Ann Haviland of Haviland Laboratories. Established by Ann Haviland in 1909 at West 57th Street in. Ann Haviland reportedly learned the art of perfumery in far off Smyrna, Turkey, where she lived as a girl.
In 1917, silent movie actress Theda Bara, named Ann Haviland as the "poetess of perfume."
A 1920 newspaper item references that "Miss Ann Haviland, of New York, who makes individual perfumes to order and can distinguish more than 400 varieties when she is blindfolded, and recognized today as the one woman owns her own perfume laboratory in New York."
Ann Haviland’s floral perfumes were created by Gaston de Havenon (President of Parfums Weil).
In addition to the loose Sachet Powder, Ann Haviland offered pillow sachets. All which were convenient to tuck among hankies, stockings, lingerie, etc.. Ann Haviland bags were of exquisite quality boudoir satin in lovely colors. Ann Haviland has a veritable garden of delightful scents in her wonderful soaps, bags, toilet waters, bath salts etc. Just about as pretty as a gift can be.
In addition to the loose Sachet Powder, Ann Haviland offered pillow sachets. All which were convenient to tuck among hankies, stockings, lingerie, etc.. Ann Haviland bags were of exquisite quality boudoir satin in lovely colors. Ann Haviland has a veritable garden of delightful scents in her wonderful soaps, bags, toilet waters, bath salts etc. Just about as pretty as a gift can be.
By 1970, the Ann Haviland perfume company was sold to Coper Laboratories to form Haviland-Weil Parfums to distribute both Ann Haviland and Parfums Weil's fragrances in the USA. The Ann Haviland perfumes were discontinued by 1974.
Click HERE to find Ann Haviland perfumes
The perfumes of Ann Haviland:
- 1914 Autumn Pink / Pinx
- 1914 Tropic Gardenia
- 1934 Gardenia
- 1935 Daphne
- 1939 Celeste
- 1939 Perhaps (a floral perfume)
- 1939 Lily of the Valley
- 1944 First Love
- 1944 Wood Violet
- 1945 Carnation
- 1946 Purple Lilac
- 1948 Blue Hyacinth
- 1950 Jasmin of the Night
- 1956 Friction Cologne (verbena scent)
- 1959 Christmas Flowers
- 1967 O d'Amour
The perfume Daphne was exclusively created for the Jay Thorpe department store to be sold under their own label.
Wood Violet was described in ads as "dewy, enchanting, a light and airy scene reminiscent .. like purple violets picked effective year April rain."
Purple Lilac was described in ads as "Purple Lilac sends your spirits skyward. There's nothing like a fresh flower fragrance to start your spirits racing toward the clouds to bring a light and sweet touch to winter. And there's definitely no floral fragrance to excel Ann Haviland's -.especially this one that truly captures the pure essence of lilacs. Purple Lilac is like a fresh fragrant bouquet with enchanting romance as purple lilac in full bloom. Available in perfume, toilet water, body powder, talcum, bath salts, sachet, bath oil. and soap. "
Gardenia was described in ads as "an exquisite fragrance - combining sophistication with gracious femininity. A really choice gardenia holding all the sophisticated look you'd expect from Ann Haviland."
Carnation was described in ads as "the spicy fragrance of a fresh bouquet clear as a spring breeze. Available in toilet water, bath powder, talcum powder."
Jasmine of the Night was described in ads as "intense the true scent of the night flowering jasmine that drifts through southern windows like the romantic strains of a serenade .. lovely intricacy devised by this genius of flower fragrances, and entirely new. Perfume and water toilet available. "
Blue Hyacinth was described in ads as "a memorable whisper of dew drenched gardens, refresh yourself with the luxury of Blue Hyacinth. The true fragrance of Spring blossoming blue hyacinths captured by Ann Haviland. Available in toilet water, Grecian bath oil, sachet, talc , perfume, bath powder. "
Lily of the Valley was described as "a soft echo of vibrant warmth, when she feels younger than springtime."
Perhaps, took three years to compose, was described as "Perhaps toiler water capturing the haunting loveliness gold. Many romantic moods. Perhaps is an elusive fragrance that makes you guess." It has notes of ylang ylang, sandalwood, rose, jasmine, herbs, roots and leaves.
A 1924 ad for Ann Haviland perfumes Suggests:
# 1. to apply perfume to your eyebrows as the short hairs of the eyebrows retain the perfume along than the skin since evaporation takes up more slowly. Besides, this is an ideal two-some, usually the girl comes up to a man's chin, not far below his nose.
# 2. One little known method of applying perfume is to saturate a piece of cotton with your chosen scent. Place it under the shoulder strap of your slip. Body heat releases an aura about you.
# 3. A glamorous method of using perfume is to spray it on the hem of your evening gown, then as you walk or dance, the fragrance is wafted into the air around you. This is the best way to do it.
# 4. Another point is to apply perfume to the inside of your gloves, while your gloves are on, the warmth of your hands attract the perfume, which will cling to the fingers.
Press releases during the production of 'Cleopatra' (1917) included little tidbits like this: "The perfume Theda Bara uses in aiding her portrayal of Cleopatra, in William Fox’s coming release, was made for her by Anne Haviland, ‘famous psychic perfumist,’ from a 2,000 year-old formula. The fragrance is so strong that it would not be strange if it were detected on the screen.” For years I thought this was just the figment of her press agent's imagination, but then I read pages from Bara's autobiography, and no, it's pure Theda Bara: "Two things which entered potently into the successful creation of Cleopatra I must not forget to mention—music and perfume. ...My Cleopatra perfume may be likened to the music of a harp—a melody wherein all elusive notes are belng blended. Compounded by a gifted artist, of whose perfumed I shall later tell, and blending the essences of [herbs?] and flowers that grow in the Mediterranean shores of Egypt, occluding sweet basil, the poetic flower of Greece, saffron, the flower of courtesans, Cleopatra's known favorite a rare balsam from Palestine, aloes, cumin and male incense from Arabia, fragrant as insidious flowers at evening, with a subtle suggestion of musty spices, grown musty in the sepulchres of queens, this very rare and wondrous invention, as a magic conjuring, called up the phantomed personality, the rustling robes, the light passing [word illegible], the sighs that ghosts are said to breathe within their tombs, of Cleopatra. It was indescribable. It breathed of Cleopatra's chambers. It was as ghostly palapable as the touch of Cleopatra's spirit hand. It enfolded me, wrought enchantment, carried me centuries into the past, brought Cleopatra into my fibre and my cells, changed my blood pressure and my heart beat. For the moment I was—Cleopatra. Whenever people came into the studio, the odor was so peculiar, they would go looking about, and then ask—'What is this wonderful smell?' One day I showed the phial which I had brought westward, swathed in cotton wool and guarded as a precious treasure, to Mr. Davies. 'What would happen [missing text, possibly Davies suggested dropping the bottle, breaking it, and Bara joked about the consequences] However, it would have been a serious loss to me.
ReplyDeletePhillip, thank you for sharing that information with us, it was wonderful to hear something so unique and from Theda Bara herself. Oh how I would have loved to have seen her Cleopatra film if it were not lost to time. I am sure it was a beautiful spectacle, as her costumes and movie stills suggest.
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