Miahati Perfumes

 Established in 1940 in New York; launched a range of fragrances in c1940' and 50's.

In 1940, Andrew Apicella and Rose Vivaudou organized Miahati, Inc., and thereafter transacted their business in the said corporate name. In 1943, Andrew Apicella purchased the entire interests and holdings of Rose Vivaudou in the business. Since the purchase, Apicella had been the president, and sole owner and proprietor of Miahati, Inc., who claimed that their perfumes were made from exotic varicolored hibiscus, pikake (jasmine), honeysuckle and other tropical flowers such as ylang ylang all originated from Hawaii, which was then, not yet a state.

He was also responsible for trading under the name Oceanic Import Co, who manufactured and compounded the perfume and exported within the United States and its territories. The other perfumes destined for foreign shores were then purchased by the Abbot Manufacturing Co. who was in charge of the distribution and exportation of the perfumes into foreign countries (especially to South America) on behalf of Miahati, Inc.

Andrew Apicella, traded variously under several names such as Oceanic Import Co., Abbott Manufacturing Co. and Miahati, Inc., put out a line of perfumes that he had been advertising as originating from the "Famous Gardens of Miahati in Hawaii", unfortunately, no such place existed and the perfume manufacturer was summoned before the FTC in 1942. 

Apicella most likely knew he was going to lose the case, so in the meantime in order to keep revenue coming in, he decided to change the names of his existing fragrances. Waikiki became Blue Fox, Honolulu became My Fancy, Pikaki became Audacious and Soul of the Flowers became Jaunty.

The court found that none of the perfumes were manufactured in the Territory of Hawaii and none of the scents, oils and fragrances were extracted from flowers grown in, nor were they imported from, the Territory of Hawaii. There is no such place as the "Gardens of Miahati" in the Territory of Hawaii. All of the perfumes were manufactured in the state of New York, and none of the ingredients used in the making or compounding of the perfumes were imported from the Hawaiian Islands..

In the 1946 ruling, the FTC directed Miahati, Inc. (Manhattan), to stop representing that perfumes made in the U.S. come from Hawaii. They were also banned from using Honolulu, Waikiki, Pikaki and any other Hawaiian words in their trade names or advertising.

 
Apicella was also responsible for Picabia Perfumes.

The perfumes of Miahati:

• 1939 Honolulu
• 1939 Ka Lani Keia "This is Heaven"
• 1939 Pikaki
• 1939 Waikiki
• 1939 Na'Ahiahi "Hawaiian Nights"
• 1939 Soul of the Flowers
• 1941 Old Mission - Balm of Gilead
• 1941 Old Mission - Crocus
• 1941 Old Mission - Rosemary
• 1941 Old Mission - Verbena
• 1941 Ye Olde Wishing Well -
• 1941 Dutch Girl - Hyacinthe
• 1941 Dutch Girl - Two Lips
• 1942 El Morocco
• 1944 Blue Fox (Waikiki - an oriental perfume)
• 1944 Audacious (Pikake - a fruity floral perfume)
• 1944 Jaunty (Soul of the Flowers - a floral perfume)
• 1944 My Fancy (Honolulu - an aldehydic perfume)
• 1944 Downing Street (for men)
• 1947 Narcissus
• 1947 Carnation
• 1947 Lily of the Valley (muguet)
• 1947 Freesia
• 1947 Violette
• 1947 Mimosa
• 1950 Tarantella
• 1950 Tomorrow
• 1950 Perhaps

1940-1943 Era:

The bottles for all of the early perfumes were made up of marbled translucent Catalin (a bakelite type
phenolyic resin plastic. They are double-walled vials of clear glass encased in colored transparent plastic in jewel tones to harmonize with the different fragrances. Between the walls are carved flowers and the whole thingcomes in a smart hand carved cylinder of native Hawaiian maple. The bottles are softly tinted translucent plastic with hand carved native flowers. The bottles hold 2 drams (0.25 oz) of parfum. Today you may find that these early plastic bottles have changed colors, darkening into deep colors no longer resembling the bright jewel toned hues they were 80 years ago. The bottles stand 3" tall and have a diameter of 1.5". These bottles sold for $3.50 in 1940. 

