Just like accords and scents, the bottles that protect them have also undergone numerous evolutions since the beginning of perfumery. From a simple container to a real case, the little bottle that hold the precious essence has changed considerably over the centuries. Shapes, materials and uses: discover the history of the perfume bottle!
As you know, the origins of perfume go back to ancient times. The first civilization that sought to capture essences in various containers were the Egyptians. At that time, the art of scenting was expressed mainly to honor the Gods and perfume was found in the form of ointments, salves or oils. All these products were stored and preserved in large amphorae or inside decorated terracotta vases. Some excavations have shown that the richest Egyptians were buried with their precious bottle… The perfume bottle was already part of everyday life thousands of years ago!
It was in the 15th century BC that the first glass bottle appeared. The Greeks and Romans worked this material with the help of molds or presses to make small vials. Much less austere, the containers were adorned with all sorts of bright colors, more or less precious stones, very elaborate decorations or even shells! The perfume bottle becomes a decorative object. At the same time in the East, mixtures of resins and spices impregnate earthen houses by being consumed in perfume burners. Made of bronze or brass, they are very often decorated with meticulous gold and silver threads.
In the Middle Ages, the raw and animal smells of musk, civet or ambergris win the favor of all noses. These powerful scents are worn all day, secretly locked in amber apples (or pomander) that are worn on the belt or around the neck. Renowned craftsmen cut them directly from gold, silver or vermeil. These aromatic containers also exist in the form of small scent boxes made of glass, porcelain or even semi-precious stones for the more affluent.
In the 17th century, it was discovered that by mixing lead oxide with glass paste, a new material of great purity was obtained: crystal. The glassworks of Bohemia and Murano will seize this discovery to create the first bottles made of this material. The flasks became more and more sophisticated, evoking baroque allegories, romantic scenes or animal representations. These unique pieces were created to order and reserved for an elite that could afford these exceptional pieces. Moreover, the price of the bottle is often much more expensive than that of the perfume at the time!
From the 19th century, perfume is democratized and industrialized. The first synthetic essences were created and almost everyone began to use fragrances. François Coty, visionary perfumer of the beginning of the XXth century, will be the first to associate with crystal factories, first Baccarat then René Lalique. With the latter, they work on the container in a much more sober way while remaining refined. It is also the beginning of the perfume label, affixed on the bottle in half-crystal. The bottle is no longer just an ornamental object, it conveys the message of the perfume.
Then, the great Parisian couturiers will be introduced to the art of perfumery. Their bottles will reflect the models they design, sometimes very chic and elegant, sometimes completely offbeat, dreamlike or futuristic! All fantasies are good to show because the container must now attract the eyes to make a place in the middle of the shelves of perfumeries more and more cluttered.
Whether you are a collector or not, the perfume bottle has long been more than just a container. First of all, it serves to protect your precious essence from external aggressions, like light or temperature variations. Besides, we give you a lot of simple advices to keep your bottle right here. Before tickling the nose, it is the eye that is attracted to one bottle rather than another. The bottle must convey the image of the brand, the perfumer or the fragrance’s scent. Some perfume bottles have thus become iconic. Recognizable among all, they are sometimes more famous than the scent of the fragrance itself!
At Carrément Belle, we have been betting for several years on the essential: the perfume! And it is on this primordial element that we focus since our beginnings, investing the major part of our budgets in the research of beautiful raw materials while collaborating with French partners. That’s why we favor elegantly and simply designed bottles, which highlight all the reflections of your favorite juices. The fantasy is very simple: a few golden drops on the eau de parfum ippi patchouli clair, a rose in full bloom and stylized on the label rose bottle or our eternal Baigneuse quietly splashing in your compositions!
How would you imagine the Carrément Belle perfume bottles of tomorrow?
Discover the fragrances mentioned in the article
Discovery SetThis page looks at the history of perfumes bottles with a focus on the 17th century through to modern times.
Europe’s aristocracies and monarchies, during the 17th and 18th centuries, valued perfume not only as an accessory but often as a necessity.
Refined societies in Europe considered perfume to be an essential part of life, in response to the extremely foul odors which seem to have permeated day to day existence at the time.
By the late 17th century the center of the perfume industry had firmly established itself in France, and with it the various related industries that produced different types of containers for aromatic materials.
During the 18th century the use of solid perfume (associated with the pomanders of earlier times) gave way to liquid perfume, usually with a base of alcohol or vinegar.
Mme de Pompadour by Francois Boucher of the Rococo age, 1759As fashion and ideas changed, high society began to favor delicately scented waters composed of floral bouquets over stronger smelling perfume substances. As a result, ladies were advised to carry perfume in flasks in order not to inflict strong odors on those who found them imposing.
The liquid perfume was usually kept in small decorated flasks or in “vinaigrettes” which were carried in inconspicuous places such as a muff or purse.
Vinaigrettes were small boxes of various shapes, usually rectangular and attached to a chain. Inside, they were built with a screen in gilded metal (to prevent erosion from the acids) around a hinge, and they sometimes contained a tiny piece of Turkish sponge drenched with aromatic vinegar.
Later, smelling bottles became popular, often made of cut-glass filled with smelling salts or a sponge soaked in aromatic vinegars.
At the time it was a common practice to revive a woman who had suffered from a fainting spell by rubbing her forehead with a piece of vinegar-soaked cotton or encouraging her to breathe in the odors of a smelling bottle.
