A Note From The Founders... | |
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We enjoyed the “Go Figure” symposium at our recent IPBA convention, seeing all the fun figural perfume presentations in a variety of categories.
Who knew you could dab or spritz from a bottle shaped like a shoe, lamp or pair of dice!
Of course it got us thinking about all of the novelty perfume bottles and figural compacts in our collection.
So for this issue, we thought we'd share Perfume Passage's perfume bottles and compacts that are shaped like something else!
Sincerely,
Jeffrey and Rusty, Co-founders
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The Beginnings of Bottles... | |
We know that glass bottles holding perfume have sat on a ladies' vanity table for centuries. Very early perfume containers could be a bit crude in design and were often carried in pockets or in a ladies' purse. Over the years glass manufacturing techniques evolved and perfume bottles became larger and more ornate. | |
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The first perfume containers in the US were called smelling bottles, as they served a dual purpose. They were used not only to hold perfume, but also for smelling salts that helped revive ladies from “the vapors” and fainting spells! Many of these bottles were brought from England to the US in the 1700s.
One of the first glass companies in the US to produce smelling bottles was the Manheim, Pennsylvania glass factory of William Henry Stiegel between 1769 and 1774. Stiegel was a German-born iron worker and glassmaker who is best known for the colorful blown glass that is associated with his name and company.
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By the late 1700s, the word “pungent” was also being used to describe smelling bottles and they were advertised in local publications and sold at apothecaries. Pungents and smelling bottles were in demand into the early 1800s and additional glass companies in New England began to produce perfume bottles in a variety of shapes and colors.
Larger cut glass cologne and perfume bottles, often with sterling mountings, became popular during the Victorian era (1837-1901), and began showing up in a lady's boudoir.
This sterling terrier dog cap unscrews to fill the cut glass bottle with your favorite scent. It has the London hallmarks for 1884.
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By the late 1800s and early 1900s, the number of perfume companies increased and C.B. Woodworth & Sons, Tappan Perfume Co., Solon Palmer, Colgate and Richard Hudnut were becoming household names and recognized for their perfumes. The bottles from these companies were often simple in shape with colorful labels with the occasional figural bottle produced.
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Figurals and Novelties... | |
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Novelty and figural perfume bottles are just that -- bottles in the shape of everyday objects, people and buildings. Ladies compacts can also be figural in nature, and like perfume bottles, are very popular and collectible.
In the late 19th century, commercial perfume manufacturers and glass makers began marketing their fragrances in specially designed containers that were often figural in nature. Some of the packaging became very ornate and was often whimsical in nature.
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One of the first figural perfume bottles was in the shape of the Liberty Bell and the design was patented by Samuel C. Upham in November 1874. It was sold at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876 and the bottle is on the "search" list for Perfume Passage!
In 1888, the Bryce Brothers glass company of Pittsburgh manufactured a colored pressed glass slipper that held a clear glass perfume bottle (another item on the Perfume Passage wish list!) The Tappan Perfume Company of New York marketed many of their perfumes in figural bottles and filed patents on several of their well-known designs.
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A fun 5" metal wire tricycle holds a 3" clear glass perfume bottle in the shape of a man's torso. It was made for Tappan Cycle Perfume and was advertised in this 1892 Boston Catalogue of Fancy Dry Goods, selling for $2.25 a dozen by the Walker-Stetson-Sawyer company!
Figural bottles continued to grow in popularity, and from the 1920s-1970s were produced in large quantities by several companies, including Karoff, Landers, Ansehl, Babs Creation and of course, Avon.
