Avon collectors are looking for glass or china items in interesting shapes.  Plain bottles are not very collectable and have little or no value.  Many items not marked ‘Avon’ are similar to those sold in High Street shops and will not become collectable.  Buy these items to use – not to keep.

Collect items which you like, do not buy for instant riches – it is unlikely to happen.  Some items appeal to other categories of collectors, like thimbles, bells, powder compacts, cars etc.  Bubble Bath containers (Soakies) are becoming collectable in their own right and Avon has produced many different varieties of these.

Less than half the products bought from Avon have perfect boxes and a good box will attract a premium.  Avon is collected empty except for the real perfume miniatures.  Aftershaves and Colognes have been known to explode when old.

Candle holders are more collectable than the actual candles.

Children’s toys are popular but must be marked Avon and should be in new, mint condition, if they are not – do not buy them.

Soap must be boxed, absolutely perfect, without a blemish – if damaged, use in the bath, unless exceptionally rare!

Paperwork and ephemera is very collectable and the oldest Avon I have in my own collection is a letter from Avon (then CPC), a price list and a card dated 1912.

Awards.  The Albee figurines are the most collectable awards, followed by jewellery awards (marked with Avon logo). 

Lucite (composition) items are very sought after as they are one-offs and not many exist.  These items are used for the photographs you see in your Avon brochures and can cost Avon between $25,000 and $75,000 from drawing board to finished item.  These items are sometimes donated by Avon USA to collectors’ clubs in America to raffle for club funds and can change hands for large sums of money.  They are always accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Avon.

Avon clothing is quite popular but difficult to display so should be worn with pride!

HELPFUL HINTS

Any fluff which congregates in waxy containers (ie candles and pomanders) can be cleaned using a small piece of Blu-tack.

Soap can be protected with clingfilm.

Handling containers wearing woolly gloves will clean them quite well.

A whole shelf of Avon can be dusted by using a hand-held hair dryer, blowing all the dust along to one end of the shelf.

Avon is more difficult to clean if kept in a room where there are smokers, as cigarette smoke makes the bottles sticky.

Avon in America is usually sold in fluid ounces and you can find the volume of the contents on the paper label on the base of most bottles. 

Occasionally the inside of the boxes are dated on the lower flaps.

Silver/gold painted Avon containers may start to peel.  Once this process has started, it is almost impossible to stop.  It is best to keep silvered containers in a cabinet and handle as little as possible.

Wipe up any spilled perfume/cologne etc immediately and dry container thoroughly to prevent damaging the bottle.

Click here for full details regarding joining the Avon Magpies Collectors` club