Saturday, May 4, 2013

The Herb Farm Shop

The Herb Farm was located at Sevenoaks, in Seal, Kent, it grew over 200 varieties of herbs and flowers in the English countryside. It had a quaint little store called the Herb Farm Shop located 16 North Audley Street in London. It sold perfumes, bath oil, dusting powders, talcum powders, solid perfume, soaps, sachets, pomanders, creams, makeup, culinary herbs, teas, jellies, salts, and English malt vinegars. Members of the Royal Household were patrons.





In 1938, the New York department store Bonwit's opened a The Herb Farm Shop, an identical recreation of the store in London. Other department stores followed suit. and a distribution branch was located in Elizabeth, NJ.

Herbal based beauty products such as Rose Mallow Cleansing Cream, Lemon Verbena Bath were sold alongside culinary products such as Violet Jelly, Milk of Peaches, Tarragon Herbs and home novelties like sweet lavender bunches, potpourris and pomander balls made up of actual oranges dried and stuffed with lasting cloves..

The Herb Farm Shop was in business til about 1975, although the most recent date I have found for the Herb Farm Shop was an 1967 advertisement for their perfumes.


A 1958 ad in the Milwaukee Journal reads;
 "Herb Farm Toilet Water . 1.95 regularly 3.50 plus tax .Once again we offer you this chance to stock up on your favorite Herb Farm fragrances and save too. Choose from London Mist, Green Moss, Royal Purple, Queen's Ransom, No, 37 Audley, Night Scented Stock, Lilac, Pommander or White Phlox be sure to tuck a few away for gifts."

In 1945, they advertised the Herb Farm Shop Quintessence, a set of "five floral fragrance toilet waters, crisp, cool and refreshing. Wear a different scent every day. $1.25" and you could "Refresh yourself with Herb Farms Bath Essence Set, Dash a few drops in the tub one of these warm spring days. Five famous Herb Farm fragrances."

The Herb Farm Shop fragrances:

  • 1938 Night Scented Stock
  • 1944 Lilac 
  • 1945 White Phlox
  • 1945 Lilac
  • 1945 Royal Purple
  • 1945 Pomander Ball
  • 1947 No. 37 Audley 
  • 1948 London Mist
  • 1949 Queens Ransom

Night Scented Stock, was created in Queen Victoria's time, but released in America around 1938. Be your sweetest self, wear Night Scented Stock, dream making fragrance stolen from an English garden. Subtle as your smile and just as unforgettable. A long lasting spicy blend of carnation, jasmine, Sweet William and heady rose. Night Scented Stock was originally created for Queen Victoria, when one night after a rain, she noticed the whole English countryside seemed to be drenched with flower sweetness, she asked what WAS that heavenly fragrance and was told it was Stock, and so this particular true flower scent was distilled especially for her at the cost of many thousands of dollars .

Lilac was created in 1944, dewy-fresh as southern gardens, a fresh sweet fragrance of spring lilacs, feminine, endearing, the romantic scent of spring's loveliest flower.

London Mist, a clear new woodsy floral fragrance for 1948, fresh and sweet as rain washed air, elusive as distant music , and completely delightful in the tradition of Herb Farm Shop's fine English formula fragrance. A delightfully refreshing blend of bracing lavender, rosemary, bergamot, herbals oils and sandalwood.  

Royal Purple, created by 1945, a tangy, woody, oriental blend that was unique and sophisticated. This masculine blend featured precious Mysore sandalwood, exotic spices, sweet balsamic vanilla, sharp top citrus notes and oakmoss.

Queen's Ransom, created in 1949, a light refreshing fruity-floral fragrance with overtones of lemon verbena with a delicate rose and jasmine, lilac, and lily of the valley blend for your gala evening.

White Phlox had the scent of a freshly cut floral bouquet.

Pommander had the pungent scent of hot, exotic spices and dried orange peel, and was suggested for male usage.

Green Moss was created for Princess Elizabeth. It was an earthy woody-mossy-leafy chypre fragrance with a top note of white rose. It blended notes of oakmoss, sandalwood, tonka bean, patchouli, labdanum, and vanilla with opulent white roses and the sharp tang of bergamot.

No. 37 Audley was an aldehydic floral fragrance for women with a dominant carnation note. This fragrance began with a sparkling aldehydic top notes followed by a mixed floral heart dominated by the spice of carnation.


2 comments:

  1. I was born in 1945. In San Francisco during 1966 for my first job, I was browsing in Weinstock's department store when I was transported to my childhood. I tracked the scent to a display of London Mist. Despite my limited income, I was able to afford to purchase a bottle of "toilet water" as a surprise for my mother. She was unimpressed, having "graduated" to Miss Dior. I, however, treated myself to a whiff every time I visited. It always recreated that comforting feeling of being happy, safe, and much loved. Wish I could enjoy it again today!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Are any of their fragrances available anywhere? I wore Royal Purple until I could no longer find it.

    ReplyDelete

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