Vintage 1920s Richard Hudnut Le Début Art Deco Compact – Rare Gold Tone Turquoise Detail

A striking original Richard Hudnut “Le Début” combination compact dating to the Art Deco period, circa 1928.

Measuring approximately 5cm across, this beautiful octagonal compact has an unusual warm gold-tone finish with stepped geometric detailing, turquoise-coloured accents and an ornate pierced central rosette. The reverse features a wonderful concentric engine-turned octagonal design typical of the period.

The clever multi-compartment interior opens to reveal a mirror together with separate cosmetic compartments for powder and rouge. The decorative inner panel is clearly marked “Le Début – Richard Hudnut”, confirming the model.

Le Début was one of Richard Hudnut’s celebrated vanity lines, and this gold-tone version appears to be a particularly unusual variation compared with the more frequently encountered silver-tone and enamelled examples.

The compact remains in good antique condition for its age, with expected surface wear, patina and signs of previous cosmetic use, all clearly shown in the photographs. The Tokalon powder puff shown is a later replacement and is not original to the compact.

A wonderfully decorative and increasingly difficult-to-find piece of 1920s cosmetic history, particularly appealing to collectors of Richard Hudnut, early American compacts and Art Deco vanity accessories.