Flacon Opaline c1951 - ?

R. Noirot handpainted opaline flacon decorated with enameled butterflies, it is meant to resemble the mid 19th century French opaline cologne bottles so popular in the Victorian era. It has a gilded bronze knob on the lid. The bottle held various standard Guerlain perfumes such as L'Heure Bleue, Mitsouko, Vol de Nuit, Jicky, Ode, Shalimar and it was also seen without any specific perfume name in the cartouche on the front of the bottle. A powder jar was also created. I believe that these were produced before the 1950s prior to R. Noirot's involvement.

Bottles:

• 11.5cm/4.53"
• 15.5cm/6.1"
• 18.5cm/7.28"

Powder Jar:

• 11.5cm tall - diameter 12cm

No one was exactly sure who made this opaline glass bottle, most attribute it to the work of Baccarat and I was previously inclined to believe that it was either Baccarat or Portieux Vallerysthal because both have a history of making opaline crystal bottles. However, after seeing one of Noirot's other handpainted opaline pieces in the same vein as the Guerlain pieces, it was decided that a company named Cristal et Bronze manufactured the pieces for Guerlain as well as other pieces decorated by R. Noirot.

Cristal et Bronze was created in 1937 by a Parisian antique dealer, Cristal et Bronze, located in the medieval village of Château-Landon, manufactures its bathroom fittings and accessories in the purest traditions of French craftsmanship. Luxury hotels, yachts, private homes… interior architects and designers from the five continents appeal to the Cristal et Bronze universe, both for the traditional collections as well as for the more contemporary styles.

Cristal Et Bronze

19 Avenue Friedland

75008 Paris

France

Vol de Nuit, opaline flacon. Photo by Tajan