Parfums Charbert, Inc, of 730 5th Ave. New York. Founded by William Gaxton and Herbert Harris as Parfums Charbert in 1933, which made perfumes and cosmetics for the American middle market. Many of its perfumes were featured in drum shaped flacons (its trademark).
A New York firm founded by William Gaxton, Charles Einfield and Herbert Harris as Parfums Charbert in 1933, which made perfumes and cosmetics for the American middle market. Many of its perfumes were featured in drum shaped flacons (its trademark). The name Charbert probably came from combining the names of Charles Einfield and Herbert Harris = Char-Bert
Herbert Harris was a producer and financial backer for musical comedies before he turned to the perfume business. His other partner was Charles Einfield. Together with his nephew, Joseph Fields and wife Dorothy Fields, they formed a very successful trio producing, writing and financing many plays including “Of Thee I Sing”, “My Sister Eileen”, “Dough-girls” and “Junior Miss”.
William Gaxton, an actor who starred in the hit show “Of Thee I Sing”, was reputed to be the richest actor in NYC at the beginning of the Depression was good friends with Harris. One night at the Central Park Casino, Gaxton confided that he was looking to purchase a chicken farm as something to fall back on when he retired from acting. Harris scoffed at the idea and suggested the glamorous world of perfume instead. It was then that Charbert perfumes was born with “Of Thee I Sing” perfume their first product.
This was not Harris and Fields’ first foray into the world of perfumery. In 1916, they vaguely formed an import-exporting business on both sides of the Atlantic. Joseph Fields was billeted in Paris to purchase perfumery goods while his uncle remained in New York City to run the business. One day, while strolling the Place de l’Opera, Joe caught a whiff of a lovely perfume. Intrigued by this lingering scent, he asked the wearer what it was, she replied Narcisse Noir by Caron. This sweet floral perfume was so persistent in his mind that it haunted him. He immediately made his way to the Caron boutique and acquired the rights to export the fragrance to the United States. He sent huge quantities of the bottles to his uncle to retail to American women, who were always eager to try the latest perfumes from Paris.
The “Black Narcissus” scent proved to be a hit with the fastidious public, and resulted in thousands of gallons of the perfume sold, earning them enormous profits to the tune of $800,000 the first year. At his uncle's urging, Joseph was beckoned back home to enjoy the accumulating fortune. However, it seemed that as soon as he got back home, Parfums Caron decided to exploit their products to the American market themselves, effectively cutting out the middleman.
Part of the profits Harris and Fields made from the sales of Narcisse Noir helped to finance several shows such as “the Connecticut Yankee”, “Hit the Deck:, “Present Arms” and “Peggy Ann”. In 1930, still eager to stay in the perfume business, Harris and Gaxton decided to form their own perfumery company which they named Parfums Charbert, Inc with Harris as president and Gaxton as vice president and chief salesman.
Harris and Gaxton invited Joseph and Dorothy Fields into the venture. When the war diminished the workforce, Harris and Fields rolled up their sleeves and helped to pack up rush orders in the shipping room. Most of Charbert’s products and perfumes were compounded in Paris, but with the war halting exports, Dorothy Fields temporarily took over and worked in a laboratory in New York mixing scents. Proudly wearing the newly created Charbert cologne for men, Gaxton traveled to the big cities such as Los Angeles to peddle his wares to the Hollywood set. He carried the entire line with him, and through demonstration, he was able to procure many orders from the higher end department stores of the day including I. Magnin, Bullock-Wilshire, and the Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. In 1940, Gaxton, still performing in musical comedies, toured the perfume departments of stores such as Stix, Baer and Fuller on behalf of Charbert to autograph perfume bottles for customers.
The war may have diminished the available manpower, but it did not affect the availability of some of the ingredients used in the perfumes. Harris had mentioned that submarine warfare had produced a bumper crop of ambergris, a perfume ingredient derived from discontented whales. Ambergris, a well known fixative in perfumery, was the base for Charbert’s popular perfume Amber.
