Guerlain Packaging: Zig Zag Boxes

Starting in 1967 Guerlain packaged their fragrances, cosmetics and skincare products in black and white boxes imprinted with a zig zag like pattern. In the center of these boxes was a raised golden seal with the name of the fragrance or product in the center. This design was used until 1983, when a new design appeared.

used from 1967 til 1983.

advertisement from 1969.

Instead of the black and white boxes, these boxes now were different colors for different fragrances and the zig zags were now either black or gold, depending on the color of the boxes. This design was used up until 2008, when the boxes were then made up of a muted gold color with no zig zags.

used from 1983 til 2008.

used from 2008 to present

Jicky by Guerlain Powder Box c1950s

Very rare powder box "talc parfume" design for Jicky by Guerlain dating from the 1950s. This lattice design imitating limed wood was popular on the presentation boxes for Coque D'Or, Dawamesk and Kriss. This powder box was covered in tissue paper instead of cellophane, quite unusual and early.

The "dot" design was used on perfume boxes from the 1950s til it was replaced by the zig zag design from 1967.

photos by ebay seller pennyanny

Box design similar to the Visage Nuee (face powder) box shown in this 1952 ad:

same design used on this Jicky perfume box, photo by ebay seller grannys_shanty724

Flacon Lyre c1921-1959

Flacon Lyre c1921-1959


Flacon created by Baccarat to house Candide Efflueve, A Travers Champs and Guerlinade. Also produced by Pochet et du Courval in a very small quantity for export to the USA. Baccarat flacon #475.

Habit de Fete Flacons c1996

Habit de Fete Flacons, introduced in 1996. Refillable gold tone atomizer cases.

Held the following:

• 8ml Parfum
• 50ml Eau de Parfum
• 93ml Eau de Toilette

Guerlain 8ml Refillable Parfum Atomizer c1996

Goldtone refillable perfume atomizer.

"Copyright 1996 Guerlain Paris" engraved on the bottom of the case. Came with a black velveteen pouch. Black presentation box with blue outer box.

Stands: 3-5/16" tall
Held the following perfumes:

• Shalimar (parfum refill discontinued in 2015)
• Champs Elysees
• Mitsouko
• L'Heure Bleue
• Chamade
• Jicky
• Nahema
• Vol de Nuit
• Samsara

Flacon Gratte Ciel (Sky Scraper) c1948-1960

Flacon Gratte Ciel (Sky Scraper) c1948-1960

Created by Pochet et du Courval to hold extraits of Atuana and Fleur de Feu. Also made by Baccarat. This flacon was also known as Fleur de Feu, named after its perfume. The name comes from the idea of flowers rising from the flames – like a phoenix; Guerlain’s first perfume after the Second World War.

• 20cc/20ml/0.676 oz - 11.5cm/4.53" octagonal foot 
• 28cc/28ml/0.947 oz - 12.8cm/5.08", octagonal foot (limited edition 1999 30ml/1 oz - 12cm) 
• 40cc/40ml/1.35 oz - 13.8cm/5.43",octagonal foot 
• 80cc/80ml/2.7 oz - 18.2cm/7.17" square foot 
• 125cc/125ml/4.2 oz - 20.6cm/8.11" square foot 
• 250cc/250ml/8.4 oz - 25.1cm/9.88" square foot

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Habit de Fete Flacons c1982-1989

Habit de Fete Flacons c1982-1995

Cédrat Bol - Esprit de Cédrat

Cédrat Bol - Esprit de Cédrat, aux zestes pour le rincebouche.

Citron Bowl - Spirit of citron zest mouth wash. c1930.

Secret de Bonne Femme Guerlain Face Cream

Secret de Bonne Femme: Guerlain's moisturizing cream was the first of its kind. It was a staple of the company's skincare line from its creation in 1904 until 1990. 

c1967-1983. photo by funriri

Ebay Find! Customized Prestige Atomizer Bottle

Customized Bottles

When you purchase a Customized Bottle from Guerlain, you can have your favorite fragrance in its own special bottle along with a personal message written on the front.

If you choose the Prestige Atomizer, it is sold empty, along with a funnel, your bottle can be filled with either Shalimar, Jicky, L'Heure Bleue, Mitsouko, L'Instant de Guerlain or Samsara perfume. This is a wonderful option for those who buy large bottle and need to transfer them into a more practical format. .

