Welcome!

Welcome to my unique perfume blog! Here, you'll find detailed, encyclopedic entries about perfumes and companies, complete with facts and photos for easy research. This site is not affiliated with any perfume companies; it's a reference source for collectors and enthusiasts who cherish classic fragrances. My goal is to highlight beloved, discontinued classics and show current brand owners the demand for their revival. Your input is invaluable! Please share why you liked a fragrance, describe its scent, the time period you wore it, any memorable occasions, or what it reminded you of. Did a relative wear it, or did you like the bottle design? Your stories might catch the attention of brand representatives. I regularly update posts with new information and corrections. Your contributions help keep my entries accurate and comprehensive. Please comment and share any additional information you have. Together, we can keep the legacy of classic perfumes alive!

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

ABP Cut Glass Perfume Bottles & Boxes c1915 Advertisement

Ads of American Brilliant Cut Glass perfume bottles/cologne bottles, vanity accessories (trays, bud vases)  and boxes (puff, hair receivers, powder, jewel, handkerchief, glove) taken from a 1915 B. Allen & Co. publication.


























Monday, June 29, 2015

Old Favorites Are Back Again!

Are you still mourning the loss of Faberge's Babe, Coty's Tribe, Goya's Black Rose or Aqua Manda? Well wipe away those tears as a new company Beauty Brand Development  has acquired the rights to produce and sell these long lost faves.

Beauty Brand Development states that they "reached out to fans help us recreate [these fragrances] through social media and the internet and we were overwhelmed by the response. Some fans of [these fragrances] had an intimate knowledge and appreciation of the perfume so we invited these fans to work with us in bringing back [these fragrances], drawing on their fond recollection to make it as near to the original as possible.

After lengthy research we were fortunate enough to find the original ingredients from the public records and from collectors of the original [fragrances]. This gave us the assurance that we could recreate the original [fragrances].

We employed the renowned French perfumer, Givaudan to develop the perfume, working with this information in their highly specialised laboratories to create numerous samples for the fans to test and eventually approve."


Faberge's Babe was launched in 1976 and was discontinued in 1992. Babe opens with a fresh burst of lavender, aldehydes and hyacinth offering radiance and energy. A bouquet of exquisite and elegant flowers exhales vitality and colourfulness. The end note is a refined woody scent of warm sandalwood rounded by sensual solar accord, moss and ambrette that leave a gracious and delightful trail on the skin."






Tribe was launched by Coty in 1991 but was discontinued in 1997.

"Alluring and addictive, Tribe is designed to suit every woman and make their life full of colour.

Opening with a bright cocktail of juicy fruits, a delighted bouquet of rose, jasmine and orange flower brings the femininity. Then, soft musks, creamy vanilla and sheer cedarwood are enveloping and comfortable offering a bold and unique signature."



Black Rose by Goya was launched in 1955 but discontinued around 1984.

"Goya Black Rose was first created in the 1950's by the founder of Goya, Douglas Collins. The heritage of creating beautiful perfumes was then inherited by his son Christopher Collins. Christopher Collins and the original oil suppliers have acted as advisors on the relaunch of this iconic perfume. After extensive research and investigation the original formulas for this perfume have been discovered at the Amersham Museum, these historical documents have been referenced to recreate the beautiful romantic fragrance of Black Rose.

Making the fragrance as close as possible to the original. Because memories are so precious. This fragrance begins with a sparkling citrus green accord of bergamot and green stems contrasted by the irreverent clove. The heart of the composition reveals a fresh and feminine floral bouquet of rose, Damask rose, geranium and enhanced by a comfortable drydown of the white flowers of jasmine, solar notes and the sensuality of a velvety musk."



Aqua Manda by Goya was launched in 1947 and discontinued in 1975. It was recreated in 2013.

"This recreation of the original scent has been painstakingly developed by a team of perfumers at the original oil suppliers and after many trials and tests it has been approved by the original creator of the Aqua Manda fragrance, Christopher Collins, who has acted as an advisor on its relaunch.

Aqua Manda Perfume is back again, enjoy the lingering, refreshing fragrance of this classic perfume, made with essential oils of mandarin, ginger, lavender, patchouly, cinnamon, and other aromatic herbs."



Aqua Citra by Goya was launched in 1973, but discontinued in 1975. It was recreated in 2014.

"Aqua Citra is the sister perfume to Aqua Manda and is born from the same era, made with essential oils of Mediterranean lemon, ginger, lavender, patchouly, cinnamon, and other aromatic herbs.

An explosion of citrus notes combined with a soft spicy accord brings a contrasted freshness to the green floral heart of the composition, leaving an addictive woody and musky drydown at the end.

The recreation of the original scent has been painstakingly developed by a team of perfumers at the original oil suppliers and after many trials and tests it has been approved by the original creator of the Aqua Manda fragrance, Christopher Collins, who has acted as an advisor on its relaunch."



Bal a Versailles by Jean Desprez c1962

Bal a Versailles by Jean Desprez: launched in 1962.

