Asphodele by Lentheric c1926

Asphodele by Lentheric: launched in 1926, pronounced "As Fo Del". Asphodele refers to the species of daffodil (narcissus) that grow around the Mediterranean and a species growing on both the coasts of Brittany and Galicia. In the ancient times, the daffodils were often used to bloom the grave of the dead, where the legend of Asphodel Meadow , instead of Hades in Greek mythology . I have read that the actual asphodele plant has no scent.

Faking Perfume Bottles to Increase Their Value

The issue of adding "after market" accents to rather plain perfume bottles to increase their value is not new to the world of collecting. Over the years collectors have dealt with unscrupulous dealers who added various labels to boring bottles. Many of these labels do not fit the shape of the bottle making them a little more obvious than others, but nonetheless it confuses collectors and dealers alike. Adding a loose label to a perfume bottle may sound harmless to those who practice the fraud in order to make a quick buck, but it hurts the world of perfume collecting as it can result in mistaken identity and false value.

These are forgeries!! Plain and simple.

Auzière

Auzière of Paris and Marseille, France; launched a range of fragrances from c1920 to 1950’s, also had an office in Nashville, TN.

Victorian Era Perfume Bottles catalog page c1893

Advertisement showing two perfumes for sale, shown in an 1893-1894 Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co., Chicago, catalog. Of particular note is the cherub and cornucopia perfume bottle made up of heavy, pressed glass, unfortunately, I have been unable to identify the manufacturer of this bottle, but it is not a rare flacon. I have seen several on ebay over the years.

Aluminum Perfume Bottles c1896

Aluminum perfume bottles and powder puff boxes shown in an antique Victorian 1896 Busiest House In America publication.


You may think that aluminum was an unusual metal to make perfume bottles from, but, at one time, the metal was highly prized. In the mid 1880s, aluminum metal was exceedingly difficult to produce, which made pure aluminum more valuable than gold. So celebrated was the metal that bars of aluminum were exhibited at the Exposition Universelle of 1855. Napoleon III of France is reputed to held a banquet where the most honored guests were given aluminum utensils, while the others made do with gold. But by 1895, a new process was developed to produce aluminum more inexpensively and soon it became a more common metal used for the making of a variety of household goods, including vanity items.

Aluminum was touted as untarnishable.

Whitall Tatum Perfume and Cologne Bottles c1898 Victorian Advertisement

Whitall Tatum Perfume and Cologne Bottles as shown in an 1898 Victorian era advertisement.

Vintage Apollo Studios Ormolu Vanity Accessories and Perfume Bottles 1934 Advertisement

Vintage Apollo Studios Ormolu Vanity Accessories and Perfume Bottles from a 1934 L & C Mayers Co publication. Items shown as filigree metal trays, candy dishes and perfume bottles. Two of the trays have lace sandwiched between glass. The candy dishes have glass inserts with three compartments and sometimes I see these listed as powder jars and jewel caskets. The perfume bottles were made by Heisey (Crystolite) and rest inside French style metal mountings. One of them has a handpainted miniature painting on ivory.

Similar Apollo pieces from the same time period:

Bohemian Glass Shaker Top Perfume Bottles 1901 Advertisement

Bohemian colored glass perfume bottles with shaker tops from an antique Victorian/Edwardian 1901-02 A. C. McClurg & Co. publication. Many of the bottles are gilded and the designs are reminiscent of Moser. It appears that the shaker tops are the open rose and the "loving cup" styles.

L'Institut de Beaute & Klytia Perfumes

L'Institut de Beaute, of 26 place Vendome, Paris. A beauty salon established in 1895 by Victor Francois Merle with Elise-Marie Valentin Le Brun. The beauty salon sold cosmetics, toiletries and some of the finest limited edition perfume presentations, most likely only available at the Paris salon. The salon later moved to 222 rue de Rivoli, Paris. They sold products to the USA under the name Klytia, as this was an affiliated company established in 1895 by Merle.

