A Note From The Founders...

This Spring, just like in previous years, we're excited to unveil new exhibits along with additions to several permanent displays. In the coming weeks, you'll be among the first to hear about our upcoming special events and new projects. One of the first things you'll notice is that our monthly newsletter, PassageWAY, is transitioning to a bi-monthly format. This will give us the opportunity to better organize the many programs and exhibitions we are planning for later this year. We'll kick off this schedule with the May/June 2025 issue, which will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Paris Exposition!

It's incredible to reflect on all the events and images that have emerged throughout the world over the last 100 years.

We cherish the rich history of this past century and how it's shaped our collecting interests. Here at Perfume Passage, 1925 marked a pivotal moment that sparked our appreciation for everything Art Deco!

So, for this issue, we're thrilled to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Paris Exposition that opened in April 1925. Its impact is seen throughout our galleries and collections at Perfume Passage, and it's fun to think, if only....

Sincerely,

Jeffrey and Rusty,

Co-founders

One of the three official posters of the Expo by Robert Bonfils.

The 1925 Paris Exposition, officially known as the "Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes," was a landmark event that showcased over 15,000 exhibits from 20 countries. Held in Paris from April 28 to October 25, 1925, it was designed by the French government to highlight a new modern style that included architecture, furniture, glass, jewelry and other decorative arts from around the world.

The six month Expo was visited by over 16 million people and was showcased in pavilions built along both banks of the Seine river in central Paris. Years later, the styles that emerged from the event were termed "Art Deco," after the Expo's name.

• The Exposition took place on 55 acres.

• The main entrance, known as the "Gate of Honor," was located next to the Grand Palais. This was the large glass and iron pavilion which had been built for the 1900 Universal Exposition.

• Two-thirds of the allotted land was set aside for various French pavilions, while the rest was made available to other participating nations.

• The Exhibition featured gardens and fountains placed between the pavilions.

• The principal architect for the Exposition was Charles Plumet.

The Expo was considered a celebration of modernism and one of its goals was to re-establish France as the world's hub for art, design and fashion. The exhibits throughout the event reflected the message that traditional forms and designs were part of the past and modernism was the wave of the future.

The Art Deco era has always been very special to us for its architectural and design elements. The straight and smooth lines, heavy geometric shapes and sleek forms created the perfect balance in what we feel is the most glamorous time in history. The 1920s are one of our favorite collecting eras, as evident by our Deco gallery, located on the upper level at Perfume Passage!

Through books, newspaper accounts and photographs, we've learned that hundreds of US designers, artists, journalists and even department store buyers came to Paris to visit the Exposition. They returned home and introduced the designs and architecture they saw, influencing fashion, furniture and building structure throughout the USA.

Collectors who love deco styles—characterized by clean lines, bold geometric shapes and sleek forms—may be surprised to learn that the term "art deco" wasn't even coined until the 1960s! This label was applied retroactively to the modernism movement that flourished in the 1920s. Today, we embrace the term to celebrate an incredible aesthetic and vibrant period that can often span from 1909 to 1939. It’s all about those sleek geometrics, rich colors, surface embellishments and the use of man-made materials that define the deco style.

When designing Perfume Passage, we knew we wanted to include a Deco gallery inspired by the 1925 Expo. We also knew we wanted the design from the Expo's Rene Lalique pavilion to be highlighted in the room.

In the center of the Expo's Perfume Pavilion was a circular shaped case that included glass ribbons on top, symbolizing a water fountain.

In our gallery, we've included Lalique's fountain designs at either end of the room that are immediately noticeable upon entering, transporting you back to the Paris event! The designs sit atop showcases that feature our Czech and DeVilbiss displays.

The fountain theme continues throughout the room from the light sconces on the walls to the flowing water design on the terrazzo floor.

Two light sconces with carved wood backs and alabaster bases were purchased several years ago at the Miami antique show from an Argentinian antique dealer. We had them replicated and four of them light up the Deco gallery!

