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

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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."

 

Gift Ideas c1936

The Land (Sydney, NSW : 1911 - 1954), Friday 20 November 1936, page 19, mentions Jicky (in the cobalt blue lanterne bottle), Sous Le Vent, Liu, Champs Elysees...

Here is teh same article, but you might be able to read this one better.

Scents that Match c1954

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Wednesday 21 July 1954, page 8

Rose du Moulin by Guerlain c1907

Rose du Moulin by Guerlain: created in 1907, a rose tinted pomade that was used to rouge the cheeks but could also be used on the lips.

La Poudre C'est Moi by Guerlain c1925

La Poudre C'est Moi by Guerlain: launched in 1925. This ultra fine face powder was scented with Shalimar. Originally created as a tribute to the Sun King Louis XIV, who famously pronounced "L'état c'est moi puisque le Roi c'est Moi."

A 1933 Guerlain ad states:

"Thrice artful is the Shalimar Powder of Guerlain. The tint for you is so marvellously [sic] blended that your skin blooms afresh at its touch ... with its texture so soft, so flattering that even in the glare of day the years seem to melt away ... and it clings through the hours with a consistency that you will adore. Scented with the fragrance of Shalimar, it is the ultimate touch of elegance in the art of make-up. At all smart shops in six marvellously [sic] perfect skin shades"

Rouge de la Cour by Guerlain c1910

Rouge de la Cour by Guerlain, introduced in the mid 19th century and was still being sold around 1910. This was sold as Court Rouge in the Guerlain catalogs, but was better known by the name rouge en tasse "pink saucers". It was item #434 in the Guerlain catalogs.

The pink saucers, also known as rouge de theatre, consisted of carthamus rouge (rouge vegetal) or carmine  mixed with a few drops of almond oil, and with mucilage of gum tragacanth, and spread upon porcelain or glass disks, which would have then be brushed on the cheeks with the fingers, a small puff, a piece of flannel, swab of cotton or a brush.

original image from a Guerlain catalog

photo by Lombrail-Teucquam

Cheek rouge, pressed into small glass pot. c1880-1915. Photo from imworld.aufeminin

Lait de Roses by Guerlain c1910

Lait de Roses ("Milk of Roses") 

This 1880s-1910 period skincare product was contained inside of a clear pressed glass bottle, created by Pochet et du Courval. The bottle was fitted with a cork covered with a black wax seal and held skin care "milks" or lotions such as Lait Virginal, Lait de Roses or Lait de Concombres. Notice the baroque label shown below. The bottle was available in two sizes:

• Mould # 3755 held 5 ounces (approx. 153cc)
• Mould # 6002 held 3 ounces (approx. 91cc)

 

A recipe from an 1848 formulary book is as follows:

Lait de rose dit Anglais:

You take:

• 1 pound sweet almonds and
• 4 lot (grams) of bitter almonds,

put both in a linen cloth and shake it around to dry them; Then take them to a mill, or if you don't have a mill, crush them in a stone mortar. When they are half crushed, let them melt in a glazed earthenware crucible in the Marienbad or over a gentle fire:

• 2 Loth (grams) Walrath
• 2 loths (grams) of maiden wax

While both substances are in the process of melting, add:

• 2 lots of white soap cut into pieces.

After all three substances have properly melted together, leave a small portion of the ground almonds in the mortar, pour some of the melted mass over them and continue rubbing vigorously in order to completely combine the two. While rubbing, you then gradually add the remaining almonds and the remaining melted mass and continue rubbing until you see neither the almonds nor the spermaceti, but until everything has become completely one.

Then pour together into a bottle:

• 2 measures of well water
• 1/2 measure of strong rose water
• 1/2 measure of strong wine spirit or rose spirit.

Mix all three liquids well together, gradually pour the mixture into the almond paste while stirring continuously and keep only a small amount of it for a use that will soon be specified. The diluted almond milk is then poured through a piece of pure and fine linen, but only in small portions, and the ground scrap is put aside for a while. When the straining is complete, put the ground mixture back into the mortar, rub it again and then dilute it with the teaspoon of water that you had reserved. Here you also squeeze the liquid through the linen wall and pour the milk to the other one.

Once this has been done, put a piece of muslin in four folds, give it the shape of a dute and put it in a funnel; Then strain the milk again through this muslin and it is ready.

 

The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness: A Complete Handbook, 1872:

Creme Sid-Ous c1910

Creme Sid-Ous, a skin cream by Guerlain, created around 1910. This almond scented, white colored hand and face cream was still being sold in 1970 as Creme Sid'Ous.

photo by Lombrail-Teucquam