Saturday, November 16, 2013

Chabrawichi

Chabrawichi, alternative spelling Chabrawicke, a company located in Cairo, Egypt, produced essential oils and fragrances.  First established in 1924, the Chabrachi fragrance factory in Giza was the oldest and largest perfume and cosmetics company. Some of their labels will state "Le Caire", some sources erroneously state that this is for the "Le Claire" stores, but it just means Cairo, Egypt, where the Chabrawichi company was located.


The company also sold perfume dupes of the famous perfumes of the day. Many modern Egyptian perfumeries still do this practice, making alcohol-free dupes of famous fragrances out of essential oils.

Other perfumes are soliflores or blended perfume extraits. An extrait/attar is a non alcohol pure perfume, made up of essential oils, as alcohol is forbidden according to Islam.

I have evidence that they used Czech perfume bottles, such as the famous Marie Antoinette figural bottle for their fragrance Bien Aimee and La Marquise. They were probably copying Houbigant's Bien Aimee which was created in 1930.

The company was purchased by Kesma in 1967.

In 2015, the Chabrawichi perfume factory in Giza was completely consumed by fire. This massive fire required over a dozen civil and military firefighting trucks. According to an army statement released, the fire took up to 20 firefighting trucks to extinguish the flames. Thankfully no deaths or injury were reported and as it stands the cause of the fire is unknown however will be investigated


Chabrawichi perfumes:

  • 1920 555
  • 1925 Bon Soir 
  • 1925 Bouquet 
  • 1925 Frankincense
  • 1925 Chypre
  • 1925 Gardenia (Gardinia)
  • 1925 Lotus Flower
  • 1925 Fougere
  • 1925 Violette
  • 1925 Œillet
  • 1925 Jasmin
  • 1925 Bonjour 
  • 1930 Cleopatra 
  • 1930 Nefertiti 
  • 1930 Bien Aimee
  • 1930 Favori
  • 1930 La Marquise
  • 1930 C’est Toi (It's You)
  • 1930 Rien Que Toi (Nothing but You)
  • 1930 Ma Vie (My Life)
  • 1930 Pour la Vie (For Life)
  • 1930 Rêve d’Amour (Dream of Love)
  • 1930 Secret 
  • 1940 Polka
  • 1940 Coquette
  • 1940 Caprice
  • 1940 Salma
  • 1950 Fairy
  • 1970 Nefertiti
  • 1978 Femme Chic
  • Desire 
  • Maya
  • Mille Fleurs


  • Salma is an oriental fragrance for women.
  • Maya is classified as an oriental fragrance for women.
  • Desire is a spicy floral fragrance for women.
  • La Marquise is classified as a fougere fragrance.
  • Mille Fleurs is classified as a floral oriental fragrance for women.
  • May Fair is classified as a spicy green floral fragrance for women.
  • Cologne 555 is a lemony light floral fragrance for men spiked with herbs and layered over a base of oakmoss and musk. Similar to 4711.


Nefertiti:

Nefertiti is a fruity floral oriental fragrance for women. Nefertiti was re-launched during the 1970's. Top notes of soapy and waxy aldehydes, green galbanum, bright lime, lemongrass and bergamot, followed by a melange of rose, lily, lotus, ylang ylang, anise and dried fruits (plum) drizzled with honey and spices (ginger), over a warm woodsy base of incense, sandalwood, patchouli, resins, oakmoss, leather, labdanum, myrrh, vanilla, benzoin, wormwood, musk and amber punctuated by aromatic herbal notes.
  • Top notes: aldehydes, galbanum, lime, lemongrass and bergamot
  • Middle notes: rose, lily, lotus, ylang ylang, anise, plum, honey and spices
  • Base notes:  incense, sandalwood, patchouli, resins, oakmoss, leather, labdanum, myrrh, vanilla, benzoin, wormwood, musk and amber

Secret:

Secret is classified as an oriental fragrance for women. Top notes feature prickly aldehydes, bergamot, mandarin and spices (clove and cinnamon). Sweet floral impressions of orange blossom, ylang ylang and carnation mingle with the notes of dried fruits (apricot and plum) infused with balsamic caramel, honey, vanilla and syrupy benzoin. The base is rich with ambergris, civet, frankincense, resins and musk. Green and woody notes of vetiver, oakmoss, galbanum, sandalwood, laurel, pine needles, spruce, cedar and patchouli round out the precious formula.
  • Top notes: aldehydes, cyclamen, white rose, bergamot, mandarin, clove, cinnamon
  • Middle notes: orange blossom, ylang ylang, apricot, plum, carnation, violet leaf, pink pepper, jasmine sambac
  • Base notes: patchouli, oakmoss, ambergris, caramel, honey, vanilla, benzoin, civet, frankincense, resins, musk, vetiver, galbanum, sandalwood, laurel, pine needles, spruce, cedar



Fairy:

Fairy is an floral oriental fragrance for women. Opening with spices (cloves, nutmeg), herbs (mint and basil), bright notes of bergamot and galbanum. The heart is composed of a floral bouquet of lush rose, apple blossom, hyacinth, ylang ylang, lily, violet, carnation and iris revealing exotic honeyed fruits heralded by plum. An animalic base of musk and amber rest upon smoky incense, resins, sandalwood, labdanum and vanilla imbued with verdant brew of patchouli, papyrus, vetiver and oakmoss makes the fragrance complete.
  • Top notes: cloves, nutmeg, bergamot, mint, basil, galbanum
  • Middle notes: rose, apple blossom, hyacinth, ylang ylang, lily, violet, carnation, iris, plum
  • Base notes: musk, ambergris, incense, resins, sandalwood, labdanum, vanilla, patchouli, papyrus, vetiver, oakmoss


Favori:

Favori is a floral oriental fragrance for women. The fragrance features rose and white floral notes, oriental notes and woody notes on a chypre base of oakmoss, patchouli, amber, vanilla, sandalwood, resins and labdanum.
  • Top notes: bergamot, white flowers
  • Middle notes: rose, spices, jasmine, spices
  • Base notes: musk, oakmoss, patchouli, ambergris, vanilla, sandalwood, resins and labdanum


Salma:

  • Top notes: aldehydes, narcissus, orange blossom
  • Middle notes: rose, hyacinth, jasmine
  • Base notes: oakmoss, ambergris

Femme Chic:


Femme Chic is an oriental fragrance for women The fragrance features a powdery aldehydic top note blended with sunny bergamot, bitter galbanum, cardamom, clove, cumin and crisp mint followed by a floral bouquet of narcissus, jasmine and rose, layered over a chypre base of oakmoss, benzoin, leather, patchouli, amber, sandalwood, vanilla, labdanum and dry vetiver.
  • Top notes: aldehydes, neroli, peach, bergamot, galbanum, cardamom, clove, cumin and mint
  • Middle notes: reseda, green lily, narcissus, jasmine, orange blossom, iris and rose
  • Base notes: musk, incense, oakmoss, benzoin, leather, patchouli, amber, sandalwood, vanilla, labdanum and vetiver


Rien Que Toi, c1930s, photo by ebay seller sadbad4




Perfume set holding four perfumes: Pour La Vie, Ma Vie, C'Est Toi, Reve d'Amour. c19430s-1960s. photo by ebay seller munhgauzen

Polka, c1940, photo from ebay

Nefertiti, c1930-1970, photo from http://parfumka-shop.com.ua

Fairy, c1950, photo from http://parfumka-shop.com.ua

Favori, c1930-1960, photo by http://parfumka-shop.com.ua/

Jasmin, c1945-1960, photo by http://parfumka-shop.com.ua

Femme Chic, c1970S, photo by http://parfumka-shop.com.ua

Cologne 555 and Eau de Cologne Mary, both c1930-1960s, photo from crackstar

Favori, c1930-1960, photo by ebay seller sunart

Chypre Fin, c1925-1945, photo from worthpoint


Set of six perfumes, c1940, photo from worthpoint


Nefertiti, c1930, photo from worthpoint


Lotus Flower c1925

Frankincense c1925

Gardinia (Gardenia) c1925



KESMA:


Kesma of Egypt. The company has origins in the 1950s. The main factory is located in Hawamdia, Egypt.

Chabrawichi (Shabravichi) was purchased from guards in 1967, where it was first based in Dar el Salam, before being transferred to Hawamdia in 1992.

Today Kesma, Chabrawichi and May Fair are one company producing perfumes, cosmetics and natural flavoring extracts. Societe des Sucreries et de Distilleries d'Egypte.

  • 1960 Iceberg
  • 1962 Cairo/Сhair de Deesse (oriental fragrance)
  • 1962 Nuit d'Amour (oriental fragrance)
  • 1964 Lavender Eau de Cologne
  • 1964 Fougere Eau de Cologne
  • 1964 Egyptian Rose Eau de Cologne
  • 1964 Naturelle Fraiche Eau de Cologne
  • 1964 Violette Eau de Cologne
  • 1964 Jeunesse Fleures
  • 1964 555 Eau de Cologne
  • 1964 959 Eau de Cologne (chypre fragrance)
  • 1964 Miss Kesma
  • 1969 Sourire d'Hator (oriental fragrance)
  • 1969 Serenade (oriental fragrance)
  • 1969 Effluve (oriental fragrance)
  • 1969 Effluve d'Arabie
  • 1969 Larmes de la Nuit (oriental fragrance)
  • 1973 Elhabayeb
  • 1973 Eve
  • 1973 Gouttes d'Or
  • 1973 Polka
  • 1983 Cleopatra (oriental fragrance)
  • Rose
  • Whisper (oriental fragrance)


Newer Perfumes for women:
  • Finesse
  • Gigi (Gi Gi) (originally under the May Fair brand)
  • Dore
  • Genie
  • Moon Fair
  • Secret
  • Femme Chic

Newer perfumes for men:
  • Birate
  • Request
  • Sun Fair
  • Star
  • Free Man
  • Repelle



1 comment:

  1. Being Egyptian I am so happy to see that article about that Egyptian company with lots of history :) Though the country is now a mere shadow of its glorious past , I still use some of their products that I absolutely adore ..wish it will be restored soon ..

    ReplyDelete

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