The Edith Hair Clip: A Vintage Find That Still Holds

You spot it in a cardboard box at a flea market in Cirencester, half-hidden under a tangle of beaded necklaces. No gilding, no maker's stamp — just a single polished bevel catching the light, a deep amber curve that feels unexpectedly warm in your palm. The Edith hair clip isn't a patented invention or a one-season wonder. It's a quiet archetype: a broad, gently scalloped claw made from solid cellulose acetate, usually in tortoiseshell, mahogany, or jet black, with a brass spring that signs itself with a soft, definite click.

What Makes an Edith an Edith

The defining feature of an Edith hair clip is its silhouette. Unlike the rounded dome of a classic cone clip or the angular prongs of a mid-century barrette, the Edith has a low, arched profile that opens to a wide, even bite. The top piece isn't fully solid — a narrow oval cut-out runs along the centre, sometimes filled with a contrasting resin or left open to reveal the hair beneath. This cut-out wasn't just decorative. It reduced the weight of the clip while keeping the structural ribs strong enough for medium to thick hair.

The teeth are what most collectors recognise first. They're evenly spaced, rounded at the tips, and slightly tapered toward the hinge. A well-preserved Edith will still hold a gathered twist of hair without slipping, even after forty years. The spring mechanism sits inside a small brass casing that runs the length of the hinge. On early examples (late 1960s to early 1970s) the casing is stippled; later production runs from the late 1970s used a smooth, polished finish.

Materials and Craftsmanship

Nearly all genuine Edith clips are made from cellulose acetate, a material favoured by British accessory makers for its ability to take on rich, layered colours. The tortoiseshell variant, in particular, was produced by sandwiching a translucent amber sheet over a darker brown base, then hand-polishing the edges so that the two layers merge. This method means no two clips have exactly the same striation pattern — a detail that serious collectors photograph and use to date unmarked pieces.

• Colour range: The most sought-after shades are dark tortoiseshell, clear amber, and solid black. A smaller number were made in a deep claret red and in a translucent bottle green, though these are rare.
• Metal components: The spring and hinge pin are brass, occasionally coated with a thin layer of nickel. If the clip feels unusually heavy or the hinge is magnetic, it's likely a later reproduction rather than an original Edith.
• Maker marks: Many Edith clips carry a faint embossed logo on the inside of the lower prong. The mark is often just two letters — “ED” in a serif font — or a tiny crown. Clips without any marking are still genuine; production was subcontracted to several small factories in the West Midlands.

How to Wear an Edith Clip Today

The Edith's low profile makes it unusually versatile. Because the arched top sits flat against the head, it works well under a modern wide-brim hat or a silk scarf without creating an obvious bump. For a quick everyday style, gather the hair at the nape, twist it upward into a loose French roll, and clip the Edith over the fold. The cut-out centre will let a few strands escape, softening the line.

The clip also pairs naturally with the volume-heavy silhouettes of the 1970s maxi dress revival — a topic this blog has covered in detail. When worn with a high-waisted denim skirt and a fitted cashmere jumper, the amber version echoes the warm tones of a good leather belt. For evening, a black Edith clip can anchor a deep side part, allowing the rest of the hair to fall in a modern, unstyled wave.

Beware of Misleading Labels

Because the Edith clip was made over a long period and sold under several shop brand names, it's often misidentified at vintage fairs. A clip may be labelled as “tortoiseshell claw” or “vintage amber barrette”, but the true Edith has a specific width (7.5 to 8.5 cm) and that oval cut-out. If the cut-out is replaced by a row of small perforations, or if the teeth are asymmetrical, you're likely holding a different model altogether — perhaps an early cone clip or a generic import. The easiest way to check is to feel the inside of the hinge casing: genuine Ediths have a slight ridge running down the centre.

Caring for Your Edith Clip

Cellulose acetate is sensitive to heat and prolonged direct sunlight. A clip left on a sunny windowsill may warp or develop a cloudy bloom on the surface. To keep your Edith in the same lustrous condition it had when it first left the factory, store it in a soft pouch or a lined jewellery box. Avoid contact with hairspray or alcohol-based hair products — the solvent can dull the polish irreversibly.

If the spring feels stiff, don't force it open. A tiny drop of sewing machine oil applied to the hinge pin (with a toothpick, never a spray) will restore smooth movement. After oiling, work the clip gently open and closed a few times, then wipe away any excess. Over-oiling attracts dust and can gum up the mechanism.

One specific storage habit most collectors adopt: keep the clip slightly open when not in use. This prevents the brass spring from fatiguing in a fully closed position, which is the most common reason an Edith loses its grip. A small piece of folded felt placed between the jaws works perfectly.