Madame Valentin Le Brun had royal appointments from the Khedive of Egypt (possibly Abbas Hilmi Pasha), the Queen of England, The Queen of Spain (possibly Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg), Princess Eulalia (Princess Eulalia Maria Antoine Eleonore of Thurn and Taxis) and others. She was also awarded the (Silver Palms medal) as an Officier d'Academie de France.

Klytia is still producing skin care products today, under the Klytia label and the L'Institut de Beaute label (here's a hint for anyone interested in trying their products, I have found plenty of L'Institut de Beaute products at the discount stores Marshalls, and TJ Maxx, all items are priced half or lower of what they retail at higher end stores.)

The perfumes of Klytia:

• Bonheur du Jour 
• Bouquet de Mai 
• Bouquet du Roy
• Cleo 
• Corté Impériale de Russia
• Deliria de Calvi
• El Jazmin
• El Radinu
• El Secret de Astarte
• Elika
• Jardin de Mohana
• Jasmin
• Le Porte-Bonheur
• Le Prefere de Rejane
• Le Vertige de Simone
• Les Fiancailles
• Mon Bonheur
• Mond Fetiche
• Mon Fol Amor
• Mouchoir de Khedive
• Perfume de Madame Recamier
• Perfume Klytia
• Perfume Principe Jaime
• Rêve de Quatre Cœurs
• Rose de 4 Cœurs
• Souverain Perfume
• Tamara
• Violette de Montagnes

The perfumes of L'Institut de Beaute:

• 1895 Bouquet de l'Empire
• 1907 Klytia
• 1910 Bouquet L'Empereur
• 1911 L'Amour Antique
• 1920 Elyane
• 1925 aube
• 1925 Exquis Printemps
• 1930 Eulalia 
• 1931 Le Bouquet du Khedive (named after the Khedive of Egypt)
• 1931 Parfum Djavidan

Harem Life - Page 245, 1931:

".. in the market as I am when I order Le Bouquet du Khedive or the Parfum Djavidan from the Institut de Beaute, in Paris."

Harem Life - Page 245, 1931:

".. in the market as I am when I order Le Bouquet du Khedive or the Parfum Djavidan from the Institut de Beaute, in Paris."

Kay Francis and Perfumes c1933

In this vintage movie still photo from the 1933 film The Keyhole, you can see many beautiful perfume bottles on actress Kay Francis' vanity table.

A large Ruba Rhombic perfume bottle made by Consolidated Lamp and Glass Company can be seen to the right. To the immediate right, I can also see one of the Hoffmann Czech perfume bottles with the nude dauber. Other Czech bottles and possibly some commercial flacons are also present on the vanity.
































Another perfume bottle filled vanity appears in another Kay Francis film, 1932's Cynara. You can spot some atomizers (probably DeVilbiss) and some other bottles.

Magnum Perfume Bottles

The Magnum Import Company was an importer from New York who repackaged French perfumes for sale to the American market during the early 1920s.

You can find Magnum bottles with name of Caron, Guerlain, Coty, Grenoville, Rosine, D'Orsay, Roger et Gallet, Houbigant, Dedon

Magnum was wholly independent from these companies.

Cristal Nancy

Sometimes, collectors will come across perfume or cologne bottles acid etched with Cristal Nancy.

Cristal Nancy is not Daum Nancy. Cristal Nancy is the name for Cristalleries de Nancy, established in 1921 on the initiative of Jules Bayet, and located directly across from the famed Daum Nancy glass manufacturer on land donated by the Fruhinsholtz Company. Cristalleries de Nancy poached several of Daum's glass blowers and with their help, produced high end, expensive cut crystal products, mainly perfume bottles, which were their specialty. Auguste Houillon, a talented sculptor created many products for the company.

Baudruchage and Sealing Perfume Bottles

Baudruchage, also known as baudruche, is a way of sealing a perfume bottle with a covering of kid leather, animal membrane, cellulose, collodion, sheet rubber, gelatin, onion skin, cellophane, parafilm or onionskin. It is done during the finishing period and can often be quite lovely as a finished part of a presentation.

How To Loosen Jammed Glass Stoppers

American Soap Journal and Manufacturing Chemist, Volumes 11-13:

 1. Hold the bottle or decanter firmly in the hand or between the knees and gently tap the stopper on alternate sides using for the purpose a small piece of wood and directing the strokes upward.  