Inspired by their theatre productions, Charbert used the names for their products and packaging. For instance, the perfume De Toi Je Chante (Of Thee I Sing) debuted in 1933 and was named after the 1931 Broadway musical, “Of Thee I Sing” which starred Charbert’s vice president William Gaxton. The odor was created by Madeleine Cameron, wife of Gaxton. This perfume was originally contained in a Czech crystal bottle produced by the Ingrid firm and features a sensuous nude in frosted relief. Of Thee I Sing was also available in a men's version, which included eau de cologne, after shave lotion and talcum powder.
The New Yorker, 1938:
"In contrast, and equally original, is the tailored new Charbert triumph. Grand Prix, in a miniature leather riding boot with spurs; $14. Men love the package; they love the scent on women, too, for it is deep and romantic and thoroughly feminine."
The New Yorker, 1939:
"Charbert: Grand Prix, last year’s charming feminine success, incongruous in a miniature leather riding boot, turns up in a new, smaller size at $5. Of Thee I Sing light and feminine) and Drumbeat (rich and heavy) are older favorites; Carnation, of course, is famous. Among the colognes, a square decanter that could later serve for liqueurs’ $7.50. Two small decanters of cologne in a wooden tantalus tĂȘte Ă tĂȘte set contain scents selected for women, or for men, or one for each member of a devoted couple."
Other products were labeled “Call Me Mister”, “Let’s Face It”, “Junior Miss”, and “The French Touch”. The latter penned by Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov had more success as the name of a perfume rather than it did as a play.
Harris passed away in 1949 at the age of 52 and in 1950, Billy Gaxton sold off his share of the company. Gaxton did in fact buy a chicken farm by 1940, it was located on Long Island. Gaxton passed away in 1963.
Sunday Herald, May 21, 1950:
“William Gaxton, stage, screen and radio star has sold out his interests in Charbert, Inc, a perfume manufacturing concern he helped organize. The comedian turned over his stock to Jacqueline Cochran, cosmetics firm head and pioneer aviatrix.”
Charbert created over 200 toiletry products, such as perfumes, dusting powder, talcum, bath salts, toilet waters, bath goods, face powders, lipsticks and cosmetics. Charbert's luxury set containers were manufactured by the plastics division of the Monsanto Chemical Company. St. Louis. The Waterbury manufacturing Company made the aluminum kettledrum shaving bowls for Charbert. The oval glass bottles for Breathless Cologne were produced by W. Braun of Chicago.
Charbert closed its business in 1960. Today, you can find numerous old bottles of Charbert perfumes online.
The perfumes of Charbert:
- 1933 Breathless
- 1933 De Toi Je Chante (Of Thee I Sing) (light and feminine aldehydic spicy floral)
- 1933 Of Thee I Sing men's fragrance
- 1933 Notre Eleanor
- 1934 Mechant (exotic)
- 1935 Drumbeat (rich and heavy with gardenia and carnation )
- 1935 Grand Prix de Paris
- 1935 Gardenia (a sweet, green floral, true gardenia perfume)
- 1936 Drumstick Set presentation
- 1936 Carnation (a spicy floral perfume)
- 1936 Amber (amber and musk perfume)
- 1936 Yours Sincerely (a woodsy fragrance)
- 1937 Bridle Path
- 1937 "21 W 52"
- 1937 Skyline
- 1938 Grand Prix (a spicy floral perfume)
- 1939 Mimosa
- 1939 Grand Perfume
- 1939 Mountain Greenery
- 1939 Three Cheers Eau de Cologne presentation (A miniature cardboard White House)
- 1939 Major Drum Set presentation (compact, perfume, lipstick)
- 1939 Flower Garden presentation (holds 3 perfumes)
- 1939 Tisket-A Basket presentation (holds 2 floral perfumes and Of Thee I Sing perfume)
- 1940 Hold Everything (a presentation)
- 1940 Gaiety
- 1940 Cologne Corsage
- 1940 Deep Lilac
- 1940 Cologne Bouquet
- 1940 Trumpet Set presentation
- 1941 Expressly Yours (possibly a presentation)
- 1941 Junior Miss
- 1941 Fabulous (a sweet and spicy floral perfume)
- 1942 They're Off (a presentation)
- 1943 As You Were (a presentation)
- 1943 Tonight
- 1945 "730"
- 1945 Outrageous
- 1945 Indian Summer
- 1945 Censored
- 1945 Fabulous
- 1945 High Spirits
- 1945 Deep Purple
- 1946 Amorous
- 1947 French Touch (a floral perfume, touch of spice)
- 1948 Let's Make Up (possibly a presentation)
- 1948 Warning
- 1951 Consent
- 1952 Breathless Mist
- 1953 Three Star Cast
- 1954 Yours Sincerely
- 1960 Imperial Russe
The New Yorker, 1938:
Charbert: Grand Prix, in the leather riding-boot package, should sweep the country; $14. His Gardenia and Of Thee I Sing are already famous: in de-luxe bottles, $22.50. Moreover, vast decanters of cologne in carnation (exceptional), sweet pea, and other scents.
