Description

French public notary Eugène Fuchs had an interesting idea in 1926. Instead of peddling little metal models of the Eifel Tower or demitasses cups to tourists, why not sell them real French perfume (parfum)? He became a perfumery (professional perfumer) and opened a factory in Grasse, a small town located on the Mediterranean Sea about 8 hours southeast of Paris. Grasse’s first claim to fame was leather tanning, but its second was perfume, to mask the offensive odor of the first. Thanks to a conducive climate, local farmers began to grow and distill many plant varieties and sell their fragrant essences. Fuchs named his perfumery after the famous Grasse-born artist Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806), a standard-bearer of refined 18th-century art. Successively upheld by three generations, Maison Fragonard prospered and expanded to Eze, then Paris. Faithful to its original spirit, Maison Fragonard opened a Musée du Parfum Fragonard in the heart of Paris, assembling a vast collection of objects relating to the history of perfumery in one building. The museum offers daily free guided tours to its exceptional collection of ancient and precious perfume bottles in particular. If you’re traveling to Paris anytime soon don’t fail to miss the original Eiffel beams in the main Stills Room (Salle des Alambics). These bottles were originally sold in the museum gift shop. They have cylindrical rather than the more recent squared versions of their end pieces (caps), indicating their age. They are in very good to excellent condition with no chips, cracks, scratches, or visible damage to the glass. The plastic end pieces are also solid and undamaged but show a little aging to the plastic as the pictures demonstrate. Each measures 2 x 2 inches (5 x 5 cm). A captivating addition to any perfume bottle collection. How about a stylish topper for a larger perfume bottle that is missing its top? That could pay for them many times over. Shipped carefully packaged. Check out our other valuable collectibles at www.ebay.com/str/agitpropshoppe GL94006