Set your alarms proper now, as a result of on Friday April 28, beginning at 4pm Japanese Time in America, the thirty fifth annual Perfume Bottles Auction will conduct its stay on-line public sale – with bidders world wide logging in to strive their luck at proudly owning among the world’s most distinctive fragrance bottles.
Right here, we take a sneak peek on the fabulous catalogue forward of the sale, to indicate you a few of our favourites, and we’ll be catching up with how the sale went within the subsequent difficulty of The Scented Letter journal, so keep tuned…
Since 1979, organiser and founding father of The Fragrance Bottles Public sale, Ken Leach, has been working ‘to create public and company consciousness of the artistry to be present in classic fragrance presentation.’ His vintage store’s show-stopping merchandise ‘has served as a supply of inspiration for glass firms, bundle designers, and movie star perfumers, earlier than finally getting into the collections of fragrance bottle lovers across the globe.’
With unparalleled entry to non-public collections and by no means earlier than seen items, the yearly public sale garners large pleasure within the perfume world. Some really uncommon and beautiful gadgets will probably solely be within the attain of significant collectors, however different items may be obtainable costs – all of it relies upon what number of different persons are lusting after the identical bottle, in fact!
Annually, we stay up for our buddies on the Fragrance Bottles Public sale their catalogue with us (which is a feast for the eyes in itself, in addition to encompassing an enormous quantity of essential historical past behind the bottles and fragrances); and we swear every year’s assortment is even higher than the final!
So, what does the 2023 Fragrance Bottles Public sale stash have in retailer for us? Let’s check out simply a few of our private highlights…
This ‘Extraordinary 1934 Parfums de Burmann Pleine Lune sur le Nil (Full Moon on the Nile) black crystal Egyptian Revival fragrance bottle’, was introduced ‘along with the launching of the newly established Burmann fragrance firm and store on the Champs Elysees. Nevertheless, each the fragrance and the bottle proved to be too costly to supply, and this bold undertaking was not pursued.’ Estimated to realize $30,000–$40,000, and being so uncommon; no surprise it’s {the catalogue}’s cover-star.
This dazzling piece is a 1946 Salvador Dali design, produced by Baccarat (no 798) for Elsa Schiaparelli Le Roy Soleil (The Solar King), and ‘The Duchess of Windsor having been one of many first to obtain one, wrote to Schiaparelli: “It’s actually essentially the most stunning bottle ever made, and the Roy Soleil is a really lasting and candy gentleman. I can not let you know how I recognize your giving me such a good-looking current which has displaced the Duke’s {photograph} on the coiffeuse!” Schiaparelli wrote in her autobiography that it was “…too costly and too subtle for most of the people, however…not destined to die.”‘ (Estimate $10,000–$12,000)
We’ve seen images of this extraordinary bottle circulating on-line beforehand, these variations usually in lower than pristine situation, whereas this piece is immaculate and has a lot for data to go along with it. It’s a ‘1925 De Marcy L’Orange trompe l’oeil presentation, simulates a halved orange, glazed ceramic bowl holding eight orange segments in a metallic body, blown glass fragrance bottles in excellent situation.’ Which of the fragrances would you could have liked to scent first? Every phase held one Chypre, Ambre, Rose, Héliotrope, Jasmin, Muguet, Mimosa and Violette. (Personally, we’d have been on the Chypre and Ambre.) Estimate $800–$1,000, it’s certain to show a-peeling [sorry!]
We’re loving the side-eye this cheeky minx is serving within the ‘1925 Favoly’s La Poupee Parisienne presentation for Chypre hand painted blown glass fragrance bottle, metallic thread bow.’ Estimated $200–$400, she could possibly be coming house to celebration along with your fragrance assortment when you’re fortunate. (And obvs she was a Chypre gal – with that expression, what else?)
This French ‘Nineteen Twenties Hetra for Elesbe Le Papillon Embaume butterfly‘ bottle was made for a presentation of Oeillet (Carnation) scent. Utterly darling, and we don’t know if we’d reasonably show it or run round giddily enjoying with whereas whooping with pleasure [don’t worry Perfume Bottles Auction pals, we wouldn’t really play with it. Much.] Estimated $600–$800, lovers ought to get their nets on the prepared.
The work on this ‘Sea Weeds’ mannequin bottle is kind of breathtaking, and it’s a ‘1925 Andre Jollivet design, produced by La Verrerie de la Nesle Normandeuse for Volnay Yapana clear glass fragrance bottle, deeply molded entrance and reverse, blue patina, inside stopper, silvered metallic cap, embossed label on aspect. A number of the bottles really are artwork items in their very own proper, and this one actually belongs in that class. $2,000–$4,000
Nicely now, that is irresistible, isn’t it? A ‘1944 Elizabeth Arden music box presentation for On dit (They are saying) clear/ frost glass bottle and canopy, with inside stopper, sealed with fragrance, as two women, their heads touching, one whispering a secret to the opposite…’ And what is the gossip, we surprise?! With panels of the field displaying varied excessive society social scenes, the place little doubt the reason for the chin-wagging occurred, this can be a pleasant, whimsical piece we might stare at for hours.
There are SO many extra we love, however to indicate all of them could be to principally reproduce all the catalogue, so why not go and have a browse (and gasp) for your self? If one thing notably takes your fancy, you possibly can register for the 2023 Fragrance Bottles Public sale on-line: the directions for bidding are all there, and you probably have questions you possibly can ask these through their web site, too. Now then, which one(s) would you most prefer to personal…?
[Our feature image for this article is the ‘1924 Julien Viard design, manufactured by Depinoix Glassworks for Bonwit Teller & Co, Paris Venez avec Moi (Come with Me). Estimated $4,000–$6,000. Utterly beguiling, non?]
Written by Suzy Nightingale