VERY COLLECTIBLE VINTAGE KIGU OF LONDON POWDER PUFF ATOMIZER

Josef Kiaschek, a master Hungarian Goldsmith, claimed to make the first powder compact early last century. His son, Gustav, founded a workshop in Budapest to hand-make compacts, calling the business KI-GU (after Kiaschek-Gustav).

Gustav went on to have three sons, Charles, Paul and George… Charles moved to New York to become a goldsmith, while George immigrated to London in 1939, where he founded his own powder compact company – KIGU of London. However, the outbreak of WWII meant that George’s technical knowledge and new factory were needed by the UK government. It wasn’t until peace time that he could start manufacturing compacts on a large scale. Third Kiaschek brother Paul also joined the firm after the war.

KIGU quickly gained a reputation for quality and innovative design. In 1949, the Royal family bought KIGU compacts at the British Industries Fair. By 1956, KIGU had become the largest British firm specialising in compacts. Over 300 workers were employed across their three UK factories. They manufactured over 600 designs of compacts, powder bowls and trinket boxes. KIGU became a household name, and exported across the world.