CLEOPATRA'S BOUDOIR Luxury Boutique

This guide will introduce you to the world of the 1940s-1960s vanity accessories manufactured by

Matson, Stylebuilt, Guildcrest, Globe and others.

These items were originally sold in department stores, drug stores and jewelry stores.

The ormolu pieces are in a Rococo style and feature cherubs, birds, butterflies, scrolling, intricate filigree or stylized flowers like roses. In the 1940s and into the 50s, some dresser sets featured a large faceted jewel on the pieces. Sometimes I see dealers incorrectly labeling these items as antique, Victorian, French or Italian. Please understand that these are NOT Victorian, French, Italian or antique!!!!!

I realize that many people do not have the time nor resources to research their items, and some people just wish to remain ignorant when I mention how old their bottle really is. I hope that the people who do take the time to read this guide are able to list their items accurately so their buyers arent buying something that is misrepresented.

I had written a seller because she had incorrectly said her perfume bottle was "Antique Victorian,French and Italian" all in one title. She responsed quite negatively and even so much as went to put a response in her listing as she couldnt verify that I was an expert when I said her perfume bottle was no older than the 1940s. As a dealer in antique & vintage perfumes for over 15 years, a member of the International Perfume Bottle Association, author of over 200 ebay guides on vintage perfumes & vanity sets and appraiser for vintage perfume bottles, I have alot of knowledge on vintage perfume bottles and dresser sets with many reference books on perfumes & vanity accessories at my disposal. Please feel confident that you are reading the guide of someone who has spent a lot of time researching these vanity pieces and trying to garner as much info as possible to help you.

Often times, original labels and tags are missing from these pieces as they were lovingly used for years. But you can be sure that your piece is one of the manufacturers I have listed below.

These items add a touch of glamour when displayed on a vanity, counter top in your powder rooms or even on your nightstand in a guest bedroom.

Perfume Bottles

Many of the perfume bottles resemble reliquaries and have beveled glass windows and a tiny glass vial inside to hold perfume. The perfume can be applied to the skin with a long glass dauber attached to a very fancy filigreed stopper. The perfume bottles were often sold as a pair. The glass windows are either clear, pink or amber in color. Other perfume bottles are the atomizers, these have plastic siphon tubes inside. And there are other perfumes with pressed glass bases and gilded metal mounts and daubers. You might wish to clean out the old perfume residue with some alcohol. Please note that these are NOT Victorian nor antiques. There are no perfume bottles of the Victorian era that even resemble these oversized gargantuan bottles. Some of these bottles stand as tall as 10" and higher. You might also find a single faceted glass or lucite jewel in the center of the stopper. Some perfume bottles have plastic behind the filigree that imitates mother of pearl, please note that this is plastic and NOT real mother of pearl.

Jewel Caskets

The jewel caskets generally have beveled glass sides held in by tooth like prongs, the bottoms are lined in either a tan, burgundy, purple or blue velvet. Sometimes the velvet is tufted with little gold tone brads. The glass can be either amber, pink or clear. Sometimes you might find a single faceted glass or lucite jewel on the lid. The caskets are in many different shapes from oval, rectangular, triangular, round, square and even ball shaped. These are not antiques, I once saw a seller trying to pass off a 1950s signed Matson jewel casket as an "Antique Victorian Mourning Box".

Handmirrors, Brushes & Combs

Handmirrors have beveled glass, combs have lucite teeth and brushes have nylon bristles. Sometimes you might find a single faceted glass or lucite jewel on the backs of the mirrors and brushes.Sometimes the backs of brushes or mirrors have mother of pearl looking plastic backings under the filigree, please note that this is plastic and not real mother of pearl.

Trays

Most vanity trays are large enough to hold either the entire vanity set and some are just large enough to hold the pair of perfumes. Many of the trays have a mirror on the base or they might have beveled glass. Each one has an intricate gilded frame and some may be accented with a large faceted glass or lucite jewel on each end. Some trays have handles and some are footed. You might even come across newer style plateaus.

Pieces you may find:

Hand mirrors

Adjustable Mirrors on stands

Perfume bottles

Perfume Atomizers

Hair Brushes

Combs

Large dresser trays

Jewel caskets

Kleenex covers

Hairspray can covers

Lipstick holders/caddies

Pin trays

Clocks

Picture frames

Powder jars

Soap dishes

Toothbrush holders

Candy dishes

Cup holders & cups

Vanity trash baskets

Compacts

Ashtrays

Lighters

Cigarette boxes

Vanity lamps

Major Companies:

Stylebuilt: New York company established in 1940, that specialized in the manufacture of vanity accessories in the 1960s. Most items are of a gold tone or silver tone alloy metal. Stylebuilt often had their pieces plated with 24kt gold and were said to be tarnish proof. The company is still in business today and operates under the name of Stylebuilt Accessories Inc. and is located in New York. Vintage Stylebuilt items may retain their original labels or tags which state the following: “Stylebuilt Accessories, New York, 24K Gold Plated, Guaranteed Not To Tarnish." Other tags or labels might read "Stylebuilt Frame Co."

Matson: Matson Manufacturing Company of 347 FIFTH AVENUE. NEW YORK, NY 10016. Their items were marked © Matson and Matson Import. They manufactured vanity accessories and accessories for the powder room during the 1950s-1960s. Their pieces are often 24kt gold plated and should have a little label or tag attached verifying this. Information on Matson is next to nothing. Matson was NOT given away to passengers on Matson Line Cruises. For some reason someone has made up this ridiculous rumor to help sell their items and the rumor is spreading! The two companies are NOT related.

Guildcrest: An American company that made dresser sets and boudoir accessories in the 1940s and into the 1950s. These items were 24kt gold plated and pieces were imported from Germany. Birds on branches are a common theme with this company. They also used amber glass for their perfumes and caskets.

Globe: In the 1950s & 60s, the Globe Silver Company manufactured the same type of vanity accessories as Matson & Stylebuilt, in fact their dies are very similar if not the same. They also plated their wares with 24kt gold and some of their pieces were accented with large faceted glass jewels.

Florenza: a costume jewelry manufacturer who started around 1937 as Dan Kasoff Inc, but didnt start marking items with the Florenza name until 1950. They also made a series of gold tone lipstick caddies in the 1950s, some have a antique white finish. Other items include pincushions with red velvet. Florenza items are generally accented with rhinestones or faux pearls. Florenza was in business until 1981.

Yule Mfg Co: a Brooklyn, New York based company that manufactured vanity sets comparable to those by Stylebuilt and Matson. Their tags or pieces are sometimes marked "Guaranteed not to Tarnish". Some of their pieces will be adorned with aurora borealis rhinestones and faux pearls.

