Actress Billie Burke on Perfumes c1922

I came across an interesting article featuring American red headed actress "Billie" Burke, the wife of Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. in an old issue of Theatre Magazine. You may remember her as "Glinda the Good Witch" in the 1939 Wizard of Oz film.

Theatre Magazine, Volume 35, 1922:

Billie Burke has told us a very interesting thing in connection with perfumes... Miss Burke, who is playing in Booth Tarkington's "Intimate Strangers" at the Henry Miller Theatre, "loves perfumes". Not too well, but wisely...She has made a great study of them. 

"Perfumes are stimulating, and they are soothing" she says, "They are stimulating for yourself as well as for the people round you . And nothing can appeal more to the imagination or more quickly revive old memories and sentiments than a perfume. If I were a woman trying to resuscitate the embers of a dying flame, ' laughed Miss Burke,  'I should lean heavily on the perfume end of it...the perfume he loved in the days that were, so to speak. 

Though as a matter of fact that wouldn't do in my own case, because I use so many perfumes...this for a certain dress or occasion, or mood, that for another one...I think many modern women do, don't you...I know a lot of them, especially actresses...instead of having just one, as they used to. It is the newer note. Still there's much to be said on both sides." 

But that's not the particular" interesting thing" we started out to tell you..Only, we knew you'd like to hear whatever Miss Burke had to say...She is so individual...and there is no more fascinating subject in the world than perfumes... 

No...what she said that peculiarly arrested our attention was, that she is so devoted to perfumes...they mean so much to her and she is so sensitive to their influence, that on many occasions she even gets a special. perfume for the part she is going to play.
"To have a perfume that seems to fit the personality of the woman I am going to impersonate helps put me 'into' the mood and character. It was a bit difficult to get the right perfume for Isabel in "The Intimate Strangers"...it had to be a perfume very feminine, something typical of many women, yet with a modern note... a blend of the old and the new. Nothing in my own repertoire of perfumes seemed just 'it'. I went around to several of my favorite perfume counters sniffing and sniffing. 

"Finally, my pet saleswoman said, "Try this violet, Miss Burke"...Violet, I thought, that's the right idea...that's what I want...and this violet was absolutely delicious...just like the fresh flowers. And what do you suppose! I was so astonished...it was an American make, a well-known American manufacturer I had never thought I could use anything but French perfumes before. If I had known these American manufacturers could compete so successfully with the French, I should have included their perfumes in my collection long ago. Since then, I have bought several of them...their rose is as delicious as their violet...it, too, smells like the fresh flower....and there is an enticing Oriental odor." 

 The moral of Miss Burke's tale is two fold: 

 First, we says to ourself, says we, if perfume can help put an actress 'into' a personality on the stage, why can't it help in the same way off the stage? It can....Choose the type of lady you wish to be for the day or the hour, a languorous Oriental type...a sweet demure, young thing...a 'blend of the old and new' (as Miss Burke called it) and let your perfume black-magic you into your part. How about it?
 Second, take to heart what Miss Burke says about the merits of the American perfumes! 

Nostalgia by Germaine Monteil c1941

Nostalgia by Germaine Monteil, launched in 1941, is a fragrance steeped in emotional depth and reflection, embodying the essence of its name. The word Nostalgia, derived from the Greek nostos (meaning "return home") and algia (meaning "pain"), refers to a wistful longing for the past, evoking emotions of yearning and sentimentality. Choosing the name Nostalgia for a perfume in the early 1940s was not only poignant but deeply evocative, as the world was in the grip of World War II—a time when thoughts of the past and a desire for peace and stability were at the forefront of people’s minds. The name taps into the universal human experience of memory, of longing for a simpler, happier time, and of reflecting on the fleeting moments that bring comfort during uncertainty.

In scent, Nostalgia would naturally be interpreted as a fragrance that evokes both warmth and melancholy, creating a bridge between the past and the present. The opening notes of powdery aldehydes, known for their soft, clean, and slightly soapy quality, are often associated with the elegance of classic perfumes. These aldehydes lend a sense of timelessness and sophistication, evoking the image of a woman dressed in refined, vintage elegance. The bright citrus notes that accompany the aldehydes provide an immediate freshness, a reminder of brighter days, perhaps symbolizing hope amidst the dark realities of the war.

As the scent unfolds, the heart reveals a floral bouquet dominated by lilac, jasmine, and rose. These flowers, with their soft, romantic qualities, add an air of femininity and grace. Lilac, with its nostalgic connotations of spring and renewal, pairs beautifully with the timeless appeal of rose and the sultry depth of jasmine, creating an emotional pull. The floral notes in Nostalgia speak to a longing for love, beauty, and the familiar comforts of home, things that would have been acutely missed by women living through the hardships and separations of the war years.

The base notes—warm, rich, mossy, and woodsy—ground the fragrance in a comforting earthiness. Oakmoss and sandalwood, staples of the chypre fragrance family, provide a sense of depth and solidity, almost like an anchor to the past. The richness of these base notes mirrors the complexity of memory, the way in which emotions linger and deepen over time. In this way, Nostalgia captures not just the fleeting beauty of floral notes but also the enduring power of memory, with its warmth and quiet strength.

Parfums Massenet

Parfums Massenet, Inc., 509 Madison Ave, New York, New York. Established by G.R Parkinson in Paris around 1940.

Ambush by Dana c1955

Ambush by Dana was launched in 1955. It was reportedly created by Jean Carles.

It was available in parfum and eau de cologne.

Phul-Nana by Grossmith c1891

Phul-Nana by Grossmith: launched in 1891. Phul-Nana, which means "lovely flower," represented a bouquet of chosen Indian flowers. This fragrance paved the way for oriental fragrances today.

Maison Violet/Veolay Perfumes

Maison Violet (Pronounced VEOLAY) Perfume Company of Paris France and New York City. The name was often marketed phonetically as "VEOLAY" when products were sold in English speaking countries.

Maison Violet was established around 1810 in Paris and the business was originally known as "A la Reine des Abeilles".  The shop was located at 317 rue St. Denis.

Les Parfums Viville

The Viville Parfums of Paris France, was established at 24 ave de l'Opera, Paris in 1892, when Albert Rene Camus Viville acquired house has company established in 1836 by Ernest Camus.

C1928 ad

Hener

Hener, of Paris, France. They were affiliated to Marshall Field & Co.

Parfumerie Diaphane

Established in 1881 by Mr. A. Reverchon at 48 avenue Parmentier, Paris. Reverchon created a rice powder for the face in 1879 and named it La Diaphane, he named his company after his best selling product.

Parfumerie Diaphane exported its products around two-thirds in most of Europe, in Indo-China to Japan in the Caribbean and off the coast of Pacific.

Parfumerie Diaphane was located at 4 rue Edith-Cavell, Courbevoie, Seine, France.

Parfums D'Arizane

Parfums D'Arizane, of France.


The perfumes of d'Arizane:

• 1940 Raban
• 1940 Catogan
• 1940 Rutlan