Topic: Sowerby "Enid" Powder Bowl.

[theElench]

Although I can't find it on GTS, the "Enid" powder bowl is shown in the Sowerby catalogue for 1936.

Permission granted to use all photos on GTS.

[theElench]

And another photo of it glowing nicely under UV light.

[flying free]

That's really lovely.  I always imagine the lids of these getting dropped and broken as they don't look easy to lift comfortably.

[theElench]

Trying to lift the lid using the fruit is next to impossible but, whether by design or accident, the retaining rim inside the lid is a rather loose fit allowing the lid quite a bit of movement. 

Makes it quite easy and safe to lift the lid using the rim alone.

I've recently been looking at some vintage powder compacts and several note that the mirrors have become "clouded" by long contact with the powder.

Would that explain why the lid has what appears to be a patchy white deposit on it.  I've tried removing it with washing-up liquid and a soft toothbrush but it doesn't budge it at all.

[flying free]

It might be in the case of your powder box glass lid because
1) whatever the powder contained has caused a reaction with the glass.
2) Or someone used it to mix something in the lid?

In the case of compacts with mirrors I suppose it could be either:
1) as stated above,
or moisture getting behind the mirror perhaps causing deterioration,
or whatever the mirror was silvered with behind reacting with powder seeping behind?

[theElench]

Thanks for your suggestions.  Having failed to remove it with a toothbrush, I tried carefully scratching a patch of the deposit with a pin.  It didn't even scratch the surface!

I've attached a couple of photos so you can see the deposit and that it looks like something stuck to the surface, rather than a reaction in the glass itself.  Perhaps your suggestion that someone has mixed something in the lid is right.

Whatever it is, I'll leave it there rather than risk damaging the glass with any more of my amateur attempts at removal.