Astorloid: This company began making vanity accessories with goldtone filigree in the 1950s and continued production into the 1960s. The “Astorloid” plastic backings of mirrors, powder jar lids was often combined with silk brocade or embroidered backings. The nylon bristles snapped out of the backs for easy cleaning and the mirrors were protected by copper backings.

SF: .S.F. Co. ~ 5th Ave", which stands for Sam Fink Company, who was very popular during the 1940's-1960's with their rhinestone jewelry and filigree vanity sets and boudoir accessories much like Stylebuilt , Florenza & Matson

Regent of London: manufactured matching vanity sets with petit point inserts, with intricate brass filigree handles and frames. The backings often have an Oriental theme. The embroidered backings are generally covered with a thin clear plastic or vinyl material. The nylon bristles should also snap out for easy cleaning. These are generally found in the United Kingdom and date to the 1940s-1960s.

Care & Cleaning Tips:

To keep your pretty vanity items in good condition, be sure to keep them away from moisture. The moisture will loosen the gilding, turn the foil backed stones dark, and spot your mirror. A light dusting with a stiff brush can help you clean them off, I use a little makeup brush to get in between the stones and into the filigree. You can clean this brush in between cleanings to help get rid of the little dusty particles. I used some of my dresser items, notably a powder box, brush, perfume bottle, comb and hand mirror. I didn't have any problems with that. Most of the other items I just displayed.

Hello, in this guide I will show you the various new reproduction perfume bottles that are sometimes unfortunately being passed off as antique. I am sure that I will find many and this guide might be in several parts to showcase as many bottles as I can locate. I will note the manufacturers whenever possible. This guide is devoted to the perfume bottles by Silvestri. As I understand it, Silvestri started selling reproduction antique perfume bottles sometime in the late 1980s and into the 1990s. The bottles were made in Taiwan for Silvestri. Sometimes you will find the bottles and their original boxes, but alot of the time, you will just find the bottle. Silvestri is a tradename used by the company Syratech.

Syratech Corporation (the 'Company") designs, manufactures, imports and markets
a diverse portfolio of tabletop, giftware and products for home entertaining and
decoration. The Company is one of the leading domestic manufacturers and
marketers of sterling silver flatware and sterling silver and silver-plated
hollowware. The Company also offers a number of other complementary tabletop,
giftware and products for home decoration including stainless steel flatware,
picture frames, photo albums, photo storage, glassware, crystal, ceramics, lawn
and garden and seasonal decorations and ornaments, lighting, and small
furnishings.

The Company sell its products through a broad array of distribution channels, including retail
specialty stores, department stores, specialty mail order catalogue companies,
mass market merchandisers, warehouse clubs, premium and incentive marketers,
drug store chains, supermarkets and home centers. The Company markets its
products under numerous and well-recognized tradenames including the Company owned Towle Silversmiths®, Wallace Silversmiths®, International Silver Company®,
and Rochard® and Silvestri® tradenames, and under license agreements, the
tradenames Cuisinart®, SpodeTM, and Vera Wang®.

The Company's products in this category are imported from the Company's third-party vendors located primarily in the Asia Pacific Rim. The channels of distribution for these products include mass-market merchandisers, department stores, warehouse clubs and specialty stores.

The perfume bottle shown below is a reproduction of an antique bottle. This is their "Sarah" bottle and features a draped nude amongst flowers and is made of pink glass. The original antique bottle is clear glass and has an applied pink patina over very satiny smooth frosted molded designs, the molding is also very crisp, whereas the reproduction is blurry and the frosted areas are very rough looking.

Below is a reproduction of an early bottle. The original bottle is clear & frosted glass, paintakingly molded with floral decoration which then had applied rose colored patina to the frosted areas.the reproduction bottle is clear glass,cobalt or pink glass with molded decoration,sometimes the molded areas are given a silver enamel finish, note that the molding is not crisp.

Pictures will be added soon

The Nine Flags men?s shaving cologne collection came out in 1965, it was still being sold well into the early 1970s. It was distributed by the Colton company of Boston, Massachusetts and was marketed by Gillette in the United Kingdom. The bottles are also marked Essence Imported Blended in USA. I have also found reference to the Nine Flags men's soap set advertisement from 1972.

Each bottle held 2fl oz of cologne and was ball shaped and had a long neck covered with a brushed aluminum screw cap. The name of the cologne is on the bottle part of the cap and on the label on the base.

This ingenious collection was full of international flair and each cologne was named after its own country and scent. Each scent was tinted with a different color. I have also seen these in atomizer bottles, but more commonly in the splash type bottles.

Even commercials of the day featured such scenes as ethnic sexy women talking about which country has the best after shave lotion. Other commercials featured a sexy Italian couple, German couple and Swedish couple. One such commercial  showed a gift box that featured colognes  from nine countries¯three humorous vignettes of sample countries all include themen applying their colognes and their lady friend's reactions. For instance, one commercial features a sensuous woman in Italy embracing a  man saying "Marcello, I love you","...kiss me, you fool," for England, a fraulein in  Germany who declares unemotionally "Hans! I love you!"  while he clicks his heels and says "Of course you do,  you could not help yourself!", and a Swedish couple in  a sauna as the woman says "Oh,  Sven"¯as the blond in a towel jumps the handsome Swede.

These colognes are still very popular amongst men today and command very high prices on eBay. Prices range from $75-$350 for a single bottle.

The following countries/scents make up the Nine Flags Collection:

• Lichtenstein-Wild Cedar
• Luxembourg
• America-Mountain Green
• Hong Kong-Patcham
• Brazil-Aromatic Tabac
• England-Royal Saddle
• France-Panache
• Sweden-Clear Spruce
• Ireland-Green Moss
• Germany-Live Oak
• Spain-Manzanilla
• Italy-Dry Citrus
• Morocco-Sea Amber

The My Islands colognes came out around the same time and were also manufactured by Colton,distributed in the UK by Gilette. There were six different colognes named after famous islands.The bottles held 2.5 fl oz and were squat and ribbed, and their bases came up like a dome into the bottle. These bottles could then be stacked one atop the other. The caps were the same brushed aluminum but had rounded tops so that they would fit the bases of one another. These are very very rare compared to the Nine Flags colognes. I do not think they sold very well and were perhaps pulled from the market not long after they were launched. These bottles are so few and far between that I have only seen 2 in my life.

• Majorca
• Corfu
• Barbados
• Stromboli
• Skye
• Malaya

(Pictures to be added later)

These pretty vanity items were produced during the 1890s and continued for a few more years up until around 1910 or so. The handmirror and brush were sold along with a comb in most cases. Sets were available to adults as well as children, the children's set being a bit smaller than the adults of course.

