Marcel Guerlain & Hughes Guerlain Perfumes

Please note that two other Parisian perfume companies should not be confused with the Guerlain family company are Marcel Guerlain and Hughes Guerlain.

Marcel Guerlain:

These names are not affiliated with the Pierre-Francois Guerlain family although Marcel Guerlain was the same name as one of the heirs to the Guerlain family, there was no other connection. In light of this confusion, the Guerlain family adopted the slogan "Nous n'avons pas de prenon" (We have no first name) and brought a successful lawsuit against Marcel Guerlain, who then changed his company's name to the Societe des Parfumeurs Francais. Marcel Guerlain was then using his own slogan when advertising in the USA: "no connection with any firm of similar name".

The Arts, 1929:

“About six stores have lately been opened throughout New York by Marcel Guerlain, Inc., a Parisian firm selling powder and other feminine necessaries.” 

Drug Markets, Vol

"Marcel Guerlain, Inc., N. Y., appoints The Wesley Associates, N. Y., to direct advertising of Marcel Guerlain perfumes.” 

Marcel Guerlain founded his own company in 1922, and produced perfumes and cosmetics. He opened a splendid shop at 86 rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honore in Paris. He had a London office located at Parfums- Marcel Guerlain, Ltd., 252 to 260, Regent Street, London, W.l. He had a shop in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York.

Marcel Guerlain’s perfume bottles were often made by Baccarat and Depinoix.

The bottle for “8 et 9” was made by Depinoix.

The perfumes of Marcel Guerlain are as follows:

• 1923 Kadour
• 1923 Veronique
• 1923 Le Roy le Veult
• 1924 Caravelle
• 1924 Pavillon Royal
• 1924 8 et 9
• 1924 Pate D'Or
• 1925 Masque Rouge
• 1925 Ki-Loc
• 1925 Mai Wang
• 1927 Tabac Fleuri
• 1927 Tabac Fleuri 8
• 1927 Tabac Fleuri 9
• 1927 Contes Choisis
• 1928 Chypre
• 1929 Rolls Royce
• 1930 Aimee-Aime
• 1930 Le Cadre Noir
• 1930 Les Fleurs
• 1930 Mol
• 1930 Pois Senteur
• 1930 Cyclone
• 1930 Etoiles
• 1930 Special 3
• 1930 Special 5

He also formed seven other perfume companies such as the Hughes Guerlain company and launched several fragrances, probably manufactured in the late 1920s,1930s and early 1940s. I am not sure when this stopped, but I do know that the Hughes Guerlain perfumes were still being sold in 1946.

Other companies are:

• Helene Gys (using HG initials)
• Gys
• Marcel and Hughes La Societe de Parfumeurs Parisiens
• Les Parfums d'Agnes
• Parfums Marlaine et Cie

Hughes Guerlain:

The Perfumes of Hughes Guerlain:

• 1920s Extrait 9
• 1920s Extrait 14
• 1920s Chin Ching
• 1930 33
• 1930s Eau de Joie
• 1930s Special 3
• 1930s Special 5
• 1930s Chypre de Hughes Guerlain
• 1930s Bolide
• 1930s Molny
• 1930s Aimee
• 1940s Toutes Fleurs

Parfums Marlaine & Helene Gys:

Parfums Marlaine et Cie (Marlaine Perfumes Co.) Perfume distribution company established in 1926 by Marcel Guerlain at the Empire State Bldgs, New York to handle his products in the USA. Their address was listed on 34th Street, Ny and 559 Fifth Avenue, New York (in 1933), 565 Fifth Ave, New York (in 1932) as well as 350 5th Ave, New York(in 1941)


Harper’s Bazaar, 1933:

“The Marlaine Perfumes picked up 'Their things on Thirty-fourth Street not long ago and hied themselves up to 559 Fifth Avenue, Where they set-up housekeeping for their splendid perfumes, powders, and lipsticks.” 

The American Mercury, 1937

“I am glad to tell you that our cards in the buses are producing sales of ourperfumes and toiletries and it is for that reason that we are going to continue. • Cordially yours PARFUMS MARLAINE Cie J. Le Bloas V. Pres.” 

The Perfumes of Marlaine:

• 1927 Contes Choisis
• 1927 Kesako
• 1927 Radia
• 1927 Pavilion Royal

The Perfumes of Helen/Helene Gys:

• 1935 Monsieur
• 1935 Special 3 Etoiles

Parfums d'Agnes:

Parfums d’Agnes was named for Agnes, (Mme Havet), a Milliner that formed a fashion house in Paris in 1906, established at 6, Rue St. Florentin. Also, in 1929 she is recorded at 7 rue Auber, Paris (Couture) and also at rue Chausee d'Antin, Paris. This merged with Drecoll in 1932, forming a label Agnes-Drecoll. Her perfumes were sold in the 1920s. I have no recorded names for them though.

Parfums Drecoll:

Parfums Drecoll, was a division of the Parisian couture house Drecoll established by Pierre and Maggy Besançon de Wagner on the purchase of a Viennese business established by Baron Christof Drecoll & H. Kolmarch (Belgian) in the late 19th century. Branch established at 130 avenue Champs-Elysees, Paris in 1902; they launched fragrances in 1925. In 1929 their daughter Maggy de Wagner Rouff merged Drecoll with the Rouff name and changed the name to Maggy Rouff. Baccarat was a supplier of bottles. G. Dumoulin created the bottle for the Drecoll perfume Tais-toi Mon Coeur.

Marcel Guerlain bought Parfums Drecoll in 1944 and still used their name in connection with his, Societe de Parfumeurs Parisiens (as evidenced by a 1938 ad). He still sold Maggy Rouff's perfumes under her name into the 1960s. Maggy died in 1971 and her perfumes were discontinued just before her death.