You can customize your bottle with an atomizer bulb and a ribbon which would be tied around the neck in colors of beige, blue, gold, brown, khaki, black or pink.

The border around the label can either be in a classical, Victorian, Byzantine or Art Deco design. You could also choose the iconic Bee Bottle in three sizes: 250ml, 500ml and 1 liter. Each of the bees and scale motifs are picked out in rich gilded enamel. Your choice of fragrances are: Jicky, Shalimar, Mitsouko, L'Instant de Guerlain, L'Heure Bleue and Samsara.

For information, contact Isabelle Rousseau: irousseau@guerlain.fr at the Paris office.

Prestigious Refillable Atomizer, two views

photo by ebay seller munde_de_norb

Ebay Find! Limited Edition Moscow Perfume!

In March 2013, designer Sylvia Toledano, in association with Guerlain, created a limited edition series of five perfume bottles adorned with jewelry: gold chains and drops of semi precious stones. 

The fragrances are: L'Instant Magic (black onyx), Nuit d'Amour (amethyst), Chypre Fatal (rose quartz), Moscow (turquoise) and London (carnelian). 

Each bottles holds 8.4 oz./ 250 ml eau de parfum. This limited bottle collection was only available at Bergdorf Goodman in the USA for a very short time, as of August 4, 2013, they are no longer available on the site and are extremely hard to find.. I don't know what the original price was.

On ebay this week, a seller is offering the Moscow perfume, fitted with the golden chains and turquoise drops.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Guerlain-Bee-Bottle-/290956445376?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43be5b06c0

photo by ebay seller munde_de_norb

Shalimar Limited Edition Inverse c2000

For this limited edition, Guerlain decided to have the bottle itself made up of a sapphire blue crystal and the stopper clear crystal, instead of the reverse.  I am unsure of the bottle's manufacturer, but it is not a Baccarat flacon.

The box is flocked midnight blue instead of the lavender hue that we associate with Shalimar boxes.

It stands 4" tall. Has a clear label on base "Guerlain Bottle made in France", also has contents information on a secondary label.

• 30ml Eau de Parfum splash retailed for 350 francs
• 125ml Eau de Toilette splash retailed for 500 francs

.

Guerlain ad c1939

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Wednesday 25 October 1939, page 3

Buckley's Present the Newest range of French Perfumes by GUERLAIN OF PARIS

Now is the time to buy French Perfumes while stocks are complete. The rare beauty and worth of Guerlain's needs no emphasizing. Come to Buckley's Perfume Dept at 5 or earliest for the most comprehensive range in Melbourne at pre-war prices.

Extracts: Jicky Perfume, Cuir-de-Russie, L'Heure Bleue, Rue-de-la-Paix, Champs Elysees, Mitsouko, Jasmin, Djedi, Shalimar, Liu, Sous-le-Vent, Vol-de-Nuit . .

From BULK-Special 1-Dram Jeweled Bottles of Jicky, Cuir-de-Russie, Mitsouko, L'Heure Bleue, Rue-de-la-Paix Violette.

Guerlain French Lipsticks. Lipsticks, chrome cases, in the scarce shades of Clair, Orange, Medium, Mandrin, Fonce, Sweet Pea, Tropical, Black Tulip, Caraïbe.

Face Powder Aux Balloons: Mitsouko and L'Heure Bleue in the following colors-Rose, Ochre, Brune, Paille

Flacon Lanterne (Lantern) c1935-1943

Flacon Lanterne (Lantern) c1935-1943

Flacon created by Pochet et du Courval to hold extraits of:

• Ambre
• Apres L'Ondee
• Cuir de Russie
• Guerlinade
• Jasmin
• Jicky
• Lavande
• Liu
• Pois de Senteur
• Rue de la Paix
• Sous le Vent
• Vega
• Violette

and others

The bottle was reissued in 1999 to hold a limited edition extrait of Guet Apens.

