The Allure of Antique Gold Banded Perfume Bottles
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Antique gold banded perfume bottles represent a unique fusion of luxury and craftsmanship, prized not only for their function but for their ornate beauty. These bottles, often crafted during the Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, and Art Deco periods, feature delicate gold bands & hinged lids, enhancing their design while providing structural reinforcement.
One particularly sought-after variety includes Dutch gold perfume bottles marked with the oak leaf hallmark, which indicates a minimum of 14ct gold. Known for their fine craftsmanship, these bottles often feature intricate floral or foliate designs. The hallmark makes them highly collectible, adding historical significance to their beauty.
Gold banded perfume bottles were typically paired with materials like cut crystal, porcelain, or glass, and were crafted by renowned makers like Baccarat and Lalique. The addition of gold, especially in Dutch bottles, was often engraved with intricate designs, elevating the bottle’s appeal.
In the Georgian period (1714–1830), perfume was made using methods like distillation, where fragrant oils were extracted from flowers and herbs through steam, and maceration, which involved soaking plant materials in fat or oil. Enfleurage was another technique, using fat to absorb scents from flowers. Perfumes were often floral or herbal, using ingredients like lavender, rose, jasmine, and ambergris, blended with alcohol to create colognes. These perfumes were a luxury, symbolizing refinement among the upper classes. The name “perfume” is derived from the Latin “per fume,” meaning “through smoke.
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The Egyptians bathed and made perfumes with lavender and when Tutankhamun's tomb was opened, traces of lavender were found and its scent could still be detected. Its clean, gentle floral fragrance is highly appreciated for its relaxing and soothing properties. | Jasmine has a rich, sweet, and intoxicating floral scent with a hint of fruitiness. it has been referred to as both 'the Queen of Flowers' and 'the King of Flowers', and in different cultures is synonymous with love, romance, weddings, passion, seduction and beauty. Ancient cultures cherished jasmine as an an aphrodisiac. | The ancient Egyptians, renowned for their luxury and indulgence, used rose petals in perfumes, cosmetics, and religious ceremonies. The two main roses in perfume are Rosa Damascena grown in Bulgaria & Turkey, with a rich honey-clove scent, and Rosa Centifolia grown in Morocco & France, it has a light, honeyed aroma. | Ambergris is a rare, natural byproduct of the sperm whale. Worth more than GOLD this product has been highly valued by perfume makers as a fixative that allows the scent to last much longer. It is rumoured that one of the most famous uses of ambergris in perfumery was in Chanel No. 5, created by Ernest Beaux in 1921. |