 Masculine sets were offered to men as well.

The porcelain backs commonly had transfer designs, usually with some handpainted enameled accents to make the designs look more lifelike. These porcelain backs were probably manufactured at Limoges Franceor in Dresden Germany and very rarely Nippon (pre WWI Japanese). They featured gilded brass, aluminum, German silver,  or quadruple plated handles that were embossed with floral motifs, Art Nouveau whiplashes, nudes with flowing hair, mermaids, rococo swirls and scrolls.

I have come across some of the backs that were entirely handpainted with the most lovely of subjects. 

The most common subjects on the porcelain backs were usually of a floral nature, especially lush roses, pretty violets, lilacs, colorful daisies, lily of the valley, poinsettias, poppies, and delicious fruits such as raspberries.

 Less commonly found are the portrait backs. These would generally be pretty Gibson type ladies, children, fairies, cupids at play or scenes of a neo-Classical or romantic Colonial/Regency period nature.

Sometimes the decorative motif will be Nippon floral motifs with intricate moriage beading.

The masculine sets would feature animals such as elk or waterfowl.

The borders of the porcelain backs were typically gilded scrolls or floral swags, a flow blue edge, and some had no extra accents at all.

Every now and then I see those beautiful jasperware backed pieces with Neo-Classical motifs, most likely produced by Wedgwood or a look alike manufacturer. I have had jasperware pieces in a pink color, a sage and a deep cobalt blue color over the years.

It is not uncommon to find these items on ebay, I see about 2-3 pieces weekly. I have seen them in pristine condition as well as poor condition.

I have broke down several condition grades to make it easy for you to list or purchase. Some people may not agree with my condition grades, so feel free to adjust to your own ideas if you'd like.

• Pristine or mint condition would mean: virtually no wear to transfer or finish on handles, no chips or cracks to porcelain, no spots or streaks on mirror, no missing plugs of bristles, no scratches on porcelain, no dents on handles. In other words, looks like it was never used.

• Very good condition would mean: very light wear to transfer (a faint scratch here and there), very light wear to finish on handles, no streaks or spotting on mirror, one or two of the plugs missing on brush, a dent or two on handle. Looks like it was used very little.

• Good condition would mean: some visible scratches on transfer, normal wear to finish on handles, spotting or streaks on mirror, some dents to handles, over three plugs of bristles missing on brush. Looks like it was used, but with care.

• Poor condition would mean: cracks or chips to porcelain, cracked mirror, considerable loss or scratches to transfer, considerable loss to finish or rust on handles, plenty of dents on handles, numerous plugs of bristles missing. Looks like it was used often!

Throughout the years on eBay, I have seen prices in the range of:

• $35-$95 for handmirrors

• $25-$75 for brushes

• $95-$250 for matching sets.

In a retail setting on the internet, prices are much higher.The going rate:

• $195-$325 handmirrors

• $150-$225 brushes

• $225-$475 matching sets.

These items make the most beautiful collections and even if an item has a cracked porcelain back, but unusual or lovely motif, don't hesitate to pick it up and add it to your collection.

I have found the best website to find these pretty items, visit www.antiquepeek.com for fabulous handmirrors, brushes and sets. The pictures shown in this guide were taken from her website and you can see the high quality items she offers at reasonable prices.

In Roseann Ettinger's book Antique Dresser Sets 1890s-1950s, she has a reprint of a Lyon Brother's catalog from 1899. On this catalog page, several porcelain backed dresser sets are being offered for sale. Her book also shows some porcelain backed vanity pieces in color with values.

In this guide I will discuss the origins of the fanciful tear bottle, its legends and its scientific outcomes. Many people have used the term ?tear bottle? to market simple scent, cosmetic or unguent bottles.

Also goes by names such as tear bottle, tear catcher, lapel bottle, tear vial, boot bottle unguentaria, bosom bottle, or unguentarium. There are also several less common spellings for lachrymatory, including lacrymatory.

The Old Testament of the Bible (KJV) references collecting tears in a bottle in Psalm 56:8 when David prays to God, ?Thou tellest my wanderings, put thou my tears in Thy bottle; are they not in Thy Book?? The reference predates the birth of Christ by over 1000 years, and does not refer to burials. And another reference, "Behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at His feet behind Him weeping, and began to wash His feet with tears, . . . and anointed them with the ointment" (Luke 7:37-38).Some scholars believe she poured her tear bottle?s contents onto his feet. It would be artistic license to say that she washed his feet with her tears, as they fell from her eyes, or maybe a poetic way of saying she was crying whilst she washed his feet with unguents. Piny the Elder, writing later in the first century, stated that ointments kept best in alabaster boxes. ...

Some people state that tear bottles were prevalent in ancient Egyptian history, however, I have never read anything that refers to any so called tear bottles. The Egyptians were very fond of cosmetics and perfumes, the bottles found in their tombs and in the ruined cities would have been for just that.

So-called "Tear" bottles were fairly common in Roman times, around the time of Christ, when its said that mourners filled small glass bottles or cups with tears and placed them in burial tombs as symbols of respect. Sometimes women were even paid to cry into these vessels, as they walked along the mourning procession. Those crying the loudest and producing the most tears received the most compensation, or so the legend goes. The more anguish and tears produced, the more important and valued the deceased person was perceived to be.

It is also said that "tear" bottles reappeared during the Victorian era, when those mourning the loss of loved ones would collect their tears in bottles with special stoppers that allowed the tears to evaporate. Apparently, when the tears had evaporated, the mourning period would end. In some Civil War stories, women were said to have cried into tear bottles and saved them until their husbands returned from battle. Their collected tears would show the men how much they were adored and missed. In reality these flasks were for scented vinegars, perfumes and toilet waters to scent handkerchiefs, many of the little bottles were suspended from chatelaines which hung at the waist.

Other types of bottles that are mistaken for "tear" bottles are the throwaway bottles, these long skinny glass bottles often had gilded decorations, these bottles were for the attar or otto of rose or lavender. These were called throwaway bottles as when the lady of the house returned from the store where she purchased her otto bottle, she would then decant the contents into her own fancy bottles on her vanity or in her chatelaine scent bottle. The majority of these rather crude bottles were made in Germany, more for the common folk than the wealthy. These were sold at spas, fairs and shops and not made for refill, hence the name throwaway. Most bottles measure 7? to 8? long and have a ground stopper with a round, flat top. These bottles were usually made of clear glass, but can also be found in blue, amber, green or other colors. These bottles were blown glass and the stoppers often had a long dauber that reached down near the end of the bottle, the glass was decorated with ovals, crisscrosses, spirals, crosshatching, and flat planes cut into the sides. The bottles were hand decorated with bright enamels, rich gilding.

