| Perfume Bottle History & Info |
 |
Perfume History & Info
Some interesting facts about some of the most famous vintage perfume designers
and houses.
Lalique Glass
René Lalique (1860-1945) was a master jeweler, but it is not his jewelry for which he is most famous.
After a successful career designing jewelry, he began experimenting with glass, and by 1912, had
opened a showroom in Paris. Within a few years, he was designing glass scent bottles for perfumer
Francoise Coty. His small factory near Paris grew inadequate for his growing business, and in 1921,
he opened a modern glass production facility in the town of Wingen, in the French region of Alsace.
Nina Ricci
Corday
Perfumes Corday are very interesting and respected by collectors of vintage perfumes. Mrs.
Blanche Arvoy started the house of Corday in Paris, France in 1924. Blanche Antoinette Rose
Reneaux was born in suburb of town Calis, in 1892. After she married a British, Bertie Istvan Arvoy,
she changed her name into Blanche Arvoy.
Her first perfumes were all presented in animal shaped bottles!
After WW II, the Corday Company moved to the United States. The most popular perfumes from
that period were Tzigane (gypsy), Jet, Fame, Rue de la Paix (Codray's address in Paris, 15 Rue de la
Pais, Paris), as well as its predecessor Toujours Moi.
Other perfumes by Corday include Fame, Tzigane, Jet, Possession and L'Ardent Nuit.
Credit for this article goes to fragrantica.com
Balenciaga
Jean Desprez
Jean Desprez was born in Paris, France on January 7, 1898. Today the Societe Jean Desprez is
owned by the prestigeous French Perfumer Inter Parfums Paris. Jean Desprez's most famous
perfume, Bal A Versailles, was created in 1962 and it is said that Mr. Dezprez used more than 300
ingredients to construct this scent. The license for Jean Desprez fragrances has changed hands
numerous times; as of 2001, the license was held by Genesis International Marketing.
Guerlain
Jean-Paul Guerlain was the last family master perfumer. He created Guerlain's classic men's
fragrances Vétiver (1959) and Habit Rouge (1965). He also created Nahéma (1979), Jardins de
Bagatelle (1983), and Samsara (1989), as well as Héritage and Coriolan in the 1990s. With the
retirement of Jean-Paul in 2002, and no heir from inside the family to take over, the role of master
perfumer is no longer tied to family succession.
Czech Perfume Bottles
Some interesting facts about some of the most famous vintage perfume designers
and houses.
Lalique Glass
- By the 19th Century, mass production presented a growing challenge to
individual perfumers and craftsmen, and the 20th century witnessed the rise of
the great commercial houses such as Chanel, Lanvin, Dior, and Lauder. In the
late 19th and 20th centuries, perfume was sold in simple containers which were
meant to be emptied into more luxurious perfume bottles displayed on the
dressing table. The individually-made perfume bottle was replaced with a
beautifully-designed, but uniformly-manufactured product. The most famous
example of this is the collaboration between Nina Ricci and Lalique Glass that
resulted in the 1948 fragrance "L'Air du Temps" and the bottle with the dove (or
doves, depending on the version). Lalique perfume bottles are highly collectible
and prices for these bottles can be in the thousands of dollars. Heavily
manufactured and marketed perfumes such as Coty and Nina Ricci, make the
Lalique bottle easier to find and affordable.
René Lalique (1860-1945) was a master jeweler, but it is not his jewelry for which he is most famous.
After a successful career designing jewelry, he began experimenting with glass, and by 1912, had
opened a showroom in Paris. Within a few years, he was designing glass scent bottles for perfumer
Francoise Coty. His small factory near Paris grew inadequate for his growing business, and in 1921,
he opened a modern glass production facility in the town of Wingen, in the French region of Alsace.
Nina Ricci
- Many people think that Nina Ricci was the inventor of famous perfumes such as
L’Air du Temps, however it was actually her son, Robert, who launched the
perfume side of the business. Madame Ricci, born Maria Nielli in 1883 in Turin,
Italy, Madame Ricci was in fact a famous clothing designer. Her son, Robert, is
the one with the passion for perfumes. In 1946 he invented the first Nina Ricci
perfume, Coeur-Joie, followed by L'Air Du Temps in 1948. The Capricci scent
was released in 1961. Madame Ricci passed away in 1970 at the age of 87.
Corday
Perfumes Corday are very interesting and respected by collectors of vintage perfumes. Mrs.
Blanche Arvoy started the house of Corday in Paris, France in 1924. Blanche Antoinette Rose
Reneaux was born in suburb of town Calis, in 1892. After she married a British, Bertie Istvan Arvoy,
she changed her name into Blanche Arvoy.
Her first perfumes were all presented in animal shaped bottles!
- 1924 Allez hop! (Dalmatian),
1924 Allez Coco! (Budgerigar),
1924 Severem (Camille and Rider),
1926 Gardez-mois (Cat)
After WW II, the Corday Company moved to the United States. The most popular perfumes from
that period were Tzigane (gypsy), Jet, Fame, Rue de la Paix (Codray's address in Paris, 15 Rue de la
Pais, Paris), as well as its predecessor Toujours Moi.
Other perfumes by Corday include Fame, Tzigane, Jet, Possession and L'Ardent Nuit.
