Perfume nips are small plastene or glass vials which hold tiny samples of perfume. The most famous of perfume nip companies was the Nipola Products Company and Nips,Inc. The ends of the vials could be broken off and the perfume would then be applied to the skin or handkerchief.
NIPOLA PRODUCTS CO
The Nipola Products Co. was established in 1925 by Arthur T. Sinykin in St. Paul, Minnesota. I have read that the Nipola Company was a front for a bootlegging operation., whether this is true or not, the Nipola Company was very famous.
Nipola repackaged famous imported perfumes of the day in addition to creating their own signature fragrances such as Pagan Princess, Swee-Tone, and Ramona. Their most famous perfume was in honour of the great Charles Lindbergh. Named Lucky Lindy, the Essence of Luck, this name was registered with the US Patent Office in 1927.
NIPS, INC
Perfume nips were often packaged together and sold in small cardboard cylinders and later, in lucite boxes. The individual nips were available for 10 cents each. Perfume nips were also manufactured by Nips, Inc, of New York, who first sold their Nips in 1921.
Nips, Inc distributed their tiny ampules filled with rebottled French perfume extracts, first in glass then later in plastene. They coded their ampules with colored labels or have the ends of each nip painted a color that corresponded to the booklet to tell you what you had. In the case of two colors, one end is colored one shade and the other end is another shade, (example: light green on one end and white on the other is for Fleurs de Rocaille by Caron). One must remember that as the preferences and tastes for certain perfumes changed over the years, the color coding also reflected this change.
I have a small booklet that lists the following:
- Light green: Bellodgia by Caron
- Dark lavender & white: Cancan by Caron
- Yellow & white: Chanel Gardenia
- Purple and white: Chanel No. 5
- Yellow: Emeraude by Coty
- Orange: Evening in Paris by Bourjois
- Light green & white: Fleurs de Rocaille by Caron
- Light brown and white: L'Aimant by Coty
- Navy blue and white: L'Heure Bleue by Guerlain
- Royal blue: L'Origan by Coty
- Light blue: My Sin by Lanvin
- Dark green and white: Nuit de Noel by Caron
- Orchid: Orchidee Bleue by Corday
- Medium green: Paris by Coty
- Medium blue: Quelques Fleurs by Houbigant
- Dark brown: Shalimar by Guerlain
- Orange and white: Springtime in Paris by Bourjois
- Coral: Toujours Moi by Corday
Harper's Bazaar produced a perfume packet filled with bottlettes (these perfumes were rebottled by Nips, Inc.) Here are the perfumes from their packet and their color codes:
- White: Bois des Iles by Chanel
- Light yellow: Directoire by Charles of the Ritz
- Lavender: My Love by Elizabeth Arden
- Bright green: Arpege by Lanvin
- Purple: Tabu by Dana
- Coral: Beau Belle by Bourjois
- Light blue: Nosegay by Dorothy Gray
- Shocking pink: Shocking by Schiaparelli
- Chartreuse green: Indiscret by Lucien Lelong
- Gilt: Golden Shadows by Parfum Evyan
- Dark green: L'Origan by Coty
- Luggage tan: Tweed by Lentheric
- Bright yellow: Rallet No. 1 by Marie Earle
- Bright red: Danger by Ciro
- Shell pink: Miss Dior by Christian Dior
- Silver: Apropos by Anjou
- Orange: Shalimar by Guerlain
- Royal blue: Five O'Clock by Gourielli
- Bronze: Intoxication by D'Orsay
- Black: Midnight by Tussy
- Turquoise: Moment Supreme by Jean Patou
- Dark red: Command Performance by Helena Rubinstein
Nips, Inc used beautiful expressions to describe the perfumes that they were selling in this little ampules. A booklet accompanied the ampules and also gave advice on where to apply perfume and how to use perfume. The examples below were found in an early 1930s Nips booklet.
- Bellodgia: The sublime fragrance of the carnation flower.
- Cancan: A mysteriously enticing perfume.
- Chanel Gardenia: Reproduced flower-fresh...provocative of romance as moonlight and distant music.
- Chanel No. 5: One of the smartest of the famous Chanel perfumes..sophisticated yet feminine and appealing.
- Emeraude: Emerald richness and brilliance expressed in fragrance.
- Evening in Paris: The Perfume of Romance, expressing the glamour and mystery of Paris at night.
- Fleurs de Rocaille: Rock Garden, a supreme fragrance of fresh spring flowers
- L’Aimant: The Magnet, for great moments..modern interpretation of the Ancients “love philtre”.
- L’Heure Bleue: Blue Hour, quiet and magical twilight hour..a perfume worthy of the most formal occasion.
- L’Origan: Elegant, worldly and sophisticated..with its enticing, provocative charm.
- My Sin: For informal wear…and perfect for those who prefer to remain softy feminine in the evenings.
- Nuit de Noel: Xmas Nite, world famous perfume, vivid, enthralling and brilliant.