Since these bottles were commonly found in tombs, early scholars called these bottles lachrymatories or tear bottles. This misnomer has aided the seller of antique bottles throughout the years who knew the effect of playing with someone?s sentiments might help him or her sell a bottle more easily.

Scientists have performed chemical tests on these flasks and they disproved the romantic theory, revealing traces of oils and essences, instead of tears. These simple pottery or glass flasks were meant to hold cheap essential oils, the more expensive oils deserved more elaborate bottles. However, the mystery and allure of having a bottle to collect tears of the bereaved must sound appealing in some way as these items are being marketed today and people are buying them .

Further reading:

• Perfume & Scent Bottle Collecting by Jean Sloan
• Millers Perfume Bottles by Madeleine Marsh

In this guide, I will introduce you to the wonderful world of commercial perfume bottles made up of black glass. These elegant beauties were produced mainly during the 1920s & most have Art Deco influences. Why not start a collection focusing on just the black glass bottles?Fleurs de Mousse by Sauze: launched in 1905,  black glass bottle w/ molded and gilded design and logo, designed by Julien Viard. 3 1/2" tall.

Mystere by D'Orsay: launched in 1915,  black glass square shaped bottle, the stopper is molded w/ lizards.Bottle marked R Lalique.3 3/4" tall.

Christmas Ever : launched in 1919, black glass bottle has a stairstepped shape and has a gold label. Perfume house unknown.3 1/2" tall.

Fete de Nuit by Agnel: launched in 1920,black glass bottle and stopper,shaped almost like a bell w/six full sides, designed by Julien Viard.

Imperial Toldeo by Gal: launched in 1920, black glass rectangular flacon w/ rounded shoulders by Spanish artist Federico Ribas.

Muguet by Gimay: launched in 1920, in association with Gimbel Brothers.Gilding on front and stopper.

Le Coeur d'une Rose by Godet: launched in the 1920s, black glass flacon with gilded floral frieze towards bottom, gilded stopper.

Catedral by Gueldy: launched in 1920, octagonal black glass bottle, molded stopper, gilded label.

Arabian Passion by Lydes: launched in the 1920s, black glass six sided bottle w/ molded sunbursts at each point in silver, matching pattern on stopper. Gold label in center.

Amador by De Trevise: launched in the 1920s, black glass bottle, disk shaped,gilded lines.

Coeur Coeur by Redfern: launched in the 1920s,  black glass bottle with gold lines, gilded label.

Prince Matchabelli crown bottle in black glass w/gilded highlights, launched in the 1920s, may have been used for Ave Maria fragrance.

Jasmin by D'Orvil: launched in the 1920s, black glass rectangular bottle w/ molded floral stopper, gold foil label on front.

May Blossoms by Char'net: launched in the 1920s, black glass rectangular bottle w/ rounded corners bottle most likely made by Cristalleries de Nancy. Bottle has silver foil label & black glass stopper. 2.9" tall.

Le Zephir by Moehr: launched in the 1920s,black glass tall rectangular bottles w/ black glass pyramidion shaped stopper, ornate gilded label, 3.1" tall. Bottle also used for the following Moehr scents: Lotus Bleu, L'Aimee, Yule Tide ,Caprice de Femme and Ses Fleurs.

Fete de Nuit by Agnel: launched in 1920, black glass bell shaped bottle w/ red enamel.

Ambre by D'Orsay: launched in 1920, black glass w/ each of its four sides molded w/ a caryatid at each corner.The stopper was molded w/ stylized flowers.Bottle should be marked R.Lalique. 5 1/4" tall.

 D'Orsay:launched in the 1920s,black glass bottle in an irregular hexagon shape, molded lattice design on front in a frosted finish. It was used for several D'Orsay scents. Bottle marked R Lalique.2 1/2" tall.

Lemoine: launched in the 1920s,black glass bottle w/ green enamel, used for various scents by Lemoine.

Cartier: launched in the 1920s,black glass diamond shaped bottle w/ angled lines, picked out in gold, held various floral perfumes by Cartier, & distributed by Dermay Perfumers Inc. Stopper has cork end.Bottle has gilt label on bottom front.6 1/4" tall.

Amour Americain by Gabilla: launched in 1920,black glass round bottle w/ molded & gilded floral decroation around middle. Name of perfume in gold lettering above floral band. Designed by Julien Viard. This bottle was the model for the Lanvin ball shaped flacons. Same bottle used for My Sin by Gabilla.

Rose Brumaire by Volnay: launched in 1920,black glass rectangular bottle molded w/ geometric abstract lines, designed by Andre Jollivet.3 3/8" tall.Also used for the perfume Ambre.

Nuit de Noel by Caron: launched in 1922, black glass flacon has a gilt label & faceted stopper, by Baccarat. Packaged in a cardboard box w/ faux shagreen paper, silk tassel on one end, resembling Japanese inro case. 4 5/8" tall.

Candide Efflueve by Guerlain: launched in 1922, in a lyre shaped black flacon by Baccarat

Conte de Fees by Violet: launched in 1922, black glass round bottle w/ gold decoration and stopper, by Maurice Depinoix. 1 3/4" tall.

Ambre Indien by Volnay: launched in 1922,black glass disk shaped bottle w/ molded cosmos flowers, designed by Andre Jollivet.

Carezza by Sauze: launched in 1922,black glass disk shaped bottle w/ molded reptile skin design, highlighted w/ gilding. Bottle designed by A. Jollivet.

My Sin by Lanvin: launched in 1923,black glass round bottle w/ gilt logo on front,& gilded ribbed ball or raspberry shaped stopper. Bottle was designed by Armand Rateau, logo designed by Paul Iribe.3 1/4" tall.Be on the lookout as this bottle also came in a rare clear glass with gilded logo on front.

My Sin by Gabilla: launched in 1923, black glass round bottle w/ molded & gilded flower decoration around middle. My Sin Paris in gold above flower band. Stopper round, upper half has the same molded/gilded floral decoration.Sits on a gilded square, footed base. Designed by Julien Viard.3 3/8" tall. 

No. 1 by Rallet: launched in 1923, black glass melon shaped bottle w/ jadeite green glass stopper. 5 1/4" tall

Le Chevalier de la Nuit by Ciro: launched in 1923,Julien Viard designed black glass bottle in the shape of a knight.4 3/4" tall.

Adam et Eve by Marcel Raffy: launched in 1923, black glass bottle w/ gilded embossed label on front.

