Optical Scentsibilities: The Imaginative Vintage Perfume Presentation

The enrobing of a perfume in a glass mantle is analogous to the draping of fabric around a beautifully formed body. The outer presentation should complement the interior magnificence. It was just a few years ago that only the lower end of the fragrance market had flamboyant and over-gilded bottles to balance the cheap impression left by the low price asked and the less luxurious smelling experience. The chic stuff circulated in architectural bottles with relatively sparse lines, like with Chanel. But then niche perfumery boomed aiming at a more discerning customer.

Captivating not only the aficionado, who dreams in perfume and can have their beloved elixir dispensed even in a milk carton for all it's worth, but also the loaded purchaser, who views perfume as a precious fashion accessory that completes their luxurious lifestyle or as a gift to be given with the desire to please the eye as much as the nose. Ergo fancier bottle styles have become desirable and coveted again, ranging from the extravagant, like the crystal creations by Agonist or the Swarovski crystal containing Hedonist by Viktoria Minya, to the artistically hand-made such as the Martine Micallef bottles or the glamor of the 1001 Nights of Amouage. But back in time, the imagination of the fragrance bottle designers run into patterns which remind us more of Limoges and Lladro porcelain figures (or in the case of drugstore items of Barbie playthings) than of perfume bottles.
Everyone recalls the model dummy for Schiaparelli's Shocking, reprised by Jean Paul Gaultier in the 1990s. But I have unearthed a few more vintage examples on Ebay to share with you on a rainy day. Here they are.

                   

                 Vintage Novelty Windmill for "Devon Violets" Perfume by Delavelle

                         

                        Vintage Novelty Harp "Heavenscent" Perfume by Nikki de Paris.

             "The Perfume for Heavenly Times" as tagged on the box, depicting a taking aim cupid.

               Vintage Spray Perfume "Malibu Musk" Bottle Palm Tree 1980s

Do you know of any fanciful shaped vintage perfume bottles you'd like to add? Feel free to share in the comments.

Guerlain "Nous N'Avons Pas de Prenom" vs.Marcel Guerlain & Hughes Guerlain: Perfume History

It's not uncommon that perfume newbies sometimes come across fragrances with the name "Guerlain" in their presentation and get confused as to whether it pertains to the classic, revered family house (now under LVMH ownership) or it involves a fake. (Sad as it might be, the latter is not unheard of, with dubious specimens cropping up like "vintage" Louis Vuitton fragrances beyond the known etc.) The answer to this is neither.

via tumblr.com

Two other Parisian perfume companies, Marcel Guerlain & Hughes Guerlain, are in fact totally legit and have been producing beautiful perfumes for years. Although Marcel Guerlain, who has been producing fragrances and cosmetics from his beautiful 86 rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honore in Paris boutique since 1923, shares a surname to one of the heirs of the Guerlain family, these names are not affiliated with the Pierre-Francois Guerlain family.

The confusion was no less annoying in the years preceding WWII than it is today: Marcel was legally forced to eventually change his company's name to Societe des Parfumeurs Francais. USA advertisements bear the inscription "no connection with any firm of similar name" before it. The Guerlains also took their own measures, giving rise to the "nous n'avons pas de prenom" campaign (i.e. we have no first name).
The often impressive Marcel Guerlain bottles were developed with the help of Andre Jollivet and other designers of the time.

via old-paper.delcampe.net

Marcel Guerlain Caravelle via worthpoint.com

Marcel Guerlain perfumes include:

1923 Kadour
1923 Le Roy le Veult
1924 Caravelle
1924 Pavillon Royal

Marcel Guerlain Royal Pavillon via worthpoint.com

1924 Pate D'Or
1925 Masque Rouge
1925 Ki-Loc
1925 Mai Wang
1927 Le Roi Le Veult
1927 Tabac Fleuri 8
1927 Tabac Fleuri 9
1927 Masque Rouge
1927 Contes Choisis
1928 Chypre
1929 Redoute Masque/ Rouge Redoute

Marcel Guerlain Rolls Royce via liveauctioneers.com

1929 Rolls Royce
1930 Aimee-Aime
1930 Le Cadre Noir
1930 Les Fleurs
1930 Mol
1930 Pois Senteur
1930 Cyclone
1930 Special 5

Aimee byHughes Guerlain via 1000fragrances.blogspot.com

It's interesting to note that the other company named in the title of this article, Hughes Guerlain, was founded also by Marcel Guerlain himself, alongside several other companies involved in the production and distribution of cosmetics and perfumes.

via catalogue.drouot.com

Hughes Guerlain perfumes comprise:

Extrait 9 (1920s)
Extrait 14 (1920s)
Chypre de Hughes Guerlain (1930s)
Bolide
Molny
Aimee (1930s)
Toutes Fleurs (1940s)

In conclusion, though less celebrated than the famous Guerlain classics, the products by Marcel Guerlain and Hughes Guerlain are not to be scoffed at, being beautiful and worthwhile in their own right.

Certain chronologies via Museu del Perfum

Vintage Perfume Bottle Sale

The Perfume Bottle Sale

17th December 2011

Auction Atrium

97C and 101B Kensington Church Street, London W8, UK

London online auctioneers Auction Atrium will be selling a single owner part collection of vintage perfume bottles and related ephemera in their specialist online auction which commences at 3pm on Saturday 17th December 2011

The collection comprises a diverse and stylish selection of vintage scent bottles by the major perfume houses from the 1920’s to the 1980’s including Worth, Schiaparelli, Coty, Guerlain and Chanel, many with original contents and packaging and by the major glass manufactures of the day including Lalique and Baccarat, together with related magazine advertisements and ephemera.

With estimates starting from £30 up to £700, the bidding closes from 3pm on Saturday afternoon. The lots can be viewed on online by going to www.auctionatrium.com and clicking on ‘The Perfume Bottle Sale’.

Viewing takes place at our Kensington showrooms situated at 97C Kensington Church Street, London W8, Thursday 10am-6pm, Friday 10am-6pm and Saturday 11pm till 3pm (after 3pm by arrangement)

If you have any enquiries or questions you can contact on 0207 792 9020

info via press release