The Art of the Perfume Bottle

Every scent has its own mystique. The bottles that contain scents often echo their mysterious qualities and the value we place on them.

“A perfume is a work of art, and the object that contains it must be a masterpiece,” Robert Ricci, with The House of Nina Ricci, eloquently said. Although this expresses the sentiment perfectly, the thought that the vessel that contained a fragrance should be as beautiful as the scent itself is not new.

Every scent has its own mystique. They can make you feel confident and help you create an impression. The bottles that contain perfumes often echo their mysterious qualities and serve as evidence of the value placed on them. Whether a tiny teardrop shape, a slender spiral, or flat geometric shape, perfume bottles contain the magic of glamour within them.

Perfume Bottle Design in Ancient Times

Ancient Egyptians used decorative vessels made of clay and wood to store their scents. The Palestinians made beautifully colored glass bottles. The Greeks created hand-painted vases in animal shapes. The Romans hollowed out precious stones to hold scents that were as precious as their containers.

The early Europeans stored their perfumes in a variety of containers made of substances such as gold, silver, porcelain, shells, glass and even semi-precious stones. Many containers were elegantly shaped bottles designed by artists, and there were even some that could be worn as jewelry. Most perfumes at this time were sold in undecorated bottles and decanted into decorative containers at home.

Influences of Art Nouveau and Art Deco on Perfume Bottles

During the late 1800s, the art and style of perfume bottles underwent a dramatic change. Perfume bottles, although traditional in style, were made of crystal and adorned with floral labels.

The Art Deco age produced perfume bottles that emphasized angular, geometric shapes such as zigzag, prisms, and hexagons. These sleek and simple bottles were usually made of glass or crystal. Since the shapes themselves were so simple, they were often adorned with brightly colored gemstones.

As Art Nouveau became increasingly popular, perfume bottles took on what were then considered unusual shapes such as flowers, lighthouses, and teapots. Coty, an established perfumer at that time, invited renowned French glassmaker René Lalique to design bottles for his perfumes.

As the perfume market expanded during the 1920s, new companies emerged and fashion designers got into the perfume creation game. And in doing so, they added their touch to perfume bottle design, using bottles designed by Baccarat and made of high-quality crystal.

Perfume Bottles after World War II

During the Great Depression, perfume bottles became less fancy and more conservative. They were often made by machine. New perfumers such as Nina Ricci and Christian Dior began making their works of art after World War II. Perfume bottles became more luxurious and elaborate.

Even to this day, Baccarat and Lalique design beautiful bottles for perfumers all over the world. The history of perfume bottles demonstrates that we have always been attracted to beautiful scents and their containers.

See what perfume bottles perfumistas find the most beautiful by reading Perfumania reviews on Influenster.