Madame Madeleine Vionnet: launched in the 1924, black glass square shaped bottle, w/ gilding & gilded square stopper, designed by Boris Lacroix, Maurice Depinoix bottle.This bottle was used for the following four scents: A, B, C, & D.

Miracle by Lentheric: launched in 1924, unique black crystal bottle w/ real gold dust in the glass, called "floating gold". Deluxe flacon was made by Baccarat & designed by Georges Dumoulin, the smaller bottles were made by Depinoix. Black bakelite stopper cover. Base acid stamped Made in France. Bottle came in three sizes, 5 7/8" tall, 4 1/2"  tall & 3 1/8" tall. This exact type of bottle was used for the perfume Cime D'or for Maubert, see picture below.

Caravelle by Marcel Guerlain: launched in 1924, black glass bottle in the shape of a sailing ship, trimmed in gold enamel. Gold label on "sail". Bottle by Maurice Depinoix. 5" tall.

Source Bleu by A. Euziere: launched in 1924,black glass bottle w/ narcisse molded stopper.

Kai Sang by Corday: launched in 1924, deluxe black glass w/ enameled decoration on bottle & stopper in red, white & gold. 3" tall.

Cir Ce by Moiret: launched in 1924, black glass bottle w/ frosted frieze of goddess Circe, lion & dog,stopper stylized flower.Back is molded w/ the name Circe. Base marked Made in France. 3" tall. 

Sous Le Gui by Jean de Parys: launched in 1925,black glass w/ gilded cap, accented w/ a tassel.R. LALIQUE design, created by Andre Jollivet

Mimosa by d'Amboise: launched in 1925,black glass square shaped bottle w/ gilded molded floral designs, matching gilt stopper.Bottle by H. Saumont.

Coax Me by Vallant: launched in 1925, black glass bottle

Le Fleuve Noir (Black River) by Lionceau: launched in 1925, black glass bottle w/ molded floral decoration, by H. Saumont. 5 7/8" tall.

Ami by Silka: launched in 1925, black glass bottle molded w/ silvered eggshell texture,gilded labels, by Baccarat. 4 1/8" tall.

Byzance by Grenoville: launched in 1925, black glass bottle molded w/ Greek Key design by Verreries Brosse. Red label w/ black lettering. Came packaged in an elegant gold box w/ black tassel. Base molded w/ Grenoville Made in France. 4 1/8" tall.

Byzance by Grenoville: launched in 1925, black glass purse bottle molded w/ floral design. Label down front center. Screw cap under goldtone metal cover.2" tall.

Mon Studio by Calliste: launched n 1925, black glass rectangular bottle w/ round stopper, gold foil embossed nude on label.

Camelia Noir by Erte: launched in 1925, black glass rectangular bottle & stopper.

Distinction by Calliste: launched in 1925, black glass bottle w/diagonally molded frosted stripes, gold foil embossed nude on label. Ribbed gilt stopper.

Atakor by A. Euziere: launched in 1925, black glass square shaped flacon w/ sloping shoulders. Created by Georges Dumoulin & made by Societe Parisienne de Verreries.

Amour Sauvage by Ybry: launched in 1925-1928, black crystal by Baccarat, silver foil label,w/ enameled metal cover (lacking inner stopper) Acid etched Baccarat.

Locion Mirka by Griet: launched in 1925, black glass rectangular shaped flacon.Label design by Achille Mauzan. Griet was a shortlived perfumery company from Argentina.

Olor de la Noche by Raquel : launched in 1925, black glass bottle w/ ripples,black glass stopper.This bottle also came in clear satin glass w/ black ripples.Bottles came in about three different sizes, including a rare mini size w/ a gilded stopper.

No. 101 by Bergdorff Goodman: launched in 1925, black glass bottle by Depinoix.

Lilas de Lorraine by Volnay: launched in 1925, clear glass pear shaped bottle w/thick black opaque enamel pearlized finish. Created by A. Jollivet & made by the Nesle Normandeuse Glassworks.

Heliotrope by Les Parfums Azurvyl: launched in 1925,black glass w/ embedded gold dust,created by Georges Dumoulin & made by d'Argenteuil Glassworks.

Hattie Carnegie by Hattie Carnegie: launched in 1925, black glass pyramid bottle in the shape of an inkwell.Gilded decoration on bottle & stopper.Base acid stamped Made in France Depinoix.Possible Julien Viard design.3 1/4" tall.

Diable Noir by Vibert Freres: launched in 1925,  black glass bottle.

Reves Dores by Les Parfums de Malyne: launched in 1925, black glass bottle in the shape of a pointed arch, teardrop stopper. Bottle by H. Saumont.

Shari by Langlois: launched in 1926, black glass bottle w/ faux eggshell motif & Art Deco abstract designs in red,gold, white & iridescent enameling. Box in the shape of Japanese inro, complete w/ silk tassel on lid.Bottle stands 4 1/4" tall.

Femme du Jour by Corday: launched in 1926,black glass bottle w/ gilding, by Baccarat. 4" tall.

Pour Rever by Violet (Veolay): launched in 1926, black glass bottle,looks similar to Chinese snuff bottle,black glass button stopper.Gilded label. 3.4" tall.

Le Dandy by D'Orsay: launched in 1926,black glass flacon w/ molded chain design down each side, pattern repeated on stopper,embossed gold foil label in center of bottle.3 1/2" tall.

Le Dandy by D'Orsay: launched in 1926, black glass octagonal bottle w/ round stopper, designed by Sue et Mare.3 1/2" tall.

Xmas Bells (Les Cloches de Noel)  by Molinard: launched in 1926, black glass bell shaped bottle, w/gilt embossed label in center. Packaged in a red, square shaped box.Base acid etched Made in France. 4 1/4" tall.

Lune de Miel by Sari: launched in 1926, round disk shaped bottle w/ crescent moon face & stars w/ silver finish, by Depinoix. 4 3/8" tall.

Xmas Chimes by Dubois: launched in 1926,black glass bell shaped bottle w/ gold label in center. Packaged in red & gold wide, cylindrical box. Imitating the popular perfume Xmas Bells by Molinard.2 1/4" tall

Le Double Cinq by Alice Choquet: launched in 1926, black glass bottle w/ gilded domino design & trim.Came in two sizes, 3" and 2 3/8".

Odeur Charvai by Tre-Jur: launched in 1926, black glass half moon shaped bottle w/ metal overcap, small glass inner stopper. Tiny label on the side.6" tall.

Gardez Moi by Jovoy: launched in 1926,black glass bottle in the shape of a stylized panther,bottle by Baccarat. Please see my guide on Jovoy for the pic.