• 10cc/10ml/0.338 oz - 5.4cm/2.13" (size reserved for export) 
• 30cc/30ml/1 oz - 7.3cm/2.87" (size reserved for export) 
• 80cc/80ml/2.7 oz - 9.7cm/3.82" (1935-1943) 
• 125cc/125ml/4.2 oz - 11.5cm/4.53" (reissued in 1999 125ml/4.2 oz - 12cm/4.72" for Guet Apens) 
• 250cc/250ml/8.4 oz - 14cm/5.51" (1935-1943)

c1938 ad

Talcum "Lyre" Flacons c1923-1960s

Talcum "Lyre" Flacons c1922-1960s

Beautiful frosted glass talcum powder bottles were in the shape of a lyre or guitar. they held numerous scents: Shalimar, Mitsouko, Guerlinade, Rue de la Paix, Vol de Nuit, Liu, Fleur de Feu and L'Heure Bleue.

The talcum powder in this frosted glass bottle was introduced in 1922, then it was being put up in a white plastic canister in the late 1960's, then it was sold in a turquoise canister in the 1980s.

The original Lyre flacon, starting in the 1920s, was fitted with a metal cap and the label simply said "Guerlain Paris" and had a flower separating the two words. In the 1950s and 1960s, the bottle was then changed to a black plastic cap, the paper label was changed .

c1925 advertisement

c1940s advertisement

Guerlain Perfumes Ad c1879

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Thursday 16 January 1879, page 2

Vaporisateur de Voyage (Travel Spray) c1930 - ?

Vaporisateur de Voyage (Travel Spray) c1930 - ?

Cylindrical shaped crystal travel spray bottle to hold various perfumes, used during travel, manufactured by Baccarat. Bottle was housed in small leather case offered in four different colors: black, red, green and blue.

• 125cc /125ml/4.2 oz- 8.9cm/3.5" (without bulb)

photo by Lombrail-Teucquam

Guerlain Perfume ad c1937

Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), Wednesday 7 July 1937, page 5

L'Heure Bleue, Jicky, Liu, Violette, Mitsouko, Jasmin, Shalimar, Sous Le Vent, Vol de Nuit.

Guerlain Perfumes ad c1949

Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), Tuesday 11 October 1949, page 1

Jicky, Shalimar, Mitsouko, Liu, Sous Le Vent, L'Heure Bleue.

Guerlain Perfumes ad c1938

Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), Wednesday 8 June 1938, page 11

Guerlain Perfume ad c1949

1949 ad featuring the Guerlain perfumes in the Flacon de Guerre (Wartime bottle)...which housed Shalimar, Jicky, Mitsouko, L'Heure Bleue, Sous Le Vent, Dawamesk, Geranium D'Espagne, Coque D'Or, and others.


The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Tuesday 13 December 1949, page 6

Guerlain Lipsticks Ad c1938

The Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982), Saturday 24 December 1938, page 39

Showing shades: Light, Medium, Dark, Orange, Tropical and Mandarine.

Guerlain article c1993

Guerlain article from the LA Times:

Guerlain Knows Fragrance Is Applied to Pulse Points
March 19, 1993 by |ROSE APODACA

"When Robert Guerlain discusses his family's 164-year contribution to the art of fragrances, he wryly remarks in his heavy-coated French accent: "It certainly smells of success." 

It's a great understatement coming from a member of the oldest family-owned fragrance and cosmetics company in the world. But it was in just that understated fashion that Guerlain spoke during a luncheon for 90 guests at Neiman Marcus Fashion Island last week. 

Guerlain was in the United States to officially launch the opening of four new in-store boutiques in the Southwest, including the Newport Beach location. There are 27 boutiques nationwide. As director of special projects, he has devoted much of his energy toward educating the consumer about the Guerlain name and the fragrance industry. 

In addition to signing bottles of Shalimar, Samsara, Imperial and other potions, he personalized copies of the English translation of the family biography, "Guerlain," by fragrance journalist Colette Fellous. 

The sensually written coffee table book was originally released in French in 1989 to coincide with the launch of Samsara, a fragrance that has become the company's most popular worldwide. Shalimar, which debuted in 1925, continues to rank as Guerlain's best-seller in the United States. 

The English-language version precedes the launch of a men's fragrance that will appear this fall in this country. Its name? Heritage."

Guerlain's Tropical Lipstick Shade c1935

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Thursday 6 June 1935, page 12, talks about Guerlain's Tropical shade of lipstick, this was a shade for their Rose du Moulin lipstick range.

"Guerlain has gone further afield. His newest lipstick is brown - quite brown - with a redding bases, and it is supposed to be worn by women who are careful to see that the rest of their make-up is suntanned to match. He calls it 'Tropical."