Hello and welcome! Please understand that this website is not affiliated with Guerlain in any way, it is only a reference site for collectors and those who have enjoyed the classic fragrances of days gone by. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. The main objective of this website is to chronicle the 200+ year old history of the Guerlain fragrances and showcase the bottles and advertising used throughout the years. Let this site be your source for information on antique and vintage Guerlain perfumes. Another goal of this website is to show the present owners of the Guerlain company how much we miss many of the discontinued classics and hopefully, if they see that there is enough interest and demand, they will bring back these fragrances! I invite you to leave a comment below (for example: of why you liked the fragrance, describe the scent, time period or age you wore it, who gave it to you or on what occasion, what it smelled like to you, how it made you feel, any specific memories, what it reminded you of, maybe a relative wore it, or you remembered seeing the bottle on their vanity table), who knows, perhaps someone from the current Guerlain brand might see it. If you have any questions, please send all images of your bottle and pertinent information directly to me at cleopatrasboudoir@gmail.com. I will try to assist you the best I can.

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Showing posts with label jacques guerlain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jacques guerlain. Show all posts

Monday, June 16, 2014

Guerlain - Flacon Canard c1914

Guerlain Flacon Canard (Duck)

Unusual green glass bottle with bronze wings and cap. This beautiful bottle was created by Jacques Guerlain in 1914 and was limited to only 3 copies.

The bottle stands 9.5 cm tall.





Jacques Guerlain was a great art and history enthusiast, this bottle and it is certainly inspired by an antique vase of porphyry, "eagle" Suger.

This bottle was undoubtedly made ​​for a private commission and can be considered a work of art in its own right as its implementation is realistic and exceptional.





Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Fleur Qui Meurt by Guerlain c1901

Fleur Qui Meurt, launched in 1901 by Jacques Guerlain, embodies a poignant fusion of beauty and impermanence, encapsulated by its evocative name. Translated from French, "Fleur Qui Meurt" means "The Flower That Dies." This name poetically captures the fleeting nature of floral splendor and evokes a sense of both melancholy and nostalgia. It suggests a final, bittersweet moment when a flower’s fragrance reaches its peak before succumbing to the inevitability of decay. This duality of ephemeral beauty and sorrowful finality is reflected in the fragrance’s composition and emotional resonance.

The fragrance opens with a delicate, powdery violet, which captures the sweet, ephemeral essence of a flower in its prime. The violet, known for its soft, velvety texture, is mingled with costus and reseda, creating a blend that is both floral and slightly earthy. These top notes evoke a vivid image of a garden in full bloom, where the freshness of green notes adds a lively touch, yet hints at the impending melancholy of the flower's decline.

As the scent develops, the heart reveals a rich tapestry of floral and earthy tones. Jasmine, with its heady, intoxicating aroma, blends with the powdery orris root, evoking a sense of vintage elegance and nostalgia. The inclusion of heliotrope adds a warm, almond-like sweetness, while patchouli and vetiver provide a grounding, earthy depth. This heart reflects the beauty and complexity of the flower’s mid-life stage, a time of full bloom before the inevitable fading.

In the base, the fragrance settles into a chypre foundation characterized by oakmoss, acacia, and musk. Oakmoss imparts a deep, forest-like quality, evoking the image of the flower's final resting place, while acacia offers a soft, resinous warmth. Musk, with its subtle sensuality, lingers like the last whispers of the flower's once-vibrant perfume, now softened by time.

For women of the early 20th century, Fleur Qui Meurt would have represented a sophisticated blend of floral beauty and profound sentiment. The early 1900s were a period of rapid change and introspection, with a growing appreciation for perfumes that told a story or conveyed deeper emotional truths. The scent’s evocative name and its composition would have resonated with the era’s fascination with the transient nature of beauty and the poignant charm of flowers in their final moments.

The fragrance may have also drawn inspiration from the French song "Perfume of a Flower" (Poème de Chine) by Emile Blémont. The lyrics of this song speak to the fleeting nature of beauty and the inevitable decline of the flower's fragrance, aligning closely with the sentiment captured in Fleur Qui Meurt. The fragrance, like the poem, celebrates the ephemeral beauty of the flower, making it a fitting olfactory tribute to both the poetry and the fleeting allure of nature.