Notturno by Mury: launched in 1926, black glass oval bottle w/ gilded logo on front,& gilded stopper. Bottle by Baccarat. Packaged in a tasseled box. Bottle stands 3 7/8" tall.

Durante el Invierno by Chas A. Stevens: launched in 1927, black glass tall bottle,the corners of the bottle feature finely molded & gilded women?s faces w/ very tall Marie Antionette type pompadours crowned w/ a string of pearls.This bottle may have also been used for the following Chas A Stevens perfumes:En el Verano,Para el Ontono,El Ano Perfumado,Ci-Cix, & Tears. I believe the bottle may be a rare Lalique experimental or by Depinoix or Viard.

Sensation by Delyna: launched in 1927, black glass round bottle w/ gold enameled detailing, gilded conical stopper.Front has Sensation Delyna Paris in gold.1 7/8" tall. 

Les Heures de Perugia, Soir by Andre Perugia: launched in 1927, also known as simply Soir, black glass rectangular bottle w/ simple gild lettering.

Me Voila by Whitmores: launched in 1927,  black glass rectangular bottle w/ a gilded art Deco design. Gilt black glass stopper.

Beau "K" by Carle: launched in 1927,oval black glass bottle w/ matching stopper.

Azaello by Brajan: launched in 1927,  black glass.

Contes Choisis by Marcel Guerlain: launched in 1927,  black glass book shaped bottle w/ gilded trim & stopper. 3 1/2" tall.

Beau K by the Armand Company: launched in 1927,black glass bottle w/ matching stopper.

Kiri-Mon by Roland Koschbrak: launched in the late 1920s, black glass vial w/ black glass stopper.Gilded foil labels. Housed in black cardboard box. 

Merry Christmas by Benoit: launched in 1927, black glass bottle w/ gilded figural stopper of woman holding child.Front of bottle has gilded Nativity scene.Bottle was designed & made by Maurice Depinoix.4 3/4" tall.

Le Debut Noir by Richard Hudnut: launched in 1927, black glass octagonal bottle w/ gold floral stopper. Various shapes & sizes.

Nuit Romantique by Delyna: launched in 1927, black glass rectangular bottle w/ molded floral decoration in gold.

XVIII by Delettrez: launched in 1927, black glass ball shape bottle w/ flat disk shaped stopper.

Niradjah by Marquis: launched  in 1927, Depinoix perfume bottle in black crystal w/ red cased crystal stopper, w/ label, in deluxe silver & yellow silk presentation box, 1920s. 3 3/4" tall

Pierre Precieuse by Lionceau: launched in 1927,black glass bottle w/ gilded floral decoration, by H. Saumont.

Cime D'Or by Maubert: launched in 1927,black glass w/ floating gold finish & gilt stopper, w/ label.3 1/4" tall.

Chypre by Lerys: launched in 1927, black glass bottle.

Dyne by Plassard: launched in 1928, black glass bottle w/ gilt Dyne on front.

Gueldiana by Gueldy: launched in 1928, black glass bottle by H. Saumont.

Feminette by De Musset: launched in 1928, flattened, disk shaped bottle realistically molded w/ gilded design of paper money leaves, w/ matching gilded stopper, by Maurice Depinoix.4 1/8" tall.This bottle was also used for the perfume Poeme in 1928.

Nuit de Paques by Benoit: launched in 1928, black glass bottle w/ a gilded crescent moon and stars. The name of the perfume is also picked out in gilt on the front of the bottle. Bottle has a small black glass button stopper. Back embossed w/ "Marquee Depose H. Benoit Paris". Bottle may have been by Baccarat or Depinoix. The bottle comes housed in a luxurious gilded cardboard box simulating a Japanese inro case, and lined w/ turquoise blue velvet and ends with a silken tassel.

Jonchee de Pois Senteur by Volnay: launched in 1928, black glass bottle by A. Jollivet.

Fleurs de Tabac by Cherigan: launched in 1929,black glass bottle w/ gilded tobacco leaf.

Le Secret du Diamant by Louise Peszynska: launched in 1929,black glass in the shape of a faceted diamond w/ star design on top.Housed in leather case, fitted w/ a mirror inside lid.

Xmas E' by Fragonard: launched in 1929, black glass bottle w/ gilded rope detail along top, gilt stopper. Gold foil label, H. Saumont bottle.

Suspiro de Granada by Myrurgia: launched in 1929, the black glass bottle came encased in a red/black & gold lacquered case accented w/ chenille pompons. 3 1/4" tall.

Simoun by D'Ouchy: launched in 1929, black glass flacon, gilt label

 Honey Gold by Honey Gold Co: launched in the late 1920s, black glass bottle by Cristal Nancy.

Chance by Cherigan: launched in 1929,black glass w/ an applied horseshoe of glass in gold finish, w/ molded labeling. Designed by Andre Jollivet.3 1/4" tall.

Liu by Guerlain: launched in 1929,  black glass bottle w/ gilt label on front, matching box. Bottle was made by Baccarat. 2 1/4" tall. Please see the picture for Liu at my other guide here.

Macarades by Cherigan: launched in 1929, black glass bottle w/ gilded designs & a hand holding a mask. Bottle by Cristalleries de Nancy. 4" tall.

My Kiss by Benoit: launched in the late 1920s, opaque black glass disk shaped bottle, w/gilded medallion of a lady's face. Gilded, molded glass stopper in the shape of flowers.

Helen of Troy by Beauty Counselors: launched in 1930, black rectangular glass bottle by Cristalleries de Nancy. Black flower bud stopper, silver label on front.

Champs de Mai by Le Galion: launched in 1930,  black glass bottle ,stopper is molded w/ a sailing ship,enameled in white.

Le Diamant Noir by Mas de Madrid: launched in 1930, black glass octagonal bottle that looks nearly identical to that of the Le Dandy bottle above, has flattened panel in the center, covered w/ a gilt foil label.

La Vierge Folle by Poiret: launched in 1930, black glass bottle molded w/ flowers along the sides & stopper. Gilt embossed label. Bottle was also used for Mon Peche & Moment Supreme. 5 1/2" tall.

Bibelot by Lydes: launched in 1930, black glass bottle w/orange stopper.

L'Or de Minuit by de Burmann: launched in 1930, black glass bottle, golden label.

Chypre by Le Galion: introduced in 1930, black glass squatty rectangular bottle and stopper, stopper molded with a sailing ship and enameled in white,label on front, base is acid etched Le Galion Paris.

Le Prestige by Moiret: launched in 1930,black glass bottle,both bottle & stopper molded with fishscale motif,silver label,by Cristalleries de Nancy.

