2025 Perfume Bottles Auction

1925 Paris Exposition Centennial Celebration

The 2025 Perfume Bottles Auction celebrates the 100th year anniversary of the “1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industries Modernes” (International Exhibition of Modern and Industrial Decorative Arts) where the phrase “Art Deco” was born.

On Saturday, April 19 a lifetime collection of distinctive 1920’s commercial and Czechoslovakian perfume bottles will land in new collections when it is sold by the Perfume Bottles Auction as the opening event of the 37th Annual International Perfume Bottle Association Convention - held the following weekend. Among the 149 curated lots offered are items created specifically for the 1925 Paris Exposition, as well as purses, compacts, decorative vanity items and other essentials for the 1920’s boudoir.

The exposition attracted sixteen million visitors over a 7 month period. There were 15,000 invited participants from 20 countries, and the organizers made it clear that nothing could be based on historical styles. Everything displayed was required to be exclusively modern from fashion to jewelry and home goods, and though it was hoped that the Exposition would reflect the life of the common person, most products displayed were designer goods aimed at the elite.

The Perfume Pavillion became the favored center piece of the exposition, housing numerous perfumers galleries situated in a vast octagonal hall surrounding a central showcase designed by Rene Lalique crowned by an enormous illuminated glass fountain rising 20 feet above the crowd. Many new fragrances were created for the exhibition and introduced in special Art Deco presentations. Bottle designs reflected divergent trends in the interpretation of modern precepts. 

Traditionalists used simplified forms featuring stylized animals, classic nudes, and over-flowing bowls of flowers and fruit. Frosted accents, enameled and gilded details were applied to transparent, as well as various colors of opaque crystal. Figural stoppers and bottles shaped as animals were especially popular, as was a preference for black glass.

In the extreme, bottles of exaggerated geometric shapes, stylized Egyptian and Mexican motifs, the jungle, fountains, tassels and simulated lacquer and sharkskin finishes were all employed to harmonize with contemporary tastes. Numerous lots offered in the auction incorporate these same various materials and concepts.

c1925 Parera “Real Narciso” with box incorporating fountain graphics and architectural elements. These graphics are prominently gracing our 2025 catalog cover.

This exquisite and very special Art Nouveau presentation is from a different exposition - the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris. A museum piece that takes us back to a different era created by sculptor Louis Chalon for Roger & Gallet “Bouquet Nouveau” (New Bouquet).

Also special but also from a different era is Lot 149, the last lot in the sale. It is a perfume set; this set is from 1977 and was created to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee. A document that accompanies the set and numbers it as 8 of 25 that were produced, states the following:

“Stuart Devlin described in the ‘investors Chronicle’ as ‘arguably the greatest living silversmith’, especially commissioned by Stanley Hall, London’s leading perfume creator to design and make this pair of sterling silver and parcel gilt perfume bottles bearing the portrait head of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. Mr. Devlin’s work which is characterized by a new opulence is acclaimed and collected throughout the world.

This set will be of even greater interest to collectors in that it will carry rare fifth hallmark along with the usual four hallmarks. The special mark, which is only to be used in 1977, is a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II commemorating the Silver Jubilee of her reign.

Stanley Hall was fortunate enough to be able to recreate King Edward’s and Queen Alexandria’s favorite toilet waters from the original formulas and these are contained in the respective silver bottles. King Edward’s is based on verbena and Queen Alexandra’s on white roses. Modern methods of extracting natural oils have made it possible for the fragrances to be made longer lasting, without changing the formulas themselves.”

1050 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10022

For more information contact Ken Leach

ken@perfumebottlesauction.com

+1 917-881-8747