One of the finest kinds of crystal to purchase for yourself is a crystal perfume bottle. Since perfumers have been making colognes and perfumes, glass designers have been making crystal bottles to put them in. These designs are artful and unique; they are also often collectible and rare. Some perfume bottles have been designed to accompany specific perfumes, while others have been designed to be sold empty, so that a buyer can put their favorite perfume in a classy crystal perfume bottle.
Crystal perfume bottles are generally inspired by Art Deco and Art Nouveau. Artistic glass and crystal perfume bottles have been extremely popular over the years, beginning in the 1890′s and carrying on through the 1930′s (although, in certain circles, they are still very popular). This movement, this tradition, began and was always centralized in Paris, France.
There have been a variety of styles over the years. Steuben Glass Works released several famous bulb-shaped bottles covered with glass “threads” (this was based in the company’s Verre de Soie procedure of shaping and design). Tiffany & Co. had smaller, cylindrical bottles with engraved silver caps. Then, of course, there were the special containers designed by Baccarat Crystal for Ella Schiaparelli (a candle and candlestick for the bottle, with a gilded “flame” for the stopper) and for Shalimar by Guerlain (the famous square-sided Liu bottle).
Perhaps the most famous crystal manufacturer involved in the perfume bottle business is Ren Lalique. He became extremely popular with his containers for d’Orsay and Roger et Gallet–so much so that he was among the first to design unique crystal containers to be sold empty, so customers could place their favorite perfumes in Lalique bottles. Famous designs for empty bottles included the Tantot and the Amphitrite.
Crystal perfume bottles are very collectible, very stylish, and worth every penny. They provide class, house delightful perfumes, and show an owner to be wealthy and wise.