Joy by Jean Patou: launched in 1931, black glass bottle imitating Chinese snuff bottle, lettering in gold. Red plastic stopper.

Parfums Francais Inc: launched in 1932,black  glass  hexagonal bottle w/ label featuring Neo Classical putti. Bottle by Baccarat for unknown scent.

Kali by Dana: launched in 1933, black glass bottle w/gilded dancer.

Water Lily by Helena Rubinstein: launched in 1934, black glass conical bottle w/stylized lotus blossom stopper.Gilt label down center.3" tall.

Tabatchin by Molinard: launched in 1934,  black glass cube shaped bottle by Baccarat.

Minuit (Midnight) by Ramey: launched in the 1935,black glass bottle w/ molded gilded floral stopper.Gilded label shows nude woman holding a perfume burner. 4.3" tall.

Mischief by Saville of London: launched in 1937, black glass bottle w/ silver foil labels.The bottle snaps into a molded plastic top hat, then packaged in a miniature hat box. Hat measures 2 1/4" tall.

Corinthia by Parfumerie Lotus de Noel: launched in 1937, black glass w/ inner stopper & glass cover, on plastic base, w/ name & "Exposition Internationale Paris 1937" on reverse. 6 1/2" tall.

Ouvrez Moi by Lubin: launched in 1937,black glass purse shaped bottle w/ gold trim & braided silk cord handle.3" tall.

Pierre Tappe by Prince George of Russia: launched in 1930, re-branded fragrance "Elixir".Black glass bottle shaped like a wine bottle with a long neck,label with a gold crown.

Chypre by Vantines: launched in 1930, black glass bottle, molded iwth skyscrapers,black glass stopper, gold label.

Parfum Elixir by Prince Georges of Russia: launched in 1935, black glass carafe shaped tester bottle w/ long dauber on stopper.

Mischief by Saville: launched in 1935,black glass inverted cone shape bottle on a platform base of chrome, chrome stopper,silver & black label.

Corinthea by Lotus du Noël: launched in 1936,presented in a Colonial Expo Bottle and in a black crystal Corinthian column styled bottle.

Noir by Weil: launched in 1937, black glass bottle in an upright triangular shape.

Easter Lily by Lili Bermuda: launched in 1939,black glass bottle in rectangular shape,black glass stopper, gold foil label. 2.2" tall.

Brumes by Le Galion: launched in 1939, black glass & gold trim bottle.

Enigma? by Alexa: launched in 1944,  black glass bottle w/ gilded label on front.5 1/2" tall. 

Ivresse by Isabelle Lancray (Lancry): launched in the 1940s, black glass bottle.

Espoir by Paquin: launched in 1945, black tall, circular shaped flacon w/ gold & black label.

Incanto by Simonetta: launched in 1955,  black crown shaped bottles, clear stoppers.Came in both 2" tall and 3" tall bottles.

Chamart (JOHN R. WALKER CO.)was an importing company that originally started in the early  1950's  by Charles Martine, hence the name "Chamart". They specialized in fine dinnerware, hand painted ceramics, replica and unusual perfume bottles and crystal. It was not until 1965 that Chamart started developing all handpainted museum quality Limoges boxes as pieces for the coffee table and he introduced the Limoges Box to the American market, designing a collection for Tiffany & Company. The line developed slowly and over the last thirty five years has evolved into Limoges boxes as we know them today. It was immensely popular and quickly became the cornerstone of Chamart's business.

It is possible to find Chamart perfume bottles on the internet, the pieces had labels which read Chamart France. People often think that Chamart was an actual perfume company, but they weren't. They imported the bottles from France and sold them into the USA. I often find them being sold with out their labels, and many times they are called antiques. They aren't antiques, they would be considered vintage. Sometimes the bottles are often sold as Czechoslovakian, but again, they were made in France. All of the perfumes I have seen are frosted and in various colors such as pink, opalescent,  clear and blue. i will add more pictures as I come across them.

In this guide I will introduce you to the world of the vintage perfumes by Ahmed Soliman & the Shimy Brothers Perfume Companies of Egypt.

These two competitors catered to the higher end of the tourist trade. Both Ahmed Soliman & the Shimy Brothers perfumes are very rare finds today, and command very high prices when offered at auction. From the pictures below, you can see the various types of perfume bottles that can be found.

Ahmed Soliman

Ahmed Soliman El Mowardi (1906-1956) had a perfumery located at the Khan-Khalili Bazaar in Cairo, Egypt during the first half of the 20th century. Ahmed Soliman marketed himself as "Cairo's Perfume King". Though established in 1838, the 1920s were the height of his perfumes popularity. Ahmed Soliman's shop, the Palace of Perfumes also carried other items such as incense, kohl, ambar cigarettes, ambar paste and ambar gum.

Still today, nobody in Cairo has been able to surpass the quality of the perfumes that Ahmed sold in the store of the bazaar Khan the Khalili. There were imitators of Ahmed Soliman who tried to cash in on using the name Soliman for their own perfumes. Ahmed was fed up with this and a vintage advertisement states that:

 "Do not be misled! Remember two words--Ahmed Soliman. Owing to the great number of designing merchants who vainly try to imitate my wares-an impossibility owing to their excellence- and furthermore use a name similar to mine in order to decieve,I have registered in the Courts of Law to obviate such deception entirely. I therefore advise my clients to take great care thatmy FULL NAME is printed on each article that comes out of my store."

"The Flower, Spice, Fresh Fruit & Blended Perfumes, in their suggestive loveliness are incomparable and are acknowledged to be the best obtainable."

The perfumes were compounded in Egypt, but the bottles were imported from Czechoslovakia. Most of the bottles are decorated with rich gilding and vibrant enamels of Egyptian gods & goddesses, or stylized Egyptian motifs. Some stoppers have faceted glass jewels. As you can see below, a rare silver overlay bottle is pictured. The bottles would be housed in elegant leather covered and silk lined presentation cases or simple Bakelite or wooden cases.

