Pleville & Dalon Perfumes

Pleville:

Pleville Parfumeur, Paris France, established in 1922 by Michel Pleville at 38 rue des Mathurins. Company affiliated to Dalon Parfums and NYAL.  All three companies were of short commercial duration.

The perfumes of Pleville:

• 1917 Flamme de Gloire
• 1923 Jasmin
• 1923 Charme Caressant
• 1923 Flamme d'Or (an exotic, spicy fragrance)
• 1923 Flanerie
• 1923 Mah Jongg
• 1923 Triomphe de Pleville  (a rich floral fragrance)
• 1925 Un Air Des Bois
• 1925 Avec La Mode
• 1926 Le Secret de la Perle
• 1927 Plaisir d'Orient
• 1927 Jardin d'Iran
• 1930 Desirez-Moi

The Southern Pharmaceutical Journal ... - Volume 20, 1927:

"Pleville Perfumer of Paris, France, have opened an office at 412 Mercantile Bank building, Dallas, Texas, with Harry Joseph Tussly, general manager, in charge. Mr Tuffly is well known in drug circles in the South, being a former president of the Texas Drug Travelers Association. Pleville are travelling 78 salesmen and create the Flame De Gloire line and La Secret De La Perle. A cordial invitation is extended to druggists to pay a visit."

Flamme de Gloire:

Flamme de Gloire was created as a World War I commemorative, the name means "Flame of Glory" in French. I believe it was a spicy floral oriental fragrance for women. It was described as "piquant" and "exotic". I believe a combination of cinnamon and carnation was used to bring forth a note of fire, and had additional notes of rose, jasmine, sandalwood, musk and ambergris.

Its first crystal bottle was produced by Baccarat in the #330 model in 1917 and 1923, this bottle is shown in the 1925 advertisement below. 

The perfume was also presented in a different clear crystal flacon by Cristalleries de Baccarat design #536 in 1924 for the Paris Olympics. The name "Flamme de Glory" in this case reflects the flaming Olympic torch.

Another clear crystal bottle was created by Baccarat in 1927, this is model number 640.

Secret de la Perle:

Le Secret de la Perle featured a spectacular presentation case in the shape of a rare Tahitian pearl. The black glass case was entirely covered with a grey pearly nacre finish called latence de hareng which was invented by Andre Jollivet and made by Nesle Normandeuse. The clear glass perfume bottle and stopper was covered in a white pearl nacre latence de hareng finish and sat on a metal base. The black glass cover sat over the bottle and fitted onto the metal base. The bottle stands just 2.75" tall. The whole ensemble was housed inside of an octagonal cardboard box, topped with a thick, silken tassel. It was stated in a 1928 newspaper article that the bottle took 6 weeks to make. The perfume retailed for $35 in 1926, which would be equivalent to about $542.42 in 2021 according to an inflation calculation. It was still being sold in 1935, but was discontinued shortly after.

Mah Jongg:

Beautiful black glass bottle in the shape of a Chinese snuff bottle, fitted with an opaque green jade glass button shaped stopper. Molded with "Mah-Jongg", a Chinese character idiom 'Fa', a green dragon, and "Pleville Paris' piqued out in applied patina.  The back of the bottle is molded with a dragon, reflecting the idiom "Fa". It is marked on the bottom "Made In France A. Jollivet". Bottle came in two sizes: stands 2.75" tall and 3.25" tall.  Housed in a presentation box with pull out drawer, its lid is styled after a Mah-Jongg tablet, drawer has small celluloid dice and long silk tassel. Mahjongg was a very popular game during the 1920s so this image would have appealed to many women at the time.

Plaisir d'Orient:

Plaisir d'Orient, "Oriental Pleasure" was presented in a beautiful opaque celadon green glass bottle, and topped with a gilded stopper, this was also designed by Andre Jollivet. All things "oriental" were seen as exotic to women during the Roaring 20s. Its lovely bottle hue, the polychromed label with its chinoiserie image and the suggestion of an oriental scent would have appealed to their visual and olfactory senses. Even the name, "Oriental Pleasure" sounds sensuous and alluring. Shades of jade, nile green, celadon and Ming green were used in various home decors, so this bottle would have been right at home on a modern woman's vanity.

Dalon:

Dalon, established in 1924 and affiliated to Pleville, it was a subsidiary of NYAL. In addition to perfumes, Dalon also produced cosmetics, skincare and toiletries. The "Agnes Sorel" line appeared around 1931. Their "Formal by Dalon" line, first used in 1937, included facial freshener and brilliantine. The Dalon products were manufactured well into the 1960s.

The perfumes of Dalon:

• 1924 Charme Caressant
• 1938 Formal by Dalon Skincare line

Charme Caressant:

Charme Caressant was housed inside of a celadon green bottle, its surface was covered in a faux shagreen pattern. Again, we see the theme of that modern green shade favored by the "modern" women. This too, was designed and produced by Andre Jollivet. It was available in two sizes for the parfum extract.. The toilet water bottle is made up of clear glass, however, it was not produced by Jollivet.

The Chilliwack Progress, 1933:

"DALON TOILETRIES at "2 for 1". The new and beautiful Dalon Toiletries include every requisite for a complete Home Beauty Treatment. 75c Nourishing Cream. Firms and strengthens facial muscles ... 2 for 75c Foundation Cream. A perfect base for powder 2 for 75c. Face Powder. Fine but very adherent .. 2 for 75c."

Drug and Cosmetic Industry - Volume 43, 1938:

"DALON - Caps molded in a lustrous shade of coral seal the facial freshener and brilliantine bottles of the "Formal by Dalon" line. Even the most delicate feminine fingers can remove and replace these caps when the bottles are in use."