Geminesse by Max Factor c1974

Geminesse by Max Factor: launched in 1974 . Few younger people know that Geminesse was actually the name of a cosmetics and skincare line put out by Max Factor in 1966.

"All the seeming contradictions of her personality, the sweet side, the funny side, that touch of fireside, the fragrance for her is Geminesse, now you'll know what to get her."

Roll No. 9

On ebay this week, is a strange perfume bottle, called Roll No. 9 by Roll Paris/Meknes. 

Curiously, there is a label on the box that reads "ROLL is the CREATOR of the REAL No. 5"

Its box has various labels which read:

“Pretty boxes and elegant flasks are often deceiving in containing perfumes of poor quality. ROLL, on the contrary, prefers to concentrate on the quality of its products, contained in plain flasks. As for the boxes, they are only packages which are used to protect the flasks. ROLL’s best advertisement is the QUALITY."

and

"No ROLL products were placed on sale during the German occupation - that is why ROLL’s quality is always the same as it was in 1939-40."

The box is stamped with "Manufactured in 1939-40"


Another label reads "This bottle is the same exact duplicate of those used at the court of Napoleon 1st 1804-1815"


I can find no information on Roll Paris/Meknes anywhere!

Very Rare Bal A Versailles Perfume Container

Leon Leyritz, a sculptor whose works grace the Paris Opera House, created a statuette of Janus, the Roman god with two faces to hold Bal a Versailles parfum in 1969.

Cabochard by Gres c1956

Cabochard was launched in 1956. In USA in 1958. The name Cabochard was chosen by Madame Gres herself (in French Cabochard means 'stubborn' or 'headstrong') to reflect her free spirit and will. Following the current trends at the time for chypres, she launched two of her own: the leathery chypre, Cabochard and the floral chypre, Chouda.

Cinnabar by Estee Lauder c1978

 In 1978, the world was captivated by a fascination with the exotic and the mysterious, particularly as it related to Eastern cultures. This period saw a burgeoning interest in themes that evoked luxury, mystique, and the allure of distant lands, often referred to as "Oriental" in the context of art, fashion, and fragrance. The launch of Estee Lauder's Cinnabar came at a time when cultural depictions of the Orient were popular in various forms of media, including film. Movies like "The Man Who Would Be King" (1975) and "The Thief of Baghdad" (1978) indulged in romanticized portrayals of Eastern locales, contributing to a broader cultural trend that embraced the mystique and opulence of these settings.

Estee Lauder's choice of the name "Cinnabar" for her new fragrance was deeply symbolic and aligned with this cultural fascination. Cinnabar is a bright red mineral that has been historically used to produce the pigment vermilion, a color often associated with wealth, power, and the exotic in many Eastern cultures. The mineral itself, a form of mercury sulfide, has been used in traditional Chinese and Japanese art and decoration, symbolizing both beauty and danger due to its toxic properties. The name "Cinnabar" thus evoked a rich tapestry of associations: the luxurious allure of the Orient, the vibrant and potent nature of the pigment, and the sense of something rare and precious.

The choice of this name also connected to the perfume's sensory profile. Created by the talented perfumers Bernard Chant and Josephine Catapano, Cinnabar was designed to capture the exoticism and intensity of Oriental fragrances. It featured a rich blend of spices, florals, and amber, creating a warm, inviting, and somewhat mysterious scent. The perfume's composition was meant to evoke the opulent and complex aromas associated with Eastern markets and spices, much like the imagery of cinnabar as a rare and luxurious substance.

In the context of the late 1970s, Cinnabar fit seamlessly into a cultural moment that celebrated the exotic and the luxurious. The perfume capitalized on the public's fascination with Oriental aesthetics, offering a sensory escape to distant lands filled with spice, warmth, and intrigue. The decision to pivot from the planned Soft Youth Dew to Cinnabar demonstrated Estee Lauder's keen awareness of market trends and her ability to adapt quickly to changing consumer desires. By choosing the name "Cinnabar," Estee Lauder not only aligned her fragrance with the era's fascination with the Orient but also imbued it with a sense of mystery and allure that resonated deeply with the zeitgeist of the time.

Masumi by Coty c1967

Masumi by Coty made its debut in 1967, but it wasn't until a 1976 article captured its essence with profound insight. Describing the perfume, the article noted how it seemed tailor-made for the burgeoning Yoga generation, encapsulating the spirit of an era seeking harmony and enlightenment.

ad from 1977

Youth Dew by Estee Lauder c1953

Youth Dew by Estee Lauder was launched in 1953.

When you think of Youth Dew, you probably think of the Bath Oil that has been popular since the 1950s. But there were a whole range of ancillary products that followed.

White Satin by Angelique c1949

White Satin by Angelique came out in 1949.

Gardenia by Chanel c1925

"Sweet and voluptuous, an intense fragrance of absolute femininity. Created by CHANEL Master Perfumer Ernest Beaux in 1925, GARDÉNIA is an olfactive ode to the camellia, Mademoiselle Chanel's favorite flower. A vanilla base rises to meet a heart of sweet fruit and creamy gardenia petals, accented with coconut. Sending the scent aloft: the crisp greens of the flower's morning leaves." - By Chanel


I definitely smell the gardenia accord in this fragrance, it sticks out like a sore thumb and mixes with violets and aldehydes to create an ethereal gardenia/tuberose note rival to Rober Piguet's Fracas. The vanilla drydown is a pleasant surprise as the gardenia and the vanilla go very well together. A very green mossy vetiver note mixed with narcissus is present as is a civet like note that I detect. I am using a 1950's perfume nip for this review and I don't know how it compares to today's Gardenia by Chanel.


Gardenia is gorgeous floral bouquet and an admirable example of the talent of the great perfume creator, Ernest Beaux. . Gardenia was relaunched in the 1980's together with other exclusive perfumes - Bois des Iles and Cuir de Russie. The reconstructed version is very similar to the original (vintage). At the time of Ernest Beaux synthetic materials technology was still undeveloped, and due to synthetic notes the new version of Gardenia is more modern and not at all that heavy and strong as expected from white flowers. The elegance of Gardenia is timeless.


The natural fragrance of gardenia can not be distilled, and in this composition it is substituted by fragrances of orange blossom, and jasmine, succored by sweet tuberose note. In the base of the composition, beside musk, there are woody notes of patchouli, vetiver and sandal. Today, Gardenia comes as eau de parfum and eau de toilette.

The official notes of the modern perfume are: jasmine, gardenia, orange blossom, tuberose, clove, sage, pimento, musk, patchouli, sandalwood and vetiver.

Eau de Gardenia, cube bottle of eau de toilette, very rare, circa 1937, photo by Perfume Bottles Auction

American Druggist, 1937:

"CHANEL Eau De Toilette (Cube Bottle) Gardenia, Ambre, Chypre, Rose, and Magnolia."

Consumer Reports, 1941:

"Chanel Gardenia Perfume. $2.50 for 1/2 fl. oz.; $11 for .9 fl. oz. Good, though less sweet, and weaker than others."

The New Yorker, 1943:

"FRAGRANT ENCHANTMENT That you may walk in beauty . . . creating an aura of loveliness bean - stirring as spring moonlight . . , these exquisite Chanel accessories to charm . Chanel Face Powder, perfumed with No. 5 or Gardenia."

Maritza No.9 by Countess Maritza c1950

Maritza No 9 by Countess Maritza was launched in the early 1950s, however,  not much information is to be found on this perfume. It was available as eau de parfum, perfume spray, purse spray and spray mist. It was also available in a foursome gift set along with Sonata, Silent Night and White Mist.