2. Plunge the neck of the vessel in hot water taking care that the water is not hot enough to split the glass. If the stopper is still fixed use the first method.  

3. Pass a piece of lint or stout string around the neck of the bottle which must be held fast while two persons draw the lint backward and forward. 

4. Warm the neck of the vessel before the fire, and when it is nearly hot, the stopper can be removed. 

5. Put a few drops of oil around the stopper where it enters the glass vessel which may then be warmed before the fire. Then apply process No 1. If the stopper still continues immovable, repeat the above process until it gives way, which it is almost sure to do in the end. 

6. Take a steel pin or needle and run it around the top of the stopper in the angle formed by it and the bottle. Then hold the vessel in your left hand and give it a steady twist toward you with the right and it will very soon be effectual. If this does not succeed try process No. 5 which will be facilitated by it. 

Chamart France Perfume Bottles

Chamart (JOHN R. WALKER CO.) was an importing company that originally started in the early 1950's by Charles Martine, hence the name "Chamart". They specialized in fine dinnerware, hand painted ceramics, replica and unusual perfume bottles and crystal.

c1896 Sterling & Crystal Perfume Bottles Ads

Here are a few sterling silver and crystal perfume and scent bottles from a 1896 Oskamp Nolting & Co publication

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Black Magic by Bombi c1945

Black Magic by The House of Bombi, New York perfume distributor: launched in 1945. This has been discontinued since the 1960s.

Antique Perfumes with Egyptian Themes

As the 19th century gave way to the 20th, the craze for all things Egyptian, known as Egyptomania, reached new heights. Capitalizing on this fascination, perfume companies began to market their products with lavishly designed packaging that featured intricate ancient Egyptian themes. Perfume bottles were crafted to resemble artifacts such as scarabs, sphinxes, and pyramids, often adorned with hieroglyphics and vibrant colors reminiscent of the Nile's treasures.

Cosmetic lines embraced this trend with eyeshadows, lipsticks, and rouge presented in ornate containers inspired by the rich aesthetics of pharaonic tombs. Powder boxes, a staple on every vanity, were transformed into miniature works of art, mimicking the opulence of Cleopatra's era. These items were not just beauty products but also decorative pieces that allowed women to experience a slice of the exotic and mysterious world of ancient Egypt from the comfort of their own homes.

By incorporating these Egyptian-themed luxuries into their daily routines, women could evoke the grandeur and mystique of a distant, enigmatic civilization. It was a way to transcend the ordinary, bringing a sense of adventure and historical romance into the intimate setting of their boudoirs.

Ahmed Soliman and Shimy Brothers Perfumes

In this guide, I will introduce you to the world of vintage perfumes crafted by Ahmed Soliman and the Shimy Brothers Perfume Companies of Egypt. These two renowned competitors specialized in catering to the upscale segment of the tourist trade, creating luxurious and sought-after fragrances. Today, both Ahmed Soliman and Shimy Brothers perfumes are exceedingly rare and fetch substantial prices at auctions. The pictures below showcase the diverse and exquisite types of perfume bottles that are a testament to their timeless elegance and craftsmanship.

Millat Perfumes and Karoff Perfumes

Millat Parfumeur was established by Arthur R Karoff and his brother Robert B Karoff Jr, in Miami, Florida around 1925, they had an office in Paris. I think that the Karoff perfume company was originally named Millat in the mid to late 1920s and by 1930 was renamed Karoff.

Karoff Perfume Company, also known as Karoff Creations, Karoff LTD and Karoff Originals, established by Robert B Karoff at 347 Fifth Ave New York in 1930; launched a range of fragrances, many dime-store novelties in glass bottles by Owens-Illinois Glass Company, also owned Milart.

Milart Associates, was a sales promotion firm that specialized in dime store products as well as in Christmas mailings postmarked from Santa Claus, Indiana.

Robert B. Karoff was also the creator of all Stuart Products Co. packages and sometimes the same Karoff perfumes and presentations will be marked with the Stuart Products name instead. Stuart Products Co. was established by Wm B. Cohen in St Paul, Minnesota in 1935, became Stuart Co in 1947, specialised in novelty products.

