Haydite Co. pocket mirror

Object/Artifact

National Building Arts Center

Front disc of The Haydite Co. pocket mirror

View of the logo-side of a two-sided pocket mirror, showing an ornamental celluloid disc with the company's name, and displaying some lifting/cracking of the celluloid

Name/Title

Haydite Co. pocket mirror

Description

A small, circular, two-sided pocket mirror, with a front ornamental celluloid disc bearing the logo and information for the Haydite Co.

Use

Promotional object, used for the purpose of advertising the Haydite Co., to commemorate an event, or to show appreciation to employees of the company.

Collection

Promotional object displays

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Parisian Novelty Co.

Time Period

20th Century

Place

City

Chicago

State/Province

Illinois

Country

United States of America

Continent

North America

Notes

The manufacturer, Parisian Novelty Co., a Chicago entity, was established in 1898, and filed for a patent for a pocket mirror in 1907. The Haydite Co., however, began operating in Kansas City, Missouri in 1920, which places this pocket mirror as possibly manufactured for the Haydite Co. after 1920.

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Label

Location

Lower side of the pocket mirror, on the celluloid disc.

Transcription

"Parisian Nov. Co. Chicago"

Language

English

Translation

"Parisian Novelty Company, Chicago"

Material/Technique

Label

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Mirror, Hand

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Beauty Supplies

Nomenclature Class

Toilet Articles

Nomenclature Category

Category 03: Personal Objects

Getty AAT

Concept

metal, glass block

Dimensions

Dimension Description

The diameter is taken from the side with the ornamental celluloid disk, and depth is taken from the edge of the pocket mirror.

Depth

0.8 cm

Diameter

6.5 cm

Parts

Count

Parts

Pocket mirror

Material

Glass, Celluloid

Color

Black, Brown, Yellow

Condition

Overall Condition

Fair

Condition Type

Spatter, Lifting, Crackle / Craquelure

Date Examined

Jul 23, 2026

Examined By

Elena Marshall

Cleanliness

Exhibits some black spatter or speckles on the mirror face, and some deterioration(?) of the black paint around the rim of the mirror.

Surface

The celluloid ornamental disc with the Haydite logo has some lifting/cracking around the middle and bottom edge of the disk.

Research Notes

Research Type

Researcher

Person

Elena Marshall

Date

Jul 23, 2026

Web Links and URLs

Article discussing the history of the Parisian Novelty Co.

Notes

"One of the earliest form of novelties made by the company was a small hand mirror that could be covered by an ornamental celluloid disc. In fact, Louis Joseph’s manufacturing superintendent, a man named Joseph Komorous, actually filed for a patent to cover the invention of this hand mirror also known as pocket mirror in 1907"

Create Date

July 23, 2026

Update Date

July 23, 2026