovely things. It’s also terrific to be able to take home the detailed, full-colour catalogue that Annette had compiled of the exhibition.

After a warm welcome in the morning from our founder, Juliette Edwards and a short report about the Society, we had time to browse the displays with plenty of opportunities to find new treasures to add to our collections. Our dealer members had such a variety of compacts on sale including some of those very special pieces that are so hard to find.

The Marriott served us a very good, hot buffet lunch and selection of desserts – all included in our Convention ticket price of £29 - and then we were introduced to our celebrity speaker, the very stylish Katherine Higgins, author, vintage fashion expert and regular contributor to BBC Antiques Roadshow. Katherine has a love of the 1950s and focussed on changes in those post-war years that influenced fashion and make-up. We know that Katherine enjoyed our displays of compacts and accessories staying to chat and sign copies of her book, "Are you Rich", which is all about recognising post-war household items that are now collectables.

It’s great to get together at the Convention to meet each other and have a whole day devoted to compacts. Brilliant - and now I’m looking forward to next year!

Jenny Duncan

Eileen

Juliette

Martina

Phil

Jenny

Juliette

We have a section for non-members where we post questions about compacts you may have, and on which our members can post helpful answers - "click" here.

Here below are a few examples from our 18 pages of Questions & Answers

Le Rage London scenes compact

I have recently found a 'Le Rage' powder compact whilst sorting through the loft, please find some photographs attached. I am hoping you may be able to shed some light on it. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Gina

Jenny Duncan replies: Tidying up the loft can be a rotten job, but Gina should be pleased to have discovered such an attractive compact as this Le Rage depicting some famous sights of London, including St. Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Piccadilly Circus, Big Ben, Nelson's column and the Tower of London. Please take a look at page 10 of these Q & A pages and you will see my response to an enquiry about a Le Rage with French landmarks.

Stratton Ballerina Identification Needed

I am an Italian dancer who has recently come across two Baron signed Stratton very nice. One is a musical compact perfectly working. The other is
a pill box. I have been told they portray real ballerinas and would like to know something about them: who are ballerinas, the epoch of these Strattons
and if they are collectable. I do not know nothing about collecting compact. Here in Italy we do not have this passion and love for
this item. But I love them and just would like to know something more, especially if they portray real ballerinas. I'm an admirer of Fonteyn.
Thank you for all of you. Regards from Italy.
Annalisa Argelli

Jenny Duncan replies: Welcome to the pleasure of compact collecting and I do hope you will join our society as we have quite a number of members in Europe and in the USA . You are lucky to have two highly collectable Stratton pieces and both portray scenes based on photographs of the ballet by the society photographer known as Baron. They not only portray real ballet dancers, but the costumes are from actual ballet productions. If you take a look at the Links on this site to Favourite Five and Other Collections you will find some other examples of ballet compacts from my own collection. I have researched the Stratton ballet range extensively and made this research available to members of our Society, so do please follow the link to our Application Form and join us.

Silver and enamel compact queries

I would like to ask your help to identify the marks on a compact I have acquired recently, it is a silver gilt and enamel compact, the lid depicts a King Charles Spaniel and the enamel work is stunning, it is by far the best I have ever seen. I would dearly like to know the makers' name and country of origin, any info would be much appreciated, thank you.

Sandra Roberts.

Heidi Melhuish replies: According to my book on hallmarks the first mark would appear to be the one used in London on imported silver. The next mark identifies the metal as sterling silver, that is 92.5% silver. The third mark is a date mark for 1926, which is in keeping with the style of the compact. I would say that the compact was made in France, judging by the style. The last mark is the makers' mark which is not in my book and I think you would have to refer to a book on French silver.
Simon Christie replies: The makers mark is that of Birmingham maker P H Vogel. I've owned/own several items from this importer/manufacturer of a similar date to the one in question and they are all of a very high quality. I believe that Vogel imported these items in the 20s & 30s from France. Although P H Vogel & Co are listed as 1947-93, they existed as silversmiths/importers prior to the earlier date.

VALUATIONS:

We regret that we are unable to give valuations and suggest that you consult the various compact books which are listed on the web site.

By becoming a member you will have full access to the web site which includes the links below. You have access to the links highlighted in blue.

LATEST NEWS	MEMBERS QUESTION AND ANSWERS		FAQS	FIRST LOVES	FAVOURITE FIVE	WANTED
MERCHANDISE	NON-MEMBERS Q & A	FOR SALE	LINKS	BOOKS	LOCAL GROUPS	REPAIRS