Woman administering smelling bottle – taken from ‘La Mauvaise Nouvelle’ by Marguerote Gerard, 1804, Louvre CollectionAt a certain point perfume flasks began to reflect distinct schools of design and appeared as legitimate art objects in their own right.
Some of the earlier artistic containers included Rococo designs – a unique baroque style of 17th to 18th century French art which was known for its asymmetry of ornaments, usually including flowers, leaves, shells, scrolls etc. This style, often associated with Marie Antoinette, was usually made of milk glass and painted with enamels.
Antique French Rococo gilt porcelain perfume-bottles, courtesy of http://www.malleries.comThe 18th and 19th centuries included many different types of perfume bottles such as those of cut glass, silver overlay on glass, porcelain, crystal etc.
Bohemian fancy perfume bottle – 19th Century-Haaretz Museum Glass Exhibition, Tel Aviv Cut glass perfume bottle with atomizer – period unknown – flea marketLarger bottles were designed to be placed on dressing tables to hold toilet water or Eau de Cologne — a fruity based alcohol solution that was developed in Cologne, Germany, at the beginning of the 18th century and which became very popular throughout Europe.
Bohemian perfume bottles from 19th Century – Haaretz Museum Glass Exhibition, Tel AvivBohemian perfume bottles from 19th Century – Haaretz Museum Glass Exhibition, Tel Aviv
Smaller containers of various designs were carried in handbags or worn on chains. Ladies were often seen wearing small flasks on chains that were designed with screw tops that enabled them to apply the perfume on need.
Above Left: Hand crafted small antique perfume flask on chain with pull top – from the Middle East
Above Right: Small bronze flask on chain with screw top – from Collectors’ Market
In the 19th century one could find bottles made of many different types of material, including a special type of crystal, referred to as Opaline. The crystal used for these bottles was colored by adding tin oxide and calcified bone which gave the bottles a milky quality reminiscent of opal.
The fashionable perfume bottles of the 18th century up until the early 19th century were for the most part elegant, catering only to the wealthiest in society. Then suddenly, in the middle of the 19th Century, the industrial revolution changed life forever.
Synthetic perfume became popular and manufacturers began to produce perfume flasks on mass, thus lowering the price of bottled perfume and enabling all types of people, not just high society, to indulge in what used to be a luxury.
This period saw the emergence of famous perfume manufacturers such as Gelle Frères, Guerlain, Lubin, Millot, Rigaud, Roger & Gallet, Ed. Pinaud, L.T. Piver, etc. Interestingly, after the industrial revolution one finds examples of standard somewhat simple mass produced containers which had, in contrast, complex and intricately designed labels.
Then, at the end of the 19th century, as a reaction to the mass production and banality that followed the industrial revolution, the unique Art Nouveau design style emerged, originally in France. The name ‘Art Nouveau’ refers to a Parisian gallery for interior decoration, called “La Maison de l’Art Nouveau”, which opened in 1896.
Art Nouveau was inspired by the observation of nature. It often included distinct Japanese nuances, and was known to emphasize the cult of woman whose sensuality and smooth curves were considered to reflect perfect harmony.
Art Nouveau Austrian Art Glass Perfume Bottles Essence de Daver courtesy of http://www.malleries.comIn 1900, at the Paris World Fair which celebrated the turn of the century, there was a special exhibit that changed the direction of perfume fashion. Hervé Guimard designed a glass flask for the perfumer Millot, marking the beginning of collaboration between a designer and a perfumer. After this, in 1907, there was the union of Francois Coty and the glassmaker Ren Lalique, resulting in Ambre Antique.
After the First World War, trends were strongly influenced by the lifestyle changes of the roaring twenties and the emergence of the newly liberated woman. The 1920’s was associated, in particular, with a general desire to break with traditions – to be ‘modern’.
During this time Art Deco emerged as a forceful design style. While it was influenced by many different art movements of the early 20th century, Art Deco is usually associated with the geometric forms influenced by Cubism and one can see the influence of this design style among the perfume bottles of the time.
Of course this period also saw the emergence of many perfumes which are still considered classics of today, such as the famous Chanel No.5 – known for the absolute simplicity and elegance of its bottle – which is almost the same today as it was when it first appeared.
Some of the favorite perfumes of the 20thcentury are Chypre by Coty, L’Heure Bleue, Shalimar and Vol de Nuit by Guerlain, Arpègeby Lanvin, Coeur Joie and L’Air du Temps by Nina Ricci.
An interesting bottle that is worth noting was designed by the surrealist painter Salvador Dali for Le Roy Soleil perfume by Elsa Schiaparelli.
Perfume bottle with Salvador Dali designAnd, while France definitely dominated the perfume industry of the past few centuries, there are many famous brands that are produced across the world, from countries such as Britain, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Israel, Spain, USA, and more.
Examples of perfume bottles from the OrientAn interesting development is the recent trend towards men’s perfume, offering unique designs that are intended to attract the male audience.
Since the history of perfume bottles reflects changes in lifestyle and design in such an interesting and dramatic way, it is not surprising that many bottles have become collectibles and are sometimes worth thousands of dollars.
People search through web sites and scour flee markets around the world looking for unusual and rare bottles. And just as the bottles of previous times are valuable for modern collectors, it is very probable that the more interesting bottles of our times will become collectibles in fifty years from now.
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Byzantine, Islamic, Venetian & Middle Ages
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