Another glass perfume bottle is encased in Catalin and is usually found in the transparent applejuice color. The bottle stands 2.25" tall x 1 1/8" diameter, is of cylindrical shape with a matching screw cap.. It has carved flowers around the sides. This bottle is shown to the far right in the photo below.

Miahati commissioned the Catalin Corp. of New York to manufacture their perfume bottles and continued to do so after 1943.

• Soul of the Flowers is a dreamy symphony of tropical flowers: hibiscus, jasmine, honeysuckle, orange blossoms and ylang ylang, the very breath of romance and enchantment. I believe this was housed in a jade green Catalin bottle. This fragrance is later named Jaunty.

• Waikiki is a heady floral oriental blend with notes of rose, orange blossom and jasmine on warm base notes of vanilla, sandalwood, oakmoss, ambergris and musk - sultry and alluring. I believe this was housed in a reddish orange Catalin bottle. This fragrance is later named Blue Fox.

• Honolulu has sparkling aldehydes, tangy notes of citrus, exotic sandalwood, dry notes of vetiver and an animalic base of ambergris, appropriately bottled in amber Catalin. This fragrance was later named My Fancy.

• Pikaki is a spicy blend of hyacinth, carnation and wild jasmine accented with fruit notes contained in an amethyst or orange Catalin bottle. This fragrance was later named Audacious.

In addition to the parfums, Miahati also offered a small line of deluxe toilet waters. These eau de toilettes

were housed in 4 oz clear glass bottles, topped with a hand carved wooden cap. The toilet waters sold for

$1 each. Scents available at the time were advertised as Honolulu Bouquet, Pikaki, Waikiki and Cherry

Blossom.

Post 1944 Era:

The Second World War imposed various restrictions on materials and many industries were hit hard by these. For instance, a troublesome paper shortage forced companies to figure out new ways of labeling their bottles. In this case, Miahati cleverly commissioned the Creative Printmakers Group to provide the printing on glass rather than have paper labels. Due to the metal restrictions, companies relied on the newest plastics to provide the closures. 

As I mentioned earlier, Miahati still utilized the Catalin Corp to in the manufacture of their perfume bottles. This time, Miahati wanted a transparent plastic cap that fit flush with a cylindrical clear glass bottle. For their recently renamed perfumes Blue Fox, Audacious, Jaunty and My Fancy, they decided that the closures would be of cast phenolic resin in different colors for each fragrance. Blue Fox used a soft transparent blue phenolic resin cap. The Blue Fox idea was carried out in the design for a wrapper used on the package. By using this wrapper on a chipboard box, Miahati had been able to make due with the paper shortages.

Other bottles used were simple, standard bottles, such as the one below used for some Miahati fragrances.

Novelty Perfume Presentations:

Like other perfume companies of the time, Miahati introduced some adorable novelty perfume presentations. 

Old Mission Presentation:

The Old Mission novelty perfume bottle set features three small glass, bell shaped perfume bottles - each one is 1 3/4" in height. Each bottle has a maroon plastic colored screw cap which are suspended by a small hook inside a replica of an old Spanish Mission bell tower. The bell tower is a light cream colored chalkware accented with light paprika colored enamel sprinkles throughout. There are even tiny plastic flowers in the cute "flower pots" flanking the tower. The base of the tower it is impressed with the words "Old Mission." The tower measures 6 1/2" wide x 5 5/8" in height. Fragrances that were available in any combination of three were: Rosemary, Crocus, Balm of Gilead and Verbena.  

Little Dutch Girl:

This presentation has a figural chalkware Dutch girl with a yoke over her shoulders. Two buckets hang via chains from the yoke. Each bucket holds a miniature 1/8 oz bottle of perfume. 

Ye Olde Wishing Well:

This is an adorable figural chalkware brick well complete with roof. This presentation holds two 1/8 oz mini perfume bottles.

Lucky Sambo:

 The figural sachet is made of yarn, with the earrings and hands of a different material. The scented sachet was packed in a satin lined presentation box with an acetate cover. reading 'Mammy Sambo Sachet Hand Made Miahati New York'.

Picabia Perfumes:

• Shady Lady
• Blue Denim
• La Jolie
• Tara