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The figural and novelty perfumes that are on display throughout our galleries, are from a variety of companies and in a variety of themes. Often called "dime store novelties," the figural perfume presentations were inexpensive items sold in department and "five and dime" stores in the 1930-1950s. Perfect gift items from children to their mothers or teachers and often packed away. Today, they are a growing collectible perfume category. | |
Arthur Philippi produced a variety of drugstore perfumes in the 1940s. They were located in New York and many of their perfume presentations had Christmas motifs. Their Noel fragrance had a bottle with a tree as a stopper and came in this one ounce size. | |
A fun Philippi perfume and corsage, perfect for Christmas or even a holiday wedding, came with a tiny bottle attached in the center (above). Another fun Philippi novelty perfume was this miniature plastic ornament from the 1940s. The fragrances inside are Gardenia, Six Flowers and Apple Blossom. | |
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Several companies founded by Robert B. Karoff produced popular perfume novelty items in the 1930s-1940s.
The Karoff Perfume Company, also known as Karoff Creations, Karoff LTD and Karoff Originals, were established in New York, and introduced a variety of fragrances contained in a variety of dime store novelty glass bottles, manufactured by the Owens-Illinois Glass company.
This perfume presentation, featuring three golf-club shaped bottles in a bag, is called “Par-Fumes” and was made by Karoff Creations in 1938.
Karoff was also the creator of all Stuart Products Company packages and sometimes the same Karoff perfumes and presentations can be found marked with the Stuart Products name instead.
Stuart Products Co. was established by William B. Cohen in St Paul, Minnesota in 1935 and became the Stuart Company in 1947, specializing in novelty products.
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Perfume Passage displays include a wide variety of items in dozens of perfume categories, from ancient bottles as far back as 2500 BC, to bottles from the 17th through 20th centuries. The figural and novelty perfume bottles, compacts and lipsticks often generate a curiosity or disbelief as visitors question whether the items really held fragrance or makeup! Collectors believe, do you? | |
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This 1914 William H. Brown & Brother porcelain candlestick holder has a candle shaped perfume bottle. The label says Violet Simplicity Perfume, Brown, New York, Paris and JC Dowd distributors.
It's also stamped Made in Germany on the bottom which means the candle holder was manufactured in Germany. Brown, an American novelty perfume company, purchased the holder from a German manufacturer, filled the bottle with their scent and marketed it to the public.
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A fun 6-1/2" pink wooden street lamp has a 2" glass perfume bottle with a paper label that says Stop Light. It was distributed by the Robinson Company of New York. | | |
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Before cell phones--
A large 8-1/4" x 3-3/4" 1920s French black glass base telephone atomizer with metal fittings. It has a carved wooden receiver, hose and ball. Ota-Paris is molded on the bottom (left).
A 2" x 2-1/2" black glass dial style telephone with a metal novelty perfume. The top of the phone lifts off to reveal the twist off cap perfume bottle. No markings (above).
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In 1912 Heinrich Schreyer and Heinrich Muller established the toy company "Schreyer and Co." in Nuremberg, Germany. The company changed its name to Schuco in 1921 --a derivation of Schreyer and Co.
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In addition to stuffed animals, the company produced 3-1/4" monkeys, bears and cats that included a perfume bottle when you lifted off the animal's head!
The perfume animals, along with compact animals that opened at the belly to reveal a mirror and powder, were patented in 1928 by Heinrich Mueller.
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Yes it was possible to carry an oil can or pig in your purse in the 1930-40s! These figural lipsticks were actually intended to be used, and while the lipstick itself didn't last long, refills could be purchased! The oil can measured only an inch and the pig's head pulled off to reveal your favorite shade. | |
In the 1950s, Henriette made several ball shaped compacts, including their popular eight ball compact. It has a flat spot on the bottom so it doesn't roll off a lady's vanity table. Inside has a mirror and powder area. | |
This 3-3/4" 1940-50s black enamel record shaped compact is signed JD Creation and has a Melody label. Inside is a mirror and powder area. | |
Made of black fabric, this 4" 1930-40s French beret compact has a red pom-pom. Inside has a mirror and powder area. | |
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A tiny bottle of Blue Orchid perfume (above) was nestled inside this plastic guitar!