This stunning large light fixture in the center of the gallery came from a hotel ballroom in northern California. It has a streamlined deco design and dates from after WWII. And yes, its installation was a sight to see!

The terrazzo flooring in muted colors are reminiscent of the flowing water of a fountain!

Additional room inspirations were taken from the iron and copper grille called "Oasis" by Edgar Brandt. He designed the ornamental gates at the main entrance of the Paris event. The entry doors to the Deco gallery (right) feature a stain glass design that are reminiscent of Brandt's design at the Expo.

Glass manufacturers from Czechoslovakia displayed in a pavilion at the Expo, along with other European glass houses.

Deco style Czech perfume bottles and vanity items with chrome and other metal features were popular during the deco era and are part of the collection at Perfume Passage.

Karl Palda and Bruno Posselt were two of the more well-known Czech glass makers producing bottles in the deco style. Usually, glass blanks were purchased from other Czech companies and then the enameling and bottle finishing work were completed at the Palda and Posselt factories.

The Expo helped introduce Lalique to the US market as American tourists fell in love with his perfume bottles, vases and accessories that were on display. They purchased items to bring home as gifts for family and friends, which created an interest for his brand in the USA.

While Perfume Passage doesn't have the exact perfume bottles produced by Lalique that were displayed at the Expo, our collection does include a variety of Lalique perfume bottles that he produced for several companies as a result of his success in Paris.

The year after the Expo, D. Roditi & Sons, the company created by St. Louis department store Stix, Bayer and Fuller, began managing an office in Paris, as they decided to create their own line of fragrances. Perhaps due to Lalique's success at the Expo, they collaborated to create the Raquel Meller perfume bottle (below). It was named after Spanish actress and singer Francisca Romana Marques Lopez, who around 1910 changed her name to Raquel Meller. She became an international celebrity in the 1920s and 1930s, entertaining audiences worldwide in dancing, Vaudeville and singing. She also appeared in several silent films and one talkie.

The design on the bottle is said to represent the floral shawl Raquel wore while performing at the Casino de Paris.

The orange and black enameled decoration is on both sides of the 3" x 3" bottle. This rare bottle is on display in our Deco gallery and includes the original matching box.

Time magazine on April 26, 1926, featured Raquel on their cover. She died in 1962, and her Barcelona funeral procession was reportedly attended by nearly 100,000 people.

Robj was highlighted in our Spring 2021 Journal.

Other Notables at the Expo...

Our Paul Poiret collection is showcased in the Vault gallery. The Parisian opened his haute couture house in 1903 and was the first fashion designer to create his own line of perfumes to complement his designs, opening Les Parfums de Rosine in 1911 in Paris.

He showcased his fashions, furnishings and fragrances on three barges along the Seine, creating a lavish display at the Expo, all reflecting the deco aesthetic. 

Poiret said the names of the three barges--Amours, Delices and Orgues represented women, and were based on the French words that translated to Love, Delights and Organs.

The library at Perfume Passage includes several books and magazines written about the Expo in 1925-1926! Spending an afternoon diving into these fascinating publications is not just enjoyable; it transports you back in time making you feel like you were right there!

The French monthly publication, L'Illustration, featured the Expo in their magazines in 1925. There are several in our library, including the June and October 1925 editions.

The October issue featured metal work by Edgar Brandt on the cover (below, right).

The L'Illustration magazines featured several of the Lalique perfume bottles (above) that were on display in the Perfume Pavilion.

In the US, newspapers began including articles about the events at the Expo in 1925. The headline below was from the May 5, 1925 Kansas City Journal.

The article described that while the Expo was intended to show the world what was new and modern in the decorative arts, crowds at the Expo would gather around some of the more unusual attractions. Areas were devoted to merry-go-rounds, fireworks, beauty contests, belly dancers and shooting galleries.

The classic game of tossing balls at targets took on a unique Parisian flair at the Expo. Visitors could aim their throws at ladies dressed in negligees, watching in amusement as they tumbled out of beds! When a tosser struck the center target, a spring mechanism would activate, sending the woman crashing to the ground amid cheers and laughter from the crowd. Interestingly, the article noted that "oddly enough, most of the crowd speaks American!"