The perfumes of Drecoll:

• 1925 Tais-toi-mon Coeur
• 1925 Le Chant de Notre Amour
• 1927 La Robe
• 1937 Fin de Rêve
• 1938 Yoshiwara

Americans in France: A Directory, 1926:

"DRECOLL ROBES MANTEAUX FOURRURES LINGERIE " TAIS-TOI MON CŒUR" Son nouveau parfum De 5 à 7, Son Salon de Thé, avec présentation des Modèles, rendez-vous des Parisiennes Elégantes DRECOLL 130, Avenue des  Champs-Elysees, Paris."

Pierre Besancon designed the bottle below, molded with a fan motif, and fan shaped stopper. In 1926, a patent was granted for the bottle design.

Tais-Toi Mon Coeur by Drecoll, photo by ebay seller daisiesvintage

Pierre Besancon designed the bottle below, a ball shape, and triangular, spire shaped stopper. In 1926, a patent was granted for the bottle design.

Maggy Rouff:

Marguerite Besançon de Wagner, widely recognized as Maggy Rouff, was a prominent French couturier of Belgian descent who left an indelible mark on the fashion and fragrance industries. She established her couture house in 1929 at 136, Avenue des Champs-Élysées, an iconic location that underscored her aspirations for luxury and elegance. The house thrived under her vision until 1948, when she decided to retire. After her retirement, her daughter took the helm, relocating the fashion house to Avenue Matignon, where it continued to flourish until 1960. The brand’s journey didn’t stop there; between 1960 and 1966, it changed addresses to Avenue Marceau under the creative direction of designers Jean Marie Armand and Serge Matta. The final move came in 1966, when the house found its last residence at 14, Avenue Montaigne, with Guy Douvier leading the design. Maggy Rouff's remarkable journey came to a close with her passing in 1971, leading to the eventual closure of the esteemed fashion house.

In 1937, Maggy Rouff ventured into the world of fragrances, launching her first perfume, Tais-toi Mon Cœur, which set the stage for a series of captivating scents. Just two years later, in 1939, she introduced Excentric, a complex fragrance characterized by its spicy notes, roses, musk, woods, jasmine, orange blossoms, oakmoss, and a rich array of over fifty other ingredients. This scent exemplified the bold and innovative spirit of the time. Rouff continued to expand her olfactory repertoire with Etincelle, another fragrance released in 1939. This youthful creation featured a sumptuous blend of exotic flowers layered over Russian leather, combined with civet, ambergris, and natural musk, evoking a sense of luxury and sensuality. The post-war years saw the addition of Secret in 1946, followed by Euphorie in 1947, and Fleur Folle in 1948, a romantic fragrance boasting a strong dosage of attar of roses. In 1949, Emile II was introduced, and the decade culminated with the launch of Contact in 1950. Rouff continued to innovate with Pêle-Mêle, a floral musky ambery scent, and Pixiola, characterized by its warm, light floral woody notes, released in 1953.

The exquisite perfume bottles that housed Maggy Rouff’s fragrances were crafted by Verreries Magnier Frères et Cie, a reputable glass manufacturer in France. Founded in 1929 by two former pottery makers in Blangy-sur-Bresle (Normandy, Seine-Maritime), the company specialized in producing high-quality perfume bottles, contributing to the luxurious presentation of Rouff’s perfumes. A historical invoice from 1946 from Magnier highlights the collaboration between the esteemed couturier and the bottle makers, solidifying the partnership that brought her fragrance vision to life. Each bottle was a work of art, encapsulating the elegance and sophistication of Maggy Rouff's brand, and they have since become treasured collectibles for perfume enthusiasts and historians alike. Bottles were also supplied by Pochet et du Courval.

The perfumes of Maggy Rouff:

• 1937 Tais-toi mon Cœur
• 1939 Excentric  
• 1939 Etincelle 
• 1946 Secret
• 1947 Euphorie
• 1948 Fleur Folle  
• 1949 Emile II
• 1950 Contact
• 1950 Pêle-Mêle
• 1953 Pixiola

Home Journal, 1939:

"WAFTED on the spring winds in Paris are two new perfumes by Maggy Rouff — "Excentric" and "Etincelle." The first is worn by Parisian glamour girls, the second is very jeune fille. "Etincelle" comes in a box trimmed with chaste white roses, while pink ones trim the box for 'Excentric." 

The Chemist & Druggist, 1964:

"The Maggy Rouff perfumes which, say the makers, "have been appreciated by  the discerning in France since 1950," were introduced into Britain on March 25 by Monsieur E. Arif (president of Parfums Maggy Rouff, Paris), and are being distributed in the United Kingdom by Spalton & Jennings, Ltd., 58 Gough Street, London, W.C.I. For an even longer period the name has been connected with haute couture, the Maggy Rouff fashion house having been created in 1928. 

When the perfumes were first launched in 1950, they "quickly established themselves among the classic perfumes of France." Four years later Monsieur Arif acquired the rights in the perfumes and opened his own establishment at Neuilly, " centre of the French perfume industry." 

During the next few years he extended the range, adding to his earlier creations Etincelle, Excentric and Fleur Folle two newcomers, Pele-mele and Pixiola. The five perfumes in the present range are thus Etincelle (cuir de Russie with a civet, ambergris and natural musk mixture); Excentric (" moves from a fresh fragrance to a mellow, woody tendency "); Fleur Folle (a flowery perfume with a light bouquet); Pele-mele (a perfume with the unusual characteristic that its first bouquet, a fresh texture, is succeeded by a new fragrance with " a stronger, deeper feeling "); and Pixiola (flowery and light). The illustration shows a coffret of three bouquets, and the range of sizes in which each of the five perfumes is issued."