“Collection of Ancient Perfume Bottles and More” at Musée du Parfum, Paris
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Musee du Parfum is a one-of-a-kind, fun and instructive museum concept, bringing to life the making of a mythical luxury object, now part of our everyday life — perfume. It is set in the heart of Paris, near the Opera Garnier. One can follow the manufacturi
“Collection of Ancient Perfume Bottles and More” at Musée du Parfum, Paris
Musee du Parfum is a one-of-a-kind, fun and instructive museum concept, bringing to life the making of a mythical luxury object, now part of our everyday life — perfume. It is set in the heart of Paris, near the Opera Garnier. One can follow the manufacturing process from raw materials to harvesting, extraction, distillation, formulation, industrialization, and bottling, together, of course, with the creative process and work of the master “noses,” as per the Musee du Parfum website.According to the website, the second section of the museum features an exceptional collection of ancient bottles retracing the history of fragrance from Ancient Egypt to the 20th century, including kohl pots, pomanders, vinaigrettes, perfume burners, pots-pourris, travel sets, smelling salt bottles, and precious flasks.“Thanks to his uncle, who shared his knowledge of the history of art with him from an early age, Jean-Francois Costa, father of the current directors, was impassioned by objets d’art throughout his life. His museum tours and discussions with experts, curators, historians, and simple art lovers forged his taste for antiques and, in particular, for the French 18th century. A pioneer in his field, Jean-Francois Costa began collecting perfumery objets d’art in the 1950s, before perfume met with its current popularity. His collection, which started out as a professional interest, soon became unique. It features distillation equipment and objets d’art dating from Antiquity to the mid-20th century, and is the only one of its kind in the world in terms of quality, quantity, and variety,” says the website.Educated on perfumes by their father, who was just as passionate about perfumes, Agnes and Francoise continue to perpetuate his work and enrich the museum collections regularly with new acquisitions, according to the website.There are some must-see objects in the museum. Discover the history of perfume through six must-see objects on show at the museum.· Kohl vase: Mesopotamia, Early Dynastic Period, circa 3000 BC, chalk· Greek ceramic vase: Greece, circa 470 BC, orange clay and black slip· Pomander: Late 16th century, silver-gilt· Jewel bottle: Germany, circa 1700, lapis lazuli, gold and diamonds· Louis xiv perfume burner: France, second half of the 17th century, gilded bronze and ebony· Faberge bottle: Saint-Petersburg, 1899-1901, smoked quartz, gold, diamonds, and sapphires· Unusual bottles: Astonishing and unusual, perfume bottles found in every shape and form through the ages· Couture bottles: The profession was revolutionized in the 20th century by a trio comprising a perfumer, a glassmaker, and a fashion designerClick on the slideshow for a sneak peek at the Musee du Parfum museum. https://www.blouinartinfo.com/ Founder: Louise Blouin Read more