A faux leather guitar (right) with plastic strings was acutally a ladies compact and opens to reveal a mirror and area to hold powder.
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Volupte made wonderful figural compacts in the 1940-1950s including the Petite Boudoir, that was advertised as a miniature version of Marie Antoinette's carved golden dressing table. The legs folded under for easy carrying and the inside included a mirror and powder puff. | |
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Volupte also made a series of around 12 different designs of their collectible Golden Gesture hand shaped powder compacst. Their black lace version was offered for sale in this 1947 advertisement for $7.50.
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Treasures of the Collection... | |
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Not all figural perfume presentations were manufactured for sale in dime stores. The Vault gallery at Perfume Passage includes two of Parfums de Marcy's rarest figural presentations on display.
Parfums de Marcy produced several bracelets that consisted of individual perfume bottles linked together. The 1927 "Le Bracelet Miraculeux" (The Miraculous Bracelet) includes five clear glass perfume bottles with faceted black glass stoppers and is presented in a velvet box.
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Their "Le Collier Miraculeux" (The Miraculous Necklace), also dates from 1927 and includes 11 blown glass perfume bottles with a pearlized finished. It imitates a pearl necklace in graduating sizes as it sits in a velvet and silk lined box.
While these appear wearable, we'd advise against it!
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Who could forget the whimsical looking orange the company produced in 1925, appropriately called L'Orange? The perfume presentation looks like a halved orange, holding eight perfume bottles simulating slices with labels, fitting together inside a 3" ceramic bowl. (photo courtesy of the Perfume Bottles Auction catalog).
The orange sold for $45,000 (including buyers premium). at the 2023 Perfume Bottles Auction.
That's only $44,998 more than advertised in the October 2, 1925 Brooklyn Daily Eagle newspaper! If only...
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However, we do not have it in the Perfume Passage Collection. | |
Perfume Passage Is On Social Media... | |
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There's no doubt about it, social media has become a part of the everyday life for billions of people and businesses. According to an online article from Search Engine Journal, there are over 400,000 new social users every day.
Perfume Passage has joined the ranks of the billions, and increased our presence on several social media platforms to share our collections, events and publications! Click on the highlighted links below to view some of our videos, stories and collections. And then surf and swipe away!
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YouTube:
IPBA member and recent convention keynote speaker Erin Parsons visited Perfume Passage with her film crew. They spent a fun few days with Jeffrey and Rusty filming the galleries and sharing perfume stories.
Several of her Perfume Passage videos have already been posted on her social media platforms. Erin's "You've Never Seen Fragrance Like This" about Perfume Passage had garnered over 363,000 views on YouTube in just three months! Can we say we went viral?!
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Facebook:
We started our facebook page soon after our grand opening in 2019, creating the perfect place to share Perfume Passage happenings! We're able to link to our other online platforms to stay in touch with fellow collectors.
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Instagram:
With nearly 3,000 followers (increasing weekly!), the platform is a great website to post videos and share our collections and their history.
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TikTok:
]We've been expanding our presence on TikTok and have begun sharing "Scent-Bites!" These are brief video stories about collections and companies that are on display in our galleries. Jeffrey highlighted the Chicago company Jovan in our inaugural video, showing several items that are part of our permanent "Made in Chicago" exhibit.
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New Perfume Passage Journal... | |
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Our latest Journal, Issue 7, all about French perfumer and costumer Paul Poiret is now available! You won't want to miss the fascinating story of the first fashion couturier to launch his own line of perfumes and decorative accessories.
Our Journal magazines and tour schedules are available on the website.
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Perfume Passage is open for tours! Please visit our website at Perfumepassage.org to view the tour schedules. If you have a group or your club/association would like to plan a visit, please contact us at [email protected] | | |
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Types of tours include:
- Private docent-guided tours
- Group tours
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Symphony of Scents and Sounds
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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, archivists and curators to keep this history alive. | | | | |
