Salvador Dali - Elgin "Bird In Hand" Compact

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A truly amazing find for any collector of vintage compacts or Salvador Dali's work. These compacts were made by Elgin American in the early 1950's, under contracted with Salvador Dali for this unique bird design. Made in silver plate and gold tone finish over copper and ruby cabechons for eyes, they were as beautiful as they were functional. With its wonderfully utilitarian approach, the bird's body serves as a separate pillbox, lipstick, mirror, and powder compartment. Created out of silver and gold plate, and rubies as the bird's eyes, the 2004 World Antique Compact Exhibition in Hong Kong has valued the bird's twin compact at 25,000 US dollars. The online magazine, had this to say about it: The most popular and prolific compact makers per se were Elgin American, Volupte and the Evans Company. Elgin even commissioned famous artists at times, most notably Salvador Dali, who created the "Bird-In-Hand" in 1950, a red-eyed bird with folded wings, manufactured in three finishes, which concealed a powder compartment, a pillbox and a lipstick. This is a prize highly competed for by collectors. It measures 2 1/2" wide, 4 3/8" long and 1 3/8" thick. The head removes to reveal the lipstick component. The body of the bird opens to reveal a perfectly preserved, mirrored powder compartment. The tail opens up to reveal the pillbox container. read more