| Perfume Bottle History & Info |
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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.
Richard Hudnut
Richard Hudnut is regarded as the first American to enter the cosmetics field in a major way. Hudnut's
father was a druggist with a store on Broadway and Ann Street in New York City. After graduating from
Princeton, Richard Hudnut toured France and returned with the idea of introducing French-style
perfumes and cosmetics to American women. In 1880 he registered his trademark in both France and
the United States. Early Richard Hudnut fragrances included Violet Sec (1896), Aimee (1902), Vanity
(1910), and Three Flowers (1915). Product lines include Violet Sec Toilet Water, DuBarry Beauty
Products, Yankee Clover products, Three Flowers products, and a highly successful line of hair care
products. Richard Hudnut died in 1928, at Juan-les-Pins, France, at the age of 66. (Please see this
article: http://www.perfumeprojects.com/museum/marketers/Hudnut.shtml)
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.
Richard Hudnut
Richard Hudnut is regarded as the first American to enter the cosmetics field in a major way. Hudnut's
father was a druggist with a store on Broadway and Ann Street in New York City. After graduating from
Princeton, Richard Hudnut toured France and returned with the idea of introducing French-style
perfumes and cosmetics to American women. In 1880 he registered his trademark in both France and
the United States. Early Richard Hudnut fragrances included Violet Sec (1896), Aimee (1902), Vanity
(1910), and Three Flowers (1915). Product lines include Violet Sec Toilet Water, DuBarry Beauty
Products, Yankee Clover products, Three Flowers products, and a highly successful line of hair care
products. Richard Hudnut died in 1928, at Juan-les-Pins, France, at the age of 66. (Please see this
article: http://www.perfumeprojects.com/museum/marketers/Hudnut.shtml)
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.
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.
Matson