CLEOPATRA'S BOUDOIR

Baudruchage, is the art of applying a seal that graces each authentic bottle of high end designer parfum. It is seen on many vintage perfume bottles housing extraits, most notably on Chanel and Guerlain bottles, giving a luxurious look. Baudruchage is also as functional too, it helps to preserve the scent.

Baudruchage involves application of a waterproofing membrane, (usually beef intestine that has been dipped in water to make it supple,some perfumes have onion skin paper or a blue or red colored thin celluloid-like seal), on the neck of a bottle of perfume, then wrapping a silky or metallic wire thread around the neck of a bottle. Then the application of a wax cachet to seal the cord. On Guerlain bottles, two more steps are required to prepare the silk, barbichage (“bearding”) and brossage (“brushing’).

This is tedious work , the three steps (baudruchage, barbichage and brossage) can require over an hour’s work for a single bottle. 

Chanel explained the art of baudruchage: “The baudruchage, precious and ultimate gesture, unchanged for decades, is now reserved for the extract of No. 5. It is to manually put on the bottle neck of a thin membrane, maintained by two rows of black pearl cotton to ensure an absolute seal and protect the perfume from intrusion of air. The laying of the wax seal to seal the double C Chanel then guarantees the inviolability of the bottle “.

A customer would then need to cut the cords to get to the perfume.

Photo by Beauty Maverick.