The Santa Ana, California Register newspaper from December 8, 1925 included an advertisement from the White Cross Drug Company. They were offering the latest gifts from Paris that included Fioret perfumes, powders and compacts!

Chapeau Mossant hats were made in Paris, and the hat won a gold medal of superiority at the Expo. This October 5, 1925 ad for Wanamakers department store appeared in the Camden New Jersey Courier newspaper.

The Tricho Method for "removing superfluous hair" won a Grand Prix award at the Expo according to this December 20, 1925 ad in the Atlanta Constitution newspaper. The ad said the Tricho Institute competed with countless methods of hair removal submitted by 30 nations. Tricho claimed they use no wax, needles or chemicals. It makes you wonder how they won the award...

While there were no US exhibits at the Expo, American designers, artists and architects did embrace the modernism and deco styles introduced at the event.

Before the term Art Deco was used, Streamline Moderne, was used to describe the iconic skyscrapers that began popping up throughout the US in the years following the Expo.

New York's Chrysler building and the Empire State building, along with Chicago's Board of Trade building, and Los Angeles' Hollywood Bowl were all erected in the new modern style.

In addition, fashions and jewelry in the 1930s drew significant inspiration from the deco style, and this influence extended to ladies' vanity items as well. At Perfume Passage, you'll find a wonderful collection of purses, compacts and lipsticks, all beautifully designed in the deco style.

Elgin American Manufacturer from Elgin, Illinois, was a leading compact manufacturer in the 1920s-1950s. Their art deco style compacts (below) were popular when produced and extremely collectible today!

These two Elgin American silverplate compacts have a wonderful enamel deco design. The insides include a mirror with powder and rouge areas. They were featured in a 1930 E.L. Rice company (Detroit) wholesale catalog.

Ninety-five years ago, during the challenging times of the Great Depression, the blue square compact cost $3.90, while the striking red and black enamel compact sold for $4.50!

The Whiting & Davis company of Plainville, Massachusetts, produced purses in the greatest variety of mesh types and styles in the 1920s-1930s. Several of their deco-designed bags are on display at Perfume Passage!

James Zera Oviatt, an American haberdasher, attended the Paris Expo where he commissioned Rene Lalique to fabricate the architectural glass, among other components for his planned California building. The structure was the first Art Deco styled building in Los Angeles.

More than 30 tons of glass made for the Oviatt building were shipped through the Panama Canal and installed throughout the 12-story edifice. This is believed to have been the largest undertaking in the world for Lalique. Construction began in August 1927 and was completed in May 1928.

An original display cabinet made by Lalique for the Oviatt building, is located in the center of our Deco gallery.

• A "perfume piano" was placed in the Expo's Perfume Pavilion. It allowed visitors to experience the aromas of a variety of scents, as they could press keys that were connected to a fan and groups of small perfume bottles.

• The Expo was originally proposed for 1913-14 but abandoned due to the outbreak of WWI. The previous fair held in Paris had been in 1900; and France wanted the 1925 event to help them regain world recognition as the cultural arts capital of the world.

• The Parfum Des Anges Lalique perfume bottle we own, which was created for the grand opening of the Los Angeles Oviatt building, is marked number 1 on the glass. We acquired this bottle from a groundskeeper who worked for a descendent of James Oviatt. Upon their passing, items from the estate were gifted to him, including this unique treasure.

• In addition to showcasing his couture fashions, textiles and fragrances, two of Paul Poiret's barges at the Expo were opened to the public for teas, dinner and a theater. The third barge (Amours) served as Poiret's personal summer residence, and he slept there during the entire Exposition!

Our mission is to preserve the history, beauty and artistry of perfume bottles, compacts, ephemera and related vanity items. Through education, outreach, and awareness of the Perfume Passage collection and library, our goal is to inspire art lovers, collectors, arts and curators to keep this history alive. 

Perfume Passage Foundation perfumepassage.org