Credit for this article goes to fragrantica.com
Balenciaga
- The son of a seamstress, Cristobal Balenciaga gained an early interest in
fashion, particularly women's fashions and by the age of 20 he had opened
two boutiques in Madrid and Barcelona and named them Balenciaga. In
1937 Balenciaga opend a Parisian showroom at number 10 Avenue George
V. In Paris and he became a household name. He gained great fame in the
‘50s and ‘60s for his designs with sleeves, necklines, hems and rising or
dropping waistlines, which all conspired to showcase different parts of a
woman’s body to their best advantage. Most importantly though, he is
remembered for his fascinating innovations: Balenciaga revolutionized
the shape of women’s apparel like no other. Cocoon coats, boxy jackets,
wide collars, sack dresses, balloon skirts and jackets, tunics, and baby-doll
dresses all owe their place in fashion history due to this great man. He
began experimenting with perfumes in 1961 and created some 70 scents.
Cristobol retired in 1968. Quadrille Balenciaga is one of his more
"masculine" frangrances for women and one which became quite popular
with the ladies. Credit for this article goes to fragranceboutique.com
Jean Desprez
Jean Desprez was born in Paris, France on January 7, 1898. Today the Societe Jean Desprez is
owned by the prestigeous French Perfumer Inter Parfums Paris. Jean Desprez's most famous
perfume, Bal A Versailles, was created in 1962 and it is said that Mr. Dezprez used more than 300
ingredients to construct this scent. The license for Jean Desprez fragrances has changed hands
numerous times; as of 2001, the license was held by Genesis International Marketing.
Guerlain
- The undisputed king of French perfume houses, Guerlain made
many fabulous scents in stunning bottles. Baccarat crystal is used
often in Guerlain perfumes. The house of Guerlain was founded in
1864 and thru the ages sons Jacques Guerlain and Jean-Paul
Guerlain created the most prized perfumes of collectors today.
- Among Jacques Guerlain's most famous and popular creations are
Eau du Coq (1894), Mouchoir de Monsieur (1904), Après L'Ondée
(1906), L'Heure Bleue (1912), Mitsouko (1919), Guerlain's flagship
fragrance Shalimar (1925), Vol de Nuit (1933) and his last creation,
Ode (1955).
Jean-Paul Guerlain was the last family master perfumer. He created Guerlain's classic men's
fragrances Vétiver (1959) and Habit Rouge (1965). He also created Nahéma (1979), Jardins de
Bagatelle (1983), and Samsara (1989), as well as Héritage and Coriolan in the 1990s. With the
retirement of Jean-Paul in 2002, and no heir from inside the family to take over, the role of master
perfumer is no longer tied to family succession.
Czech Perfume Bottles
- Czech perfume bottles are arguably the most elegant and timeless
perfume bottles available to collectors today. They can be found in
a wonderful array of rich colours and their simple, understated
designs look good on any dressing table and make a striking
addition to any collection. Czech glass has been exported around
the world for centuries and the country has a remarkably well-
established glass industry which, despite repeated political and
economic crises, continues to attract new generations of creators.
It is a tradition rooted in history with glass production in Bohemia –
the modern Czech Republic, going back as far as the 14th century.
Lying in the heart of Central Europe’s mineral-rich Krkonose
Mountains and at the crossroads of Central Europe’s medieval trade
routes, Bohemia was ideally placed. It welcomed travelling
engravers and glass cutters who would trade knowledge of their
skills and craft.
In addition to perfumes, it seems this company also
produced flavoring extracts, toiletries and cosmetics.
Their perfumes were often combined with the words
Essence De Luxe or Ultra Ess (Ultra Essence). The
company seems to have had it start in the 1890s and
continued up until the late 1920s. Their products were
offered in the Sears & Roebuck mail order catalogs in
the early 1900s.
produced flavoring extracts, toiletries and cosmetics.
Their perfumes were often combined with the words
Essence De Luxe or Ultra Ess (Ultra Essence). The
company seems to have had it start in the 1890s and
continued up until the late 1920s. Their products were
offered in the Sears & Roebuck mail order catalogs in
the early 1900s.
| A.J. Hilbert & Co. of Milwaukee & De Pere, WI |
Matson Manufacturing Company of 347 FIFTH
AVENUE. NEW YORK, NY 10016. Their items
were marked © Matson and Matson Import. They
manufactured vanity accessories and accessories
for the powder room during the 1950s-1960s.
Their pieces are often 24kt gold plated and should
have a little label or tag attached verifying this.
Information on Matson is next to nothing.
Matson was NOT given away to passengers on
Matson Line Cruises. For some reason someone
has made up this ridiculous rumor to help sell
their items and the rumor is spreading! The two
companies are NOT related.
AVENUE. NEW YORK, NY 10016. Their items
were marked © Matson and Matson Import. They
manufactured vanity accessories and accessories
for the powder room during the 1950s-1960s.
Their pieces are often 24kt gold plated and should
have a little label or tag attached verifying this.
Information on Matson is next to nothing.
Matson was NOT given away to passengers on
Matson Line Cruises. For some reason someone
has made up this ridiculous rumor to help sell
their items and the rumor is spreading! The two
companies are NOT related.
| Matson |