Tuesday, June 1, 2010

45,600 Euros for a Guerlain Bottle! Say What?

If the price is shocking to boot, let me clarify this is a historical collectible Guerlain flacon engraved and dating from as far back as 1870 which was sold at an auction in Toledano at Arachon (Gironde) this past Saturday 29th May and bought by a serious French collector.
The auction included many worthwhile specimens, among them various designs by René Lalique and one by Gabrielle Chanel, signed Ivoire, which began its course at 200 euros only to hit the ceiling at 1300 euros! At least 81% of the bottles auctioned were sold to buyers from around the world, mostly French, but also Australian, Russian, Canadian, Indian and Chinese.



According to Bernand Gangler, professional appraiser of perfume bottles, who proclaimed the auction "one of the most beautiful in the world", this particular Guerlain perfume bottle sale is a world record that will take a long time to be surpassed. The initial appraisal was estimated between 20,000 and 30,000 euros, but it skyrocketed in the end. The "Rue de la Paix" engraved bottle (featuring the original address of Guerlain, 15 rue de la Paix) was part of a massive auction of 250 lots produced between 1870 and 1900. Nota bene this was not the Rue de la Paix perfume, issued in 1908 but merely a bottle of unidentified as yet perfume signed with the old address.
Another world record was set by "Fontaines Parfumées" signé Depinoix et Julien Viard which settled at 32,400 euros while originally estimated around 10,000 euros.
It's clear that valuable perfume bottles collecting has legs! Be extra attentive to whom you're leaving your perfume collection in your will.

photo via bibliodyssey blog

12 comments:

  1. Fiordiligi11:22

    On my goodness! It wasn't me, honestly......

    How fabulous (but dangerous) to have been present at the auction.

    Thank you for this lovely article, my dearest E.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow! That is a LOT of money....Very cool, indeed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow. Should I regret all those empty bottles I've thrown away?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow.

    I think I just saw a few bottles zoom way off into the distance...didn't realize how close I was to them yesterday, until I read this today.

    Ah, well. It's not like I ever would have laid a hand on such a bottle, anyway. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mimi Gardenia17:32

    I honestly think the price range for vintage Guerlain perfume bottles has gone up a lot even in a year.
    Some are asking for the high hundreds on Ebay......
    I do LOVE vintage bottles!

    ReplyDelete
  6. D,

    it does get a little out of budget...These auctions for which catalogues are issued are really beautiful, although the prices fetched are sometimes crazy.
    It would be dangerous to be monied and there indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  7. LBV,

    cool for collectors whose collections are rising through collateral past history. This is a serious rise!

    ReplyDelete
  8. SS,

    today's trash is tomorrow's antiques, so your granchildren will thank you one day if you don't throw things away.

    ReplyDelete
  9. S,

    it's funny how a piece of news makes a difference in how we view things from now on, isn't it?

    Yup, that one was out of reach. But some others are still within grasp :-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. MG,

    I can't argue with your observation, it's absolutely true.

    I do love vintage bottles myself, often buy for the crystal work (not only the perfume).

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous14:43

    I have an early Guerlain for sale on ebay with the 15 de la Paix embossed on it. Hope it sells for this much!!

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220623743292

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi anon!

    Not to disappoint you, but I find it highly unlikely. :/

    ReplyDelete

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