The Costumer's Manifesto: Old Theatrical Makeup

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Old Theatrical Makeup p.2

On this page a complete professional actor's kit in it's original tin box, most probably used by a white male in the early 20th century.

The name F. M. Keeney is scratched into the lid. The layout of the kit's contents when I bought it:

T.Z. CASE International Pro Case
T.Z. CASE International Pro Case Deluxe
Making Faces, Playing God: Identity and the Art of Transformational Makeup Body Decoration : A World Survey of Body Art
Body Decoration : A World Survey of Body Art

Cream liner in a bent tin. The color is a dark purple with a more blue tint than a modern Ben Nye "Misty Violet".

Scraps of wool crepe hair in black and reddish brown.

The contents of the removable upper tray.

Greasepaint stick in "Very Pale Flesh Color" a light peachy-pink tone.

Stein's Liner sticks in pale blue and Carmine red, similar to a modern lipstick.

The 3 small black sticks appear to be made of commercially rolled paper with a point apparently intended as an applicator for liner colors, (artist's tortillons), they show traces of black and the deep purple on them. The paint brush, which still is covered in black greasepaint appears to be an ordinary and cheap watercolor brush. The larger brush has been destroyed by having some sort of transparent grease left in it and it is unclear how it looked or what it's use was before it died.

Stein's Alpine Cosmetic in black won't open, and I haven't yet forced it. Probably a grease based mascara considering the kit contains the heating pan below.

Heating pan perhaps for softening black eyelash mascara makeup labeled "M. STEIN'S MAKE-UP NEW YORK" in pressed in letters.

Glass jar of M. Stein's Moist Rouge in a dark but translucent berry color.

Hess co. Greasepaint stick in "ruddy old age" color which is as shown, a pretty strong pink base color.

Two large tins, one for Stein's face powder in very pale peach-pink, the other for J. F. Grotta's Knickerbocker cold cream which has separated into a rather repellant oily mess.

The full contents of the kit:

T.Z. CASE International Pro Case Leopard Finish

T.Z. CASE International Pro Case
T.Z. CASE International Pro Case Deluxe In the Eye of the Beholder : The Science of Face Perception BELLACOR Lipstick Table Lamp Special Make-Up Effects Cream Makeup Makeup Stacks Space Ear Tips Vulcan Ear Tips Latex Appliance
In the Eye of the Beholder : The Science of Face Perception BELLACOR Lipstick Table Lamp

This was the original sales description from the eBay seller: "Metal case appears to be handmade and soldered together at its seams. Case is painted black on the outside and inside. There are some gold painted stripes on the outside and some gold painted filigree work on the lid. Lid has a bent wire handle and someone has scrawled what appears to be the name "F.M. Keeney" on the lid. Case has a locking mechanism, but the key is lost. Paint has scratches, but is otherwise in fantastic condition. Inside the case has a removable tray with three compartments. This tray lifts out to reveal the bottom. In the removable tray is found the following: 1) metal tube labeled 'M. Stein's Alpine Cosmetic" "PRICE IS 15 CENTS" "MONEY BACK FOR UNSATISFACTORY PURCHASES" "THE M. STEIN COSMETIC CO. NEW YORK CITY". Color indicated on cap is "BLACK". 2) metal tube labeled "THE HESS CO'S HIGH GRADE GREASE PAINT" "No. 11 RUDDY OLD AGE" "PRICE 25 CENTS". 3) metal tube labeled "FINEST GREASE PAINT" "Manufactured by CHARLES MEYER NEW YORK" "1 VERY PALE FLESH COLOR" 4) metal and paper tube labeled "STEIN'S LINING COLOR" "No. 18 CARMINE" 5) "STEIN'S LINING COLOR" "No. 8 Light Blue" 6) small round metal tin labeled "PREMIER LINING" "Manufactured by M. LOCKWOOD 315 N. Marshall St. Phila., Pa." 7) two brushes and three narrow paper application pencils 8) what appears to be a fake moustache with red colored hair. In the bottom of the box is found the following: 1) a small metal heating pan labeled "M. STEIN'S MAKE-UP NEW YORK" 2) a large metal tin labeled "STEIN's FACE POWDER No. 2 Light Pink PRICE 30 CENTS" 3) a large metal tin labeled "J & F GROTTA'S KNICKERBOCKER COLD CREAM" "PRICE 30 CENTS" 4) a small glass jar with a metal cap labeled "M. STEIN'S MOIST ROUGE" "PRICE 25 CENTS" "GUARANTEED BY THE M. STEIN COSMETIC CO. NEW YORK". 5) what appears to be a braid of black hair that is becoming unraveled at one end. "

Photos by the seller:

Go on to see more old makeup kits:

Page 3: 2e_1_b.JPG (29566 bytes) A barely used kit contents suggestive of a white female (amateur?) ing�nue 1900-1925?

Page 4: PICT0123.JPG (70116 bytes) Complete and unused white female Max Factor theatrical "student" kit in original box (1940's?)

Page 5: PICT0084.JPG (60927 bytes) Assorted old theatrical makeup supplies and boxes.

Page 6: e1_1_b.JPG (26164 bytes) Special effects makeup kit probably before the 1950s

Page 7: A Small Basic Set of Stein's Greasepaint Sticks for a white actor or actress in it's original c.1900 tin

Page 8: PICT0115.JPG (246587 bytes) c. 1900 white female kit of Blanca Lester, plus roll of c.1900 stage money.

Page 9: DSCF6034.JPG (3369624 bytes) c. 1900 Stage makeup kit from the U.S., probably for a white male specializing in drunks and bums.

Back to Page 1. Old Makeup Kits main page

Related information:

Make Up Book for Professionals by F.W. Nack, Chicago, c.1900 a complete facsimile of a copyright expired lithographic pamphlet on stage makeup from around 1900. It shows clear diagrams of the common types of theatre makeup used for portraying popular characters and types on the American stage at that time. These diagrams are not only interesting for the study of the history of stage makeup, but also for the study of various stereotypes of race, gender and age prevalent in stage works of the time, including blackface, yellowface, and redface.

The Costumer's Manifesto is proudly hosted by William Baker.

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This Page is part of The Costumer's Manifesto by Tara Maginnis, Ph.D. Copyright 1996-2010. You may print out any of these pages for non-profit educational use such as school papers, teacher handouts, or wall displays. You may link to any page in my site.

This page last edited on 06/20/2010