CLEOPATRA'S BOUDOIR

Salesman's samples for perfumes and beauty products don't come for auction as often as command high prices when they do.  Salesmen and ladies would bring the products directly to the customer door to door style to get them to try out the products and then order the products they wished, which would then either be delivered by the sales agent or shipped from the manufacturer to the customer.

Most of us are familiar with the Avon lady calling, but few know about other companies that pushed their products in the same manner during the late 1800s and into the early 1900s.

the fact that someone would specially come to your home and demonstrate how to correctly use the product and sometimes apply it to your skin, this one on one attention is almost a thing of the past. It still lives on with Avon and Mary Kay, as well as Jafra and other smaller companies.

It is much easier to find vintage salesman kits of American original than those of France and other European countries. I think that the American's just weren't up to speed with all of the perfume boutiques that were cropping up everywhere on the Continent, so salesmen would bring the goods to the customer.

You could also order kits directly from the companies, that were advertised in magazines and newspapers of the day.

Here is a great looking vintage box of Harriet Hubbard Ayer cosmetic samples. The box measures about 4 7/8" x 2 7/8" x 1 1/8". Inside there are samples of Ayeristocrat Theatrical Powder, Luxuria Face Powder, Beautifying Face Cream, Skin and Tissue Builder Massage Cream, Luxuria Cosmetic Marvel (Cold Cream), and Ayeristocrat Vanishing Cream. This beautiful set sold on ebay back in 2006.

This is an incredible find. This is a salesman sample case of Coty perfume complete in case. 12 bottles and 2 face powder samples. Includes: Paris, Jasmin de Corse, Chypre, L'Oilellet France, L'Aimant, Amber Antique, A'Suma, Le Vertige, Styx, La Rose Jacqueminot, Cyclamen, and Emeraude. Each bottle was acid etched Coty on the base and were made by Coty's own glassworks in France. Included in the case were the two face powder samples for Severose face powder and Coty Tan face powder, each in it's own glass vial. The perfume bottles measure 2 1/8" tall x 1 1/4" wide and have glass stoppers with daubers. The case has a faux leather covering over wood. The inside top is lined with brown velvet. Each bottle has its own compartment . It closes with a snap. The case measures 11 1/4" long x 4 1/2" wide x 1 1/8" deep. The set came with an award and business card from the salesman who sold Coty perfumes from 1930-1943.

Vintage salesmans sample kit for "Mary King Demonstration Size. The J R Watkins Co Winona, Minn 3/8 oz Made In USA" on each bottle. Each bottle has a different type of scented talc in them. All full with metal screw top which has a slide to sprinkle with. Bottles 2 1/2x 1" dia and in great shape. The cardboard box has dividers to seperate bottles. With blue lid, the box measures 3x7.