Incanto by Simonetta c1955

Incanto by Simonetta: launched in 1955. Perfume created by Simonetta Visconti (Donna Simonetta Fabiani), an Italian fashion designer.

The Courier Journal, 1957:

“A summer land, Italy has known as loved cooling perfumes longer than any other country in Europe,” says Simonetta, a top designer of Roman couture, now showing her new collection in the Italian capital.  

“Our early trade with the East taught us about perfume making, and we had in Italy many of the natural ingredients.” In her villa outside Rome, Simonetta looked like fiction’s dream of an aristocrat - dark, slender, and patrician. Born la Duchessa Simonetta Colonna di Cesaro, she turned her hobby of designing clothes into a full time career after World War II. “ 

When I wanted to create a perfume for my Rome couture salon, I could use jasmin and a rare-wood oil from Sicily,  rose and mignonette from northern Italy, tabac and oakmoss from the south. Only ambergris that strange ingredient that blends all the elements of a perfume, is not Italian.” 

Asked how women use fragrance in Italy, Simonetta’s gaze wanders out the window to her garden. “Like flowers in Italy, fragrances never end in our lives. We reach for them in the morning, use them throughout our day, use a dash before we get into bed.”

As told in the 1960 publication "Marketing in Latin America",

"The Prince Matchabelli line of perfumes and toiletries purchased from Vick Chemical Company in 1958 glorifies Chesebrough-Ponds products with the "Continental air" which appealed to upper income Latin Americans. One blend, Simonetta Incanto, was created for Prince Matchabelli by Simonetta of Rome, an Italian duchess who has become famous as a couturiere. This, added to the crown symbol of the Matchabelli coat or arms, gives the line the snob appeal which is so influential in marketing."

In 1960, Incanto was available as:

• 3 oz Cologne ($5.00)
• 6 oz Cologne ($7.50)
• 2 oz Spray Mist Cologne ($3.50)
• 1 dram Perfume Purse Spray ($4.00)
• ¼ oz Perfume ($9.00)
• ½ oz Perfume ($17.50)
• 1 1/2 oz Perfume ($30.00)

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like?  It is classified as a woody floral fragrance for women.

• Top notes:  lemon, carnation
• Middle notes: Sicilian jasmine, North Italian rose, North Italian mignonette
• Base notes: Sicilian rare woods, Southern Italian tobacco, Southern Italian oakmoss, ambergris

Bottles:

The black enameled crown bottle came in three sizes:  1/4 oz stood 1 7/8" tall, the 1/2 oz stood 2 1/2" tall,  and the largest 1 1/2 oz stood 3 3/8" tall.



Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, 1958:

"Simonetta Inc., New York, N. Y. Filed June 3, 1955. INCANTO "Incanto" is an Italian word, an English translation of which would be "spell." For Perfume. First use Apr. 20, 1955. SN 7,084. Eugene-Gallia S. A., Paris, France. Filed Apr. 25, 1956."

Vick Chemical Company Annual Report, 1956:

"Prince Matchabelli successfully introduced its latest cologne - Spring Fancy- in the spring of 1955. Incanto, an Italian perfume and cologne in companion were market tested in the spring in preparation for national introduction this fall under the sponsorship of the famous Italian couturier - Simonetta of Rome. "

Vogue, 1956:

"Simonetta, famous for her Italian fashions, has extended her designing talents to perfume. The subtle, velvety rich fragrance of "Incanto" is the result. Added now (for lighter spell-casting, perhaps?) is this cologne that sprays mistily from a jet black flask."

Modern packaging Encyclopedia, 1960:

"Round set-up boxes in the form of Roman columns provide luxury-type packages for Simonetta's Incanto perfume. A heavily embossed paper simulates the fluted column in appearance as well as to the touch. (F.N. Burt Co box.)"

This bottle is made of black satin glass with a clear stopper and sits on white silk in its original column shaped-box. In fine condition. Height 3 3/8 in. Photo by Mastro Auctions

Fate of the Fragrance:

Discontinued, date unknown. Still being sold in 1960.

CLICK HERE TO FIND INCANTO PERFUME BY SIMONETTA