- Orchidee Bleue: Blue Orchid, a gaily wicked fragrance, flirtatious but coy.
- Paris: Fascinating “double note”, its flower fresh charm develops as you wear it.
- Quelques Fleurs: Universally loved bouquet of Elysian flowers equal to any occasion.
- Shalimar: A rich blend of exotic scents combining the lure, charm and mystery of the East.
- Springtime in Paris: Light, sparkling fragrance of fresh spring flowers..smart with daytime costumes.
- Toujours Moi: Always Me, a perfume that whispers with lasting fragrance.
Advice on where to put perfumes, and perfume in general, plus the insistence that rench perfumes are the best to be worn...
- Women of discrimination use genuine French perfumes.
- Among your best friends are your soothing invigorating quality perfumes.
- Apply perfume to your person…never to clothing.
- A dash on brush or comb imparts a delicate fragrance.
- Change of mood, activity or climate...change of perfume
- A perfumed fluff of cotton pinned on lingerie gently diffuses the selected odor.
- On the tips of ears and on the neck...delightful.
- Perfumed hair...put a few drops in the last rinse
- On the fingertips and wrists…memory of your handclap will linger.
- A bit on the lips...helps keep the lipstick smooth and set.
- Bring your artificial flowers to life with quality perfumes.
- On furs...oriental type perfumes are more flattering than floral odors.
- The perfume you love best is the one that expresses yourself.
- On your eyebrows.
- In your stationary and handkerchief boxes.
- Quality perfumes are like rare gems.
- Like fine old wines, your quality perfumes comfort of stimulate as you may desire
- Good taste attracts and holds the worlds good-will.
- You are judged by your perfumes
- Genuine French perfumes are lasting perfumes
Many nips would be found in perfume vending machines during the 1920s-1970s and while available at 25 cents each, others cost up to $5.00. Advertisers of the era used these tiny samples to promote their businesses too as giveaways.
PERFUME TYPERS
Perfume typers were groups of 40-60+ perfumes packaged in the little hard plastic cases, which when emptied were advertised as cigarette cases. These personal perfume typers contained a guide that helped you pick out the right type of perfume for you. These typers would be given out or sold thru magazines like McCall's or HOME.
The 32 page booklet included is titled "Your PERFUME GUIDE", and has great information on "The Power of Perfume", "How To Use Perfume", and "How To Type Yourself For Perfume". There is also an "Index of Perfume Manufacturers" and an "Index of Perfumes".
The typer states that all perfumes can be divided into 7 types -there are seven containers, one for each type and each container has 5 "nips" of the most popular scent of that type.
The procedure, according to this booklet, is to try the seven different types, and one or two of the types in particular will "become" you. The seven types are: Fruity Blend, Spicy Bouquet, Oriental Blend, Single Floral, Floral Bouquet, Forest Blend, and Modern Blend.
Seven Basic Types were each included with a Perfume Typer.
- Single Florals: These perfumes have a predominant note of the fragrance of one flower, such as rose, violet, lily of the valley, gardenia.
- Floral Bouquets: As the name suggests, these are a blend of floral scents and may range from delicate, light to rich, heady fragrances.
- Oriental Blends: These are the exotic perfumes with warm undertones of musk, amber and civet. They vary between predominant floral scents and rich resinous overtones.
- Modern Blends: Since the basic characteristic of these perfumes is not to be found in nature but was discovered in a test tube, there is no fragrance quite like them. They are clear, cool, sophisticated. (These are the aldehydic fragrances)
- Forest Blends: Also called woody or mossy, these fragrances are often characterized by notes of sandalwood, rosewood or cedar, or by grassy or ferny notes. (These are the chypre and fougere type fragrances)
- Spicy Bouquets: These perfumes are characterized by the pungent overtones of ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and other spices. They may also have spicy floral notes, such as carnation or geranium.
- Fruity Blends: The distinctive fragrance of these perfumes may be a fresh, airy citrus note or a warm peach like scent. (These are mainly citrus based scents)
Then, there are 30 NIPS Bottlettes in the "Bonus Box" that are printed with their "well-known names". Now that you have determined which type of perfume "favors" you, you can look in the perfume index and see which perfumes and their names, are your type. The bonus box has a variety of types so you can test the name brands.
The kit includes 65 nips total- they are slender Plastene tubes that you break the ends off of to release the scent. There is an extra sheet "How To Use Nips". The 30 bonus nips are in their own plastic snap lidded box. That box goes inside another plastic snap-lidded box that also contains the seven capsules of nips and the booklet. That box is inside a cardboard 2 part "gift" type box with a piece of tissue and the nip instruction sheet. The only information about the maker of this kit is on page one which reads "Your PERFUME GUIDE For additional copies send 25 cents to Perfume Typer, Box 630, Mount Vernon, N.Y. Printed in U.S.A."