Arthur Karoff was shot and killed while in his car in 1957, the murder remains a mystery even today.

The perfumes of Millat:

• 1925 Minuit
• 1925 Chypre
• 1925 Rose
• 1925 Orchid
• 1925 Gardenia
• 1925 Narcisse
• 1925 Jasmine
• 1925 Trailing Arbutus
• 1925 Carnation
• 1925 Sweet Pea
• 1925 Extra Sec
• 1925 Penier
• 1925 Regnerator
• 1925 Rinter

Minuit perfume by Millat, circa 1920, photo by ebay seller xniide.

The perfumes of Karoff:

• 1930 Carnation
• 1930 Gardenia
• 1930 Orchid
• 1930 Narcisse
• 1930 Trailing Arbutus
• 1930 Tulip
• 1932 Sachet Cart presentation
• 1935 Indian Song (Stuart's)
• 1935 Lover's Dream (Stuart's)
• 1936 Floral Box presentation
• 1936 Floral Quintuplets presentation
• 1936 Miss Chypre
• 1936 Miss Gardenia
• 1936 Miss Orchid
• 1936 Miss Rose
• 1936 Miss Sweet Pea
• 1936 Buckarettes presentation
• 1937 Castanettes presentation  (Stuart's)
• 1938 Imperial Bath Cocktail
• 1938 La Conga presentation
• 1938 Orchi Charnia presentation (Stuart's)
• 1938 Minute Perfume Cocktail presentation
• 1948 PAR fumes presentation
• 1938 Parfume Blossoms
• 1938 The Topper presentation
• 1938 Lavender in Lace presentation (Stuart's)
• 1938 Chin Chin Chu presentation (Stuart's)
• 1938 Picanette presentation (Stuart's)
• 1939 Barette presentation
• 1939 Covered Wagon presentation
• 1939 Pefume Caravan presentation
• 1939 Tap Cologne
• 1940 Perfume Hi-Lights (Stuart's)
• 1940 My Lady's Strike (Stuart's)
• 1940 Aromalite (Stuart's)
• 1940 Perfumador presentation (Stuart's)
• 1940 Celestial Dream presentation
• 1940 Perfume O'Clock presentation (Stuart's)
• 1940 Perfume Time presentation (Stuart's)
• 1940 What Not Perfumes presentation (Stuart's)
• 1940 Perfumatone presentation (Stuart's)
• 1940 Floral Fiesta presentation
• 1940 Garden Gems presentation
• 1940 Bed of Roses presentation (Stuart's)
• 1940 Bouquet No. 1 (Stuart's)
• 1940 Bouquet No. 10 (Stuart's)
• 1940 Bouquet No. 9 (Stuart's)
• 1940 Brass Button (Stuart's)
• 1940 Chevron (Stuart's)
• 1940 Dufflette (Stuart's)
• 1940 Dutch Girl (Stuart's)
• 1940 Evensong (Stuart's)
• 1940 Perfume Cand-a-lite presentation
• 1940 Perfume Marionettes presentation
• 1940 Perfume of the Hour presentation, held Evening Mood and Morning Mist
• 1940 Private Number presentation
• 1940 Queen's Court
• 1940 Sweet Pea
• 1940 Perfume World presentation (Stuart's)
• 1940 Begonia
• 1940 Tri-Fumador presentation
• 1940 Quadrille presentation (Stuart's)
• 1940 Essence of Knowledge presentation
• 1941 Perfume Cannonizer presentation
• 1941 On Guard presentation
• 1941 Perfume Topics presentation (Stuart's)
• 1941 Parfum Le Bois d'Argonne presentation
• 1942 Sa-Chaise Lounge presentation (Stuart's)
• 1943 Army Canteen presentation
• 1943 Navy Canteen presentation
• 1944 Old Acquintance presentation
• 1945 Sheltered Treasures presentation
• 1950 International Coquettes presentation

Images below are shown in an advertisement from a 1939-40 International Merchandise catalog.