As a tribute to the elegant American and French debutantes, the newborn belles of the ball, perfumer Jean Desprez created Debutante de Versailles, a limited edition fragrance exclusively created for New York cosmetics firm Daggett & Ramsdell. This opulent composition, made up of over 300 ingredients, was to become the legendary Bal a Versailles perfume in 1962, when it was offered to the public for the first time. The crystal bottles for Bal a Versailles featured an image of the famous Fragonard painting, Bal a Versailles on the label.




Sunday, June 28, 2015

Standard Perfumery Works

Standard Perfumery Works of 18 Mercer Street, New York, established in 1853, was a perfumery company active in the late 1800s. Their specialty was Ammoniated Bay Rum.


Saturday, June 27, 2015

Judith Muller

Judith Muller was born in Hungary to a wealthy family, but the dream of the "spoiled girl" ended very soon with the devastating arrivals of Hitler and then Stalin. With her family, she moved to Israel where they were forced to earn their living. Judith was a one-time sergeant in the Israeli army.




Vintage Boudoirs of the Stars - Part 5

Laura La Plante, c1920s-1930s, Lalique cactus bottle shown in center of vanity.

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Tresor de la Mer by Lalique for Saks Fifth Avenue c1939

In 1939, Saks Fifth Avenue celebrated the 50th anniversary of the opening of their department store, which had opened in 1889. To herald this achievement, in 1936, they commissioned a special perfume bottle to be created by master craftsman, Rene Lalique.


Lalique answered the call with a fabulous perfume flacon in the shape of a pearl, hidden inside an giant sea shell box, called the Tresor de la Mer, or Treasure of the Sea.


The opalescent glass object was only made in a limited edition of just 100 examples. The original retail price of this flacon was $50. The clear and frosted opalescent crystal shell was made in hues of oceanic blues and fiery oranges which seemed to glow from within. The giant shell rested on molded aquatic plants and parting waves. Inside, is little spherical perfume flacon rested. The top and bottom of the shell are connected by metal hinges. The shell bottle was presented inside a red velvet presentation box that was lined in gold silk and blue velvet.


The gorgeous perfume presentation was to be shown at the Rene Lalique exhibit at the Saks Fifth Avenue store. Today fewer than three known complete presentations still exist, they are considered rare and holy grails of Lalique perfume bottle collecting.


The most recent example sold for a whopping $180,000 at David Rago Auctions in 2007 thru an eBay live auction.


The presentation is documented in the Marcilhac book on page 949, and in the book Lalique Perfume Bottles by Glenn & Mary Lou Utt.


In 1938, Stage magazine mentioned the flacon:
"Tresor de la Mer, an exclusive Saks V perfume, at $50 an ounce, seems a good idea. It comes in a round pearl- shaped Lalique phial, inside a large Lalique silver-hinged oyster, hurried in a plush container. Such goings-on!"



It is worth noting that an equally rarer bottle was also made for tresor de la Mer, this time it is an oval bottle made up of opalescent glass and molded with a scallop shell pattern. It is topped with a round, disk shaped, opalescent glass stopper molded with gadrooning. The bottle stands 6 1/2". and is fitted with a metallic label towards the bottom of the bottle. This bottle was not made by Lalique but may have been made by Sabino.



Monday, June 22, 2015

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Ma Griffe by Carven c1946

Ma Griffe by Carven: launched in 1946. Created by Jean Carles, chief perfumer of Roure Bertrand Dupont. The name means "My Signature" as well as "My Claw" in French. Undoubtedly, a pun on the name, as Madame Carven clawed her way to top the design world and left her mark with her revolutionary Ma Griffe perfume.




Friday, June 19, 2015

Jean D'Hennery Parfumeur, Inc.

Jean D'Hennery Parfumeur, Inc. is an obscure Parisian perfume company.

 Jean d'Hennery, Inc., was d.b.a. Nemours, New York, N.Y.

Their most common perfumes are Kim and Mouky.



Tuesday, June 16, 2015

What are Aldehydic Fragrances?

Fragrances can be classified by certain olfactive families, or themes, or accords.

Aldehydic: 

or modern perfumes are those with significant notes of the aldehydes which are synthetic compounds, with clean, diffusive, sparkling notes and a family of chemicals.


Aldehydes are usually associated with florals and feminine perfumes. The first aldehydic perfume was created in 1925 by Ernest Beaux for Chanel No. 5, quite possibly the world‘s most famous aldehydic perfume.


There are subdivisions of classifications in this family and they are: floral aldehydic and floral aldehydic chypre.