Here is a list I have compiled of perfumes that were included in the Nips and perfume typers:
- Amber - Charbert
- Aphrodisia - Faberge
- Arpege - Lanvin
- Ballerina - Marie Earle
- Beau Belle - Bourjois
- Beau Catcher -Suzanne
- Bellodgia - Caron
- Black Satin - Angelique
- Blue Carnation - Roger et Gallet
- Blue Grass - Elizabeth Arden
- Breathless - Charbert
- Bright Secret - Tussy
- Cabochard - de Gres
- Can Can - Caron
- Carnation - Mary Chess
- Chanel No 5 - Chanel
- Chypre - Coty
- Climax - Blanchard
- Cocktail Dry - Jean Patou
- Coeur Joie - Ricci
- Colony - Jean Patou
- Command Performance - Helena Rubinstein
- Confetti - Lentheric
- Confidante - de Monel
- Conflict - Blanchard
- Connosieur - Lanier
- Consent- Charbert
- Contraband - Tussy
- Cotilion- Avon
- Crepe de Chine - F. Millot
- Crown Jewel - Prince Matchabelli
- Cub - Le Galion
- Danger - Ciro
- Dans la Nuit - Worth
- Dark Brilliance - Lentheric
- Debutante - Daggett & Ramsdell
- Demi- Jour - Houbigant
- Desert Flower - Shulton
- Devastating - Anjou
- Diorama - Christian Dior
- Directoire - Charles of the Ritz
- Discovery - Moneau
- Divine - D’Orsay
- Djer Kiss - Kerkoff
- Dogwood - Roger et Gallet
- Dona Sol - Renoir
- Doux Jasmin - Ciro
- Duchess of York - Prince Matchabelli
- Early American Old Spice- Shulton
- Eau de Fleurs - de Léonid Lescinskis
- Ecusson - Jean d’Albret
- Electrique - Max Factor
- Elizabethan - Mary Chess
- Emeraude - Coty
- Emir - Dana
- En Avion - Caron
- Enchanting Menace - Evyan
- Encore - Beauty Counselor
- Endearing - Bourjois
- Envoy - Lanier
- Epice - Patricia
- Escapade- Shulton
- Esperanto - Lanier
- Etoile Filante - Henri Bendel
- Evening Capers - Donat
- Evening in Paris - Bourjois
- Evening Star - Blanchard
- Fabulous - Charbert
- Fantastique - D’Orsay
- Farnesiana - Caron
- Femme - Marcel Rochas
- Femme du Jour - Parfums Corday
- Figurine - Dorothy Gray
- Fille d’Eve - Nina Ricci
- Five O’clock - Helena Rubinstein
- Flair - Yardley
- Fleurs d’Amour - Roger et Gallet
- Fleur de Feu - Guerlain
- Fleurs de Rocaille - Caron
- Fleur Sauvage - Germaine Monteil
- Folie de Minuit - Lanier
- Gardenia - Chanel
- Gardenia - Mary Chess
- Gardenia- Patricia Murphy
- Golden Chance - Harriet Hubbard Ayer
- Golden Shadows - Evyan
- Gold Promise - Avon
- Gold Satin by Angelique
- Green Orchid - Patricia Murphy
- High Heels - Tilford
- Indiscret - Lucien Lelong
- Intoxication - D'Orsay
- Jealousy - Blanchard
- L’Aimant - Coty
- La Rosa - Patricia Murphy
- L’Heure Bleue - Guerlain
- Le Parfum Ideal - Houbigant
- L’Origan - Coty
- Magie Noire - Lancome
- Midnight -Tussy
- Midnight Mist - Tussy
- Miracle - Lentheric
- My Sin - Lanvin
- Narcisse Noir - Caron
- No. 3 - Tilford
- Nuit de Noel - Caron
- Orcidee Bleue - Parfums Corday
- Orchis de Nuit - Garlands
- Palomar - Lanier
- Paris - Coty
- Private Affair - Lenel
- Quelques Fleurs - Houbigant
- Regina Rose - Patricia Murphy
- Repartee - Lentheric
- Roman Holiday - Bourjois
- Secret of Suzanne - Suzanne
- Shalimar - Guerlain
- Shanghai - Lentheric
- Sharelle - House of Hampton
- Shining Hour - Jacqueline Cochran
- Shocking - Schiaparelli
- Silent Night - Countess Maritza
- Silhouette - Lanier
- Sonata - Countess Maritza
- Sortilege - Le Galion
- Strategy - Mary Chess
- Tapestry - Mary Chess
- Tweed - Lentheric
- Virtuoso- Lanier
- White Lilac - Mary Chess
- White Magnolia - Helena Rubinstein
- White Mist - Countess Maritza
- White Shoulders - Evyan
- Yram - Mary Chess
I just purchased my first set of perfume nips out of curiosity, but knew next to nothing about them. This post is a huge help, and I'm thrilled to have found your wonderful blog! Thank you!
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