Of Thee I Sing:
Launched in 1933, De Toi Je Chante, "Of Thee I Sing) was described as a light aldehydic spicy floral fragrance for women. It had dominant notes of sparkling aldehydes and the pungency of carnation.
Amber:
Charbert's Amber was a deep oriental scent with dominant notes of natural ambergris, Mysore sandalwood and musk. It was described as "worldly wicked, wonderful. The perfume for night life. Deep, exciting musky scent that guarantees high voltage come-hither." I highly recommend the Amber scent as, in many cases, it seems to have held up due to its excellent natural fixative properties of ambergris and musk.
Gardenia:
Gardenia:
Gardenia was a true to scent soliflore fragrance for women. It was fresh and dewy, with a green top note, a narcotic white floral heart and a soft, trailing sweetened base note.
Gardenia was housed in a very rare presentation from 1935 with its perfume bottle covered in mirror panels, backed by green foil, the stopper also features a mirror, and a large faceted glass faux emerald jewel. The bottle is housed inside of a green velvet covered box fitted with a silken tassel and a stepped base. A wonderful example of Art Deco artistry in perfumery. Of Thee I Sing was contained in a presentation of pink mirrors.
While you may find other bottles of Charbert's Gardenia, the mirrored bottle is quite rare to find today.
Carnation:
Charbert's Carnation was a delightfully spicy floral fragrance. In my opinion, it rivalled Caron's Bellodgia in terms of its sultry floral warmth and long lasting capabilities on the skin.
Grand Prix:
Grand Prix was described as a spicy floral fragrance for women. Grand Prix was adorably contained in leather covered flasks or in miniature leather riding boots with spurs. The perfume was described as "a fragrant award of tingling freshness. Captures the exciting spirit of thundering hoof beats . . . the pulse of heart beats. .."Grand Prix Eau de Cologne "conjures up visions of acres of nodding blossoms, the heady perfume of a beautiful June Day."
Gift Presentations:
About Face: a 1938 presentation for men with Of Thee I Sing Talcum and Of Thee I Sing After Shaving Lotion in a faux leather covered flask.
Let's Face It: a 1940s presentation for men with Of Thee I Sing Talcum and Of Thee I Sing After Shaving Lotion
Drum Flacons: In 1935 Charbert's deluxe perfumes were presented in drum flacons for the perfect gift. Drumbeat, Of Thee I Sing, Amber, Gardenia and Carnation. The bottles came in 1 oz and also 1 dram sample sizes. These bottles were still being used in 1942.
Watering Cans: Charbert launched miniature wooden watering cans which held a small vial of perfume for Easter 1941 with baby flowers on top. This in a choice of practically all of Charbert's perfumes including Of Thee I Sing, Amber and Gardenia
c1942 ad
c1942 ad
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