Perfume Containers
Perfumes and their containers (whether beautiful crystal bottles or intricate brass contraptions) have been a sign of luxury for centuries. From the fantastic fragrance to the unique design of the container, perfumes have captured the attention of consumers and collectors worldwide. From ancient times to the 21st century, these little, and sometimes not so little, bottles hold individual pieces of history that document the progression of both taste in smell and taste in design over the centuries.
Ancient perfume bottles
Some of the oldest perfume bottles known are those of the Ancient Egyptians. Since perfumes were very important in the preparation of the dead, attempting to hide the body’s odor, many containers have been found in tombs and pyramids in Egypt, according to the official website of the Museo Del Perfume in Barcelona, Spain. These earlier perfume “bottles” were usually made of stone, wood, or clay, and were decorated with cravings of people as well as animals.
Early glass bottles
In the 15th century, glass bottles emerged as functional perfume containers. These bottles were usually lightweight and sometimes incorporated bright and beautiful colors. The earliest of glass perfume bottles date back to Greek and Palestinian cultures. Upon the invention of glassblowing, it became easier to mold glass into shapes, like animals, food and other interesting designs.
In early European cultures, perfume bottles were produced in all shapes and sizes. The bottles were made out of anything from gold and silver, to seashells and stones. Perfume was commonly used as incense, compared to today’s application on the body, and was normally utilized during church Mass. As still used in modern Roman Catholic services, perfume in the days of old were swung up and down aisles of the church.
Individual wear
Although the church was where you would commonly find the repetitive use of perfume, some scents and bottles were designed for individual wear. According to the Museo Del Perfume, earrings, lockets, and rings were manufactured with scents inset in the jewelry so that the smell would follow the person anywhere he or she went.
Art Nouveau
The 1800s marked a dramatic change in the style and manufacture of perfume bottles. The Art Nouveau movement increased in popularity during this time, and its influence reached perfumes. Floral motifs were incorporated into everything from the scent to the label. Crystal bottles with brass or metal caps were also a popular style of the time. The bottles were generally simplistic while the caps were ornately designed. Prince Igor by Riguard, Stylis by Delettrez, and Mavis by Vivaudou are famous examples of this design.
Early 20th century
The 1900s brought about even more drastic changes to the perfume market. After the closure of WWI, many soldiers brought home perfumes from Paris, greatly increasing the demand for fragrances in the United States.
Many fashion designers, both in the United States and across the globe, entered the perfume market during the early 1900s. Recognizing the demand for the product, as well as many consumers’ inability to afford the luxurious clothing, many fashion designers recognized perfume as a way to reach a larger customer base. Most bottles were very intricate during this time, except for the world famous Chanel No. 5 that introduced a newfound simplicity to the design of the perfume bottle in the 1920s.
Visit Chanel’s official site to view and shop for this classic perfume.
Depression perfume
After the stock market crash of 1929 and the beginning of The Great Depression, most bottles became very simple and the demand of perfume decreased immensely. Only famous perfume designers like Lalique, Baccarat, and Brosse along with a few other companies were able to continue producing perfume during the depression.
Post World War II
After the closure of WWII, demand for perfumes skyrocketed. New designers entered the market, like Nina Ricci and Christian Dior, who remain successful today. Bottles began to shift away from incorporating romanticized imagery such as flowers and animals and turned to urban life for inspiration, producing bottles that mimicked buildings and automobiles, according to Jane Flangan in The Wonderful World of Collecting Perfume Bottles.
Today designers like Lalique, Chanel, and Dior continue to produce world-renowned perfumes. Although these designers are awarded for their savvy in producing some of the best perfumes in the world, without the emergence of perfume in Ancient Greek and Egyptian cultures, their success would not have been possible. From covering the bodies of mummies in tombs, to spritzing the rich and famous before they walk the red carpet, perfumes have and will always be a necessary addition to cultures throughout time.
Want to know more?
We suggest the following resources:
- Flangan, Jane. “The Wonderful World of Collecting Perfume Bottles,” Collector Books, 2006.
- Museo Del Perfume, MuseuDelPerfum.com.
