The hundreds of containers illustrated here, which are from the author's own collection, date from the beginning of the 20th century through the 1950s. In the art of perfumery, scent is not the only allure. As the author points out in this detailed history, serious attention is also given to the selection of a name (which carries its own cachet), the design of the label, the bottle, the stopper, ornaments that might be affixed to it, and the box in which it is packaged. Often, this multimedia art form represents the work of well-known artists, designers, and couturiers. Although this book does not give advice on how to collect perfume bottles-which some readers might consider a drawback-it does contain a directory of hundreds of designers (past and present) with their addresses, a brief history of each firm, and the names of some of their best-known products. This would be an attractive addition to most libraries.
Margarete Gross, Chicago P.L.Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Reader Reviews
As an avid collector of advertisements and literature on perfume, this is the first book I always recommend to fellow collectors. In the past ten or twelve years, many books were published to cater to the exploding popularity of perfume bottles as a collectors item. Christie Lefkowith's book stands out because of its focus on the ART of perfume bottles (hence the title), rather than their monetary value. Bottles are viewed in the cultural context of their time, with photographs of by far THE best quality I have ever seen in perfume books. I agree with the previous reviewer, though: too bad the book ends with the fifties. There should be a sequel.
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