Single Flower Perfumes from Ahmed Soliman:

• Lotus Flower 
• Attar of Roses
• Jasmine
• Violet
• Double Jasmine
• Heliotrope
• Verbena
• Gardenia
• Lotus
• Morning Glory
• Orange Blossom
• Black Narcissus
• Narcissus
• Banana
• Bittersweet
• Fotna (Mimosa)
• Lilac
• Golden Wattle
• Lily of the Valley
• Carnation

Perfume Blends from Ahmed Soliman:

• Tutankhamon Pharaoh Scent
• Secret of the Desert
• Harem Perfume
• Shem El-Nessim
• Queen of Egypt
• Fragrant Flowers
• Nefertiti
• Kino
• Heliotropium
• Fotna
• Ramses IV
• Le Caire
• The Flower of the Sahara
• Queen Hatasu
• Arabian Night
• Christmas Scent
• Scent of Araby
• Omar Khayyam
• Bitter Sweet
• Morning Glory
• Ahmed Soliman

Spice Scents from Ahmed Soliman:

• Sandal Wood
• Antique Ambar
• Royal Ambar
• Amber Kashmir
• Musk
• Ambar
• Amber
• Frankincense

"Incense prepared by Ahmed Soliman is a most wonderful agent for creating that real, fascinating Eastern atmosphere. Inferior incense should be avoided."

• Incense of Araby
• Sandlewood
• Ambar
• Mecca
• Rose Jasmine

"Kohl has been used by harem ladies since time immemorial to beautify the eyes, is also found in its purest form at the Palace" 

• Cleopatra
• Fascination
• Hareem
• Blue
• Black

"Ambar gum restores a lustre to the skin and imparts a delicate perfume to the body. Only Ahmed Soliman has it in his Palace of Perfumes."

"Ambar Paste:" the elixir of youth is perhaps the most Oriental of all my preparations. The effect is enchanting, seductive and the taste is delicious.Although delightful for all ages owing to its curious and pleasant flavor, and its healthy blood-warming properties-the Genuine Ambar Paste is a veritable Open Sesame to elderly people who would, for a time, re-enter the portals of the realm of youth"

The Shimy Brothers

The Shimy Brothers Perfumery of Cairo also produced fine perfumes in exquisite flacons during the same time period. These bottles are nearly indistinguishable from Ahmed Soliman's unless your pieces are marked. Shimy Brothers sometimes had the words "The Artistic Perfumers" either on the bottles or on the presentation boxes.

Like the ones for Soliman, these bottles were of high quality Czechoslovakian crystal and came in various glass colors and were decorated with hand enameled scenes and figures. The bottles were topped off with gilded brass filigree caps which had faceted glass jewels. Sometimes you will find the vials marked on the sides or base made in Czechoslovakia or Czechoslovakia will be on a little plaque on the cap.

In this guide I will introduce you to the world of perfume display bottles, also called Factices (pronounced fack-teece), and dummy bottles in the perfume trade.

A factice is an advertising store display bottle that is lent to a perfume vendor (department stores) by the perfume house and are not meant for retail sale. The bottles are exact replicas of the normal perfume bottles. Because these bottles are on loan, they are usually returned back to the perfume house and not sold publicly. 

In the early days of factices, these might be filled with perfume, but as time went on, manufacturers began to use colored water or a type of colored antifreeze, a mixture of rubbing alcohol or formaldehyde, or glycogen is used in most examples.  The colored water examples sometimes have some sort of sediment or particles floating around in the liquid, this is most likely caused by bacteria or mold growing in the water. Some factices, such as those for My Sin by Lanvin, are hollow, opaque plastic bottles, with no liquid inside.

The colored liquid for the factices often come premade in advance in aluminum containers when they are delivered to the department stores. Alternatively they might come as an extract in a small plastic bottle and the shop owner would have to mix it with distilled water.

 I would like to mention that factices came in many sizes, from smaller versions of their retail examples to identical sizes, all the way up to much larger than life examples. These larger bottles are known as giant factices. 

The older factices were made of glass or crystal, the newer ones of plastic or acrylic. The bases may be acid stamped or etched with "dummy", "factice" or a "D" engraved into the glass. 

I have three possibilities on how the factices were marked. They were probably scratched "dummy" by the glass factories before they were sent to the perfume factories, or were scratched on at the perfume factories so that it wouldn't be mistakenly filled with the actual perfume. Another possibility is that it could have been scratched on by a store employee to differentiate it from the perfume filled examples.

I wanted to mention that some vintage Guerlain & Balenciaga bottles are often marked dummy on the back of the label that is on the front of the bottle. The only way to see the word dummy is by looking through the back of the bottle and seeing the back of the label on the front of the bottle. Since the labels were affixed at the perfume factories (which were in France but the bottles were for American export) it would make sense that the word "dummy" was used instead of factice (French for artificial, fake). Please note that recent examples might have a sticker or label on the back of the bottle that states "dummy" or "for display purposes only" or "not for resale".

Some factices are one solid piece, meaning the stopper is molded into the base and not removeable. I have seen some acrylic factices like this for Givenchy perfumes.

Don't confuse a tester with a factice. Testers are advertising bottles filled with actual perfume and were meant to be used. Some stores will sell testers, and there are companies who will wholesale testers to the public. Testers generally come without a cap or box.

Please make sure you mention factice in your title and description. Collectors of factices will be able to find it easily. And people who are looking for the actual perfume bottle (not a factice) will appreciate your honesty.

The larger factices are generally much more desired than their smaller counterparts. The best factices are those marked Lalique or Baccarat, these signed pieces command the highest prices. You can find many different factices on ebay quite easily. Why not add one to your collection today?

Is your bottle sealed with contents? Does it look like perfume? How can you tell if you have a factice? Some simple ways of determining this are listed below:

• Shake the bottle. Do you see floating particles? if so, it is a factice.The particles are bacteria forming inside the colored water.

• Shake the bottle. Do you see a separation of the contents? Do you see little balls of oily substance in a sea of what looks like alcohol? Then you have perfume in your bottle. The perfume oils often thicken due to age and evaporation. The fragrance congeals a bit leaving small oil balls in the alcohol.

• Does the bottle have a waxed paper seal? if so, it isnt a factice.Vintage perfume bottles are usually sealed with onion paper which has been waxed over to prevent spillage during shipment. Also the stopper will be tied with a cord which wraps around the neck of the bottle. Some factices, such as the Chanel often times have this too, but I have never seen a factice with the waxed paper seal.

• Can you smell perfume around the mouth of the bottle? if so it is not a factice. Your factice should have no perfume smell at all.

• Are the contents dark and discolored? if so, it is not a factice.Vintage perfume usually discolors and turns a darker shade over the years when exposed to air. The liquid in factices will not discolor with age.

• Look at the stopper and  the neck of the bottle. Do you see any discoloration? If so, this will not be a factice. Vintage perfumes, due to the oils, often discolor the inside neck of the bottle and stopper and leaves residue even if its still sealed. Factices should be clear and clean with no residue present.

Some buyers prefer their factices emptied before shipping, this keeps the shipping costs down as filled factices can be quite heavy and expensive to ship. If you want your bottle emptied before shipping, please make mention of this to your seller.