Sunday, June 14, 2015

Mary Grayo

Mary Grayo was a furrier out of Monte Carlo; in addition to furs, she also sold her own brand of perfumes for furs during the 1940's. Mary Grayo's perfumes were designed to be worn when wearing a fur coat, to help prevent the natural gamey scent of fur coats from being obvious. Many of the perfumes that were produced were formulated to be worn with specific types of fur, such as Renard Argente (silver fox), Renard Bleu (blue fox), Breitschwanz (Persian lamb), Castor (beaver), Panthére (panther), Ragondin (nutria), and Vison (mink).


c1946


Friday, June 12, 2015

Vivara by Emilio Pucci c1965

In 1965, when Emilio Pucci launched his perfume "Vivara," the world was captivated by the allure of vacationing and cruising to exotic island locales, particularly in Italy. This era marked a time of leisure and luxury, where jet-setting to destinations like the Amalfi Coast and Capri became synonymous with the glamorous lifestyle of the rich and famous. Films of the time often depicted romantic escapades and adventures set against the backdrop of sun-drenched Mediterranean islands, reinforcing the fantasy of carefree indulgence and sophisticated elegance.

Emilio Pucci chose the name "Vivara" for his perfume, inspired by a deserted crescent-shaped island opposite Ischia in the Bay of Naples. The word "Vivara" itself is evocative; in Italian, it means vibrant or vivid, suggesting life, vitality, and the vivid colors for which Pucci's fashion designs were renowned. It's a name that conjures images of untouched natural beauty, serene landscapes, and the allure of hidden paradises waiting to be discovered.

For women of the time period, a perfume called "Vivara" would have resonated deeply. It promised a fragrance experience that transported them to the essence of Italian luxury and the Mediterranean lifestyle—sun-kissed beaches, warm sea breezes, and the sophistication of Italian fashion. The name itself, with its exotic connotations and association with a remote island, would have appealed to their desire for escapism and elegance.

The perfume "Vivara" would likely have been received with enthusiasm. Its name alone suggests a sensory journey—a blend of floral, citrus, and aquatic notes that could evoke the feelings of freedom, sensuality, and adventure. Women would have responded to it as a fragrance that not only complemented their style but also enhanced their personal allure, embodying the spirit of wanderlust and sophistication.

L'Elu by Marquay c1946

L'Elu by Marquay: launched in 1946. The name means "The Chosen".




Diorama by Christian Dior c1949

"Diorama" was launched in 1948, a pivotal period for Christian Dior and the haute couture fashion world. This was just a year after Dior introduced his iconic "New Look" in 1947, which revolutionized fashion with its emphasis on luxury, femininity, and elegance. Post-World War II, there was a collective desire to return to opulence and beauty, and Dior's designs embodied this shift. The world was ready to embrace extravagance once more, and Dior's creations symbolized this resurgence of glamour.

The name "Diorama" is particularly fitting for a perfume for several reasons. Firstly, it cleverly incorporates Dior’s name, maintaining brand recognition and reinforcing the association with luxury and sophistication. Secondly, the word "Diorama" evokes images of a miniature, meticulously crafted scene, aligning perfectly with the idea of a perfume as a carefully composed sensory experience. It suggests a world of its own, rich in detail and atmosphere, which is an appealing concept for a fragrance. Thirdly, "Diorama" appeals to the imagination, transporting the wearer to a different realm or story, much like how a diorama offers a glimpse into a detailed, self-contained world.

Women of the late 1940s and early 1950s would have related to "Diorama" on multiple levels. After years of wartime austerity, there was a strong desire for luxury and sophistication. Dior’s perfumes, associated with his high fashion, symbolized an aspirational lifestyle and a return to elegance. The name "Diorama," being unique and evocative, would attract women seeking something special and refined. Christian Dior was a highly respected name in fashion, and women trusted his taste and vision, which extended to his perfumes.



The word "Diorama" conjures images of intricacy and detail, much like a diorama itself. It suggests luxury and exclusivity, aligning with the high-end nature of Dior’s brand. Additionally, it evokes a sense of fantasy and escape, paralleling how perfume can transform one’s mood and presence. This blend of sophisticated imagery and emotions made "Diorama" a distinctive and appealing name for a perfume.

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Desert Flower by Shulton c1947

Desert Flower by Shulton: launched in 1947. Desert Flower was also sold under the name Leigh.

Salvador Dali created three paintings commissioned by the Shulton Company to market the perfume Desert Flower in 1947.


Monday, June 8, 2015

Lumiere by Rochas c1984

Lumière by Parfums Rochas, introduced in 1984, emerged during a period marked by a resurgence of interest in elegance and sophistication in fragrance. This era was characterized by a blend of nostalgia for classic perfumery and a modern approach to scent composition, reflecting a desire for refined femininity.

The choice of the name "Lumière" for this perfume is deeply symbolic. In French, "Lumière" translates to "light" in English. Parfums Rochas likely selected this name to evoke imagery of radiant luminosity and the uplifting quality of light. It suggests an aura of brightness and warmth, aligning perfectly with the fragrance's intention to capture the essence of light through its composition.

Alexandria, Egypt, holds a significant association with perfumery due to its historical role as a center of trade and culture in the ancient world. It was renowned for its botanical gardens and the cultivation of aromatic plants, which were used in perfumery and herbal medicine. The perfumer's recollection of flowers in his home in Alexandria thus draws on this rich tradition, infusing Lumière with a sense of exoticism and sophistication inspired by the city's botanical wealth.



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