The Hey Globe Trotter P154 Hair Clip: A Miniature World of 1960s Travel

Imagine a small gilt barrette, no longer than two inches, its surface alive with miniature enamel cities: the silhouette of the Eiffel Tower beside Big Ben, a gondola gliding past the Rialto Bridge, the Colosseum rising against a midnight blue sky. This is the Store P154 Hey Globe Trotter Cities hair clip — a tiny souvenir of the world, pinned into the hair of British women who dreamed of travel during the 1960s. Unlike the more common beret-shaped clips that dominate vintage collections, the Globe Trotter series from the little-known Hey brand offers a rare cartographic charm, each clip a wearable postcard.

The Hey Brand and the ‘Globe Trotter’ Series

The Hey company, active in London’s costume jewellery quarter from the late 1950s to the early 1970s, specialised in small-run accessories that captured the mood of the moment. While most British hair clip manufacturers of the era — such as Beret and Love — focused on hearts, flowers and abstract shapes, Hey leaned into narrative designs. The Globe Trotter series, stamped with the model number P154 and often accompanied by a tiny ‘HTML’ mark (likely a factory or quality control code), features a rectangular metal base with raised enamel panels depicting iconic landmarks from major cities.

Collectors today recognise the P154 by its distinct combination of gold‑tone metal (usually brass or a silver‑plated base with a gilt finish) and hard enamel in four or five colours. The cities represented vary from clip to clip, but the most common sets include London, Paris, Rome, Venice and New York. Some examples also feature Tokyo or Sydney, suggesting the series was produced in several batches. The enamel work is remarkably precise for a mass‑produced item: tiny windows, arches and domes are rendered in opaque jewel tones — ruby red, sapphire blue, emerald green and amber yellow — colours that echo the palette of other vintage pieces such as the Vintage Star Hair Clips: Ruby, Sapphire and Amber, which used similar enamelling techniques to capture the glamour of the era.

Why ‘Cities’? The Travel Craze of the 1960s

The Globe Trotter clip did not appear in a vacuum. The 1960s saw a boom in affordable air travel, with the advent of package holidays and the introduction of the Boeing 707. For many British women, a trip to the Continent — or even further — became an attainable dream. Hair accessories that referenced foreign destinations allowed wearers to signal sophistication and worldliness without leaving their hometown. The Hey P154 clip was sold in department stores and independent boutiques, often placed near travel‑themed scarves and handbags. Its compact size (about 4.5 cm long) made it ideal for securing a side sweep or a small French twist, and the flat enamel surface caught the light beautifully.

Materials and Construction: What to Look For

Authentic Hey Globe Trotter clips are built on a stamped brass base, with a spring‑loaded metal clip mechanism on the reverse. The enamel is applied in a recessed cell (cloisonné‑style) and fired at high temperature, giving it a glass‑like hardness. Over time, the gilt finish may wear to reveal a warmer brass tone underneath — a sign of age that most collectors welcome. The clip’s hinge is usually steel, and many surviving examples still snap shut firmly.

• Base metal: Brass or silver‑plated brass, often with a gold‑toned lacquer.
• Enamel: Hard vitreous enamel in opaque colours; no soft resin or paint.
• Markings: Look for “Hey” (sometimes in cursive) and “P154” on the reverse, plus a small “HTML” stamp — a factory code, not a digital reference.
• Dimensions: Approximately 4.5 × 1.5 cm, with a 1 cm clip opening.
• Weight: 6–8 grams, sturdy but not heavy.

Rarity and Collector’s Value

The P154 is not a common find. Unlike the ubiquitous Beret Love clips, which appear at almost every vintage fair, the Hey Globe Trotter series was produced in smaller quantities and has a lower survival rate — partly because the enamel can chip if dropped, and partly because the ‘travel’ theme was a short‑lived fad. A clip in good condition (no enamel loss, intact spring, bright gilt) can fetch between £40 and £80 at specialist vintage accessory dealers. Examples with unusual city combinations — say, a clip featuring both Moscow and Rio de Janeiro — are particularly sought after and may command over £100.

Styling the Globe Trotter Clip Today

The beauty of the P154 lies in its duality: it looks equally at home on a 1960s beehive and on a modern low bun. For a contemporary outfit, try these approaches:

• With a silk scarf: Tie a navy or cream scarf around a ponytail and use the clip to anchor the side. The city motifs peek out like a secret map.
• Side‑swept waves: Clip the barrette horizontally just above the ear on deep side‑parted waves. The gold tone complements warm hair colours — chestnut, auburn, honey.
• On a beret: Yes, you can pin a clip onto a wool beret for a layered vintage look. The Spring Daisy Beret, with its floral enamel, is a natural companion, but the Globe Trotter adds a travel‑themed twist.
• Mixed metals: Don’t be afraid to wear it alongside silver or rose‑gold pieces. The enamel colours bridge the gap.

Care and Preservation

Because the enamel is fired glass, it is durable but brittle. Avoid dropping the clip on hard surfaces. To clean, use a soft, dry cloth — never soak the clip, as water can seep into the hinge and cause rust. If the gilt has dulled, a gentle polish with a jewellery cloth (designed for plated metals) can restore some shine, but avoid abrasive pastes. Store the clip in a fabric‑lined box or a small zip‑pouch, separate from other metal accessories to prevent scratching.

If you spot a Store P154 Hey Globe Trotter clip at a car boot sale or online, check the enamel for chipping — that confirms both age and authenticity. A gentle wipe and careful storage will keep it intact. These clips are small, but each one carries a real piece of 1960s travel history, tiny ambassadors of a world that once felt both distant and wonderfully close.