A selection of Travel de Nécessaires (Travelling Cases)
In the golden age of steam and ocean travel, gentlemen who went travelling always took a small Nécessaire de Voyage and ladies a Travel de Nécessaire (small travelling case) with them. Unlike other valises, portmanteaus or trunks which would be stored in ship’s holds or the baggage cars of trains, these small cases would travel with their owners and as the names suggest, contained the essential items for a gentleman or lady to repair their toilette whilst en route.
This year the FFF+ Group have decided to have a monthly challenge called “Freestyle On The Fifth”. A different theme chosen by a member of the group each month, and the image is to be posted on the 5th of the month.
This month the theme, “beauty” was chosen by Andrew ()
These Travel de Nécessaires are part of a collection and are all early Twentieth Century examples. It seemed an appropriate entry for this months FFF theme considering they were considered essential for beauty whilst travelling.
Top left: An Art Deco Streamline Moderne six piece jade green Bakelite, chrome and glass Travel de Nécessaire, consisting of brush, comb, three powder pots and a perfume bottle. Made in England by the Halex Company (1897 - 1971) of Highams Park (a district in the London). The set, comes in a travelling case of green dyed leather with a salmon coloured satin lining. It also has one original powder puff in apricot, one in pale pink and one in primrose yellow. There is also a nail file and set of tweezers in metal as well as a removable mirror. (Circa 1930s).
Bottom left: A Bauhaus style nine piece chromium and glass Travel de Nécessaire, consisting of a Bakelite toothbrush, two powder pots, a pill box, a jewellery case and a perfume bottle. Made in Berlin by an unknown manufacturer. The set comes in a salmon coloured dyed leather travelling case with chocolate brown inlay in a Bauhaus design. It is in the shape of a handbag and the whole interior sits within a chromium plated tray with handles which enables a quick removal so that the case may be used as a handbag. It has a cream satin lining and an affixed bevelled mirror. (Circa 1928).
Top right: An Art Deco Streamline Moderne six piece sterling silver, pale blue guilloché enamel and glass Travel de Nécessaire, consisting of brush, comb, two powder pots and two perfume bottles. Made in England by Walker and Hall in Birmingham in 1925. The set comes in a travelling case of blue dyed leather with a cream coloured satin lining. Walker and Hall was established in Sheffield in 1845 by George Walker. Becoming an assistant of Dr. John Wright who had conducted important experiments on electroplating Walker secured the royalty of electroplating for Sheffield. The business was joined by Henry Hall and became in 1853 Walker & Hall. Walker and Hall still exists today as a silver business in New Zealand.
Bottom right: An Edwardian eleven piece 9 carat gold and tortoiseshell Travel de Nécessaire, consisting of brush, clothes brush comb, nail file, button hook, pill box, needle case, scent bottle, hairpin holder, notepad and mirror. Made in England in 1908 in London, but the maker’s marks on all the pieces are too badly rubbed to be able to identify by whom. The set comes in a travelling case of blue dyed leather with a cream coloured satin lining. It comes with its own brass key.
A selection of Travel de Nécessaires (Travelling Cases)
In the golden age of steam and ocean travel, gentlemen who went travelling always took a small Nécessaire de Voyage and ladies a Travel de Nécessaire (small travelling case) with them. Unlike other valises, portmanteaus or trunks which would be stored in ship’s holds or the baggage cars of trains, these small cases would travel with their owners and as the names suggest, contained the essential items for a gentleman or lady to repair their toilette whilst en route.
This year the FFF+ Group have decided to have a monthly challenge called “Freestyle On The Fifth”. A different theme chosen by a member of the group each month, and the image is to be posted on the 5th of the month.
This month the theme, “beauty” was chosen by Andrew ()
These Travel de Nécessaires are part of a collection and are all early Twentieth Century examples. It seemed an appropriate entry for this months FFF theme considering they were considered essential for beauty whilst travelling.
Top left: An Art Deco Streamline Moderne six piece jade green Bakelite, chrome and glass Travel de Nécessaire, consisting of brush, comb, three powder pots and a perfume bottle. Made in England by the Halex Company (1897 - 1971) of Highams Park (a district in the London). The set, comes in a travelling case of green dyed leather with a salmon coloured satin lining. It also has one original powder puff in apricot, one in pale pink and one in primrose yellow. There is also a nail file and set of tweezers in metal as well as a removable mirror. (Circa 1930s).
Bottom left: A Bauhaus style nine piece chromium and glass Travel de Nécessaire, consisting of a Bakelite toothbrush, two powder pots, a pill box, a jewellery case and a perfume bottle. Made in Berlin by an unknown manufacturer. The set comes in a salmon coloured dyed leather travelling case with chocolate brown inlay in a Bauhaus design. It is in the shape of a handbag and the whole interior sits within a chromium plated tray with handles which enables a quick removal so that the case may be used as a handbag. It has a cream satin lining and an affixed bevelled mirror. (Circa 1928).
Top right: An Art Deco Streamline Moderne six piece sterling silver, pale blue guilloché enamel and glass Travel de Nécessaire, consisting of brush, comb, two powder pots and two perfume bottles. Made in England by Walker and Hall in Birmingham in 1925. The set comes in a travelling case of blue dyed leather with a cream coloured satin lining. Walker and Hall was established in Sheffield in 1845 by George Walker. Becoming an assistant of Dr. John Wright who had conducted important experiments on electroplating Walker secured the royalty of electroplating for Sheffield. The business was joined by Henry Hall and became in 1853 Walker & Hall. Walker and Hall still exists today as a silver business in New Zealand.
Bottom right: An Edwardian eleven piece 9 carat gold and tortoiseshell Travel de Nécessaire, consisting of brush, clothes brush comb, nail file, button hook, pill box, needle case, scent bottle, hairpin holder, notepad and mirror. Made in England in 1908 in London, but the maker’s marks on all the pieces are too badly rubbed to be able to identify by whom. The set comes in a travelling case of blue dyed leather with a cream coloured satin lining. It comes with its own brass key.