My collection of Guerlain Travel Cases

Among many other bottles, I collect a certain travel bottle presentation set from Guerlain, which seems to be a collaboration between Baccarat, Marcel Franck, and sometimes it is claimed that the leather cases were made by Hermes. A veritable trifecta (quad-fecta?) of French Savoir Faire produced from the 1920s-1960s.

I would like to know where this set may be documented in catalogs, advertising, or books to learn more about them and verify the claims that I have heard. My resources, admittedly limited compared to what many of you have at hand, have only gotten me so far.

All of the bottles are acid etched Baccarat.

I have paperwork with the Green-cased set that is stamped 1967.

The hardware has all of the characteristics of Marcel Franck.

The leather cases are perfectly made, and are of the absolute highest quality. The styling and finishing does seem in line with other Hermes small leather goods of the early-to-late mid-century.

Guerlain Baccarat Leather Case Isabelle Epoque

Now, on to the hardware…. the hardware comes in two versions: one with a large trumpeted flare where the bulb attaches, and the other a very narrow tube with no outward flare where the bulb attaches. The trumpeted flare is in the green case that came with the documentation stamped 1967. I only have two with the narrow tube, one is in the yellow/buff textured case, and one I found without a case altogether. The rest are all flared.Neither of these attachments fit the standard bulb screw size of today, and are either too large to insert, or so loose that they would need a plastic tubing sleeve to take up the extra space. The siphons are also of different diameters where they attach to the atomizer head/cap. The ‘narrow’ bulb has a wider siphon, and the flared bulb has a narrower siphon.

Guerlain Baccarat Leather Case Hardware, Isabelle Epoque Collection

I am always researching ways to locate bulbs that would natively fit, or a referral to someone who can manufacture an entire new bulb that fits, please!

Should you wish to include any of my photos or my analysis into your own blog, please PM me for permission and information on how to correctly attribute the analysis, collection, and images.

Guerlain’s Jicky: Perfume of the Day 2/2/2018

Today’s perfume is Guerlain’s Jicky, hailed as the first Modern Perfume.
My inclination was to layer it over the last day of Acaciosa, and I believe I chose well. The dry and sparkling nature of my 1980s spray canister of EDT does right by it. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of a 1940s bottle of Jicky Extrait.

1889 was an interesting year, Monet, Gaugin and van Gogh are in the thick of it, Munch was just awarded his scholarship, the Eiffel Tower is still new and novel part of the Exposition Universelle, theatres were founded by artists, and suffragettes began their marches around the globe. On the cusp of post-impressionism and modernism, this abstract perfume is right at home.

Today’s lingerie is a set of Dita’s Dahlia in Bordeaux, with a silk Natori camisole

And, it just so happens that I recently bumped into this article from Smithsonian Magazine, if you wish to read more.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/jicky-the-first-modern-perfume-2355884/

#InvisibleArmor #perfume #sotd #scentoftheday#hauteperfumerie #Guerlain #FrenchPerfume#HighFemme #PowerFemme #Execudrag #Feminist#Dita #Natori #impressionism #abstraction

Isabelle lounging with a bottle of perfume
Guerlain Jicky by Santiago Rueda, 2016

Caron’s Acaiosa: Perfume of the Day 2/1/2018

Today’s perfume is again Caron’s Acaciosa. The second day’s development is far too amazing to pass by. I did, of course top it off again.

Before visiting Parfums Caron, I never knew that a perfume could have longevity like this, or that it could be so elegantly naughty. I had the notion that perfume should smell clean, somehow. That mindset was blown away by the gloriously decadent fragrances at Caron.

Lingerie is Dita’s Her Sexellency set in black satin and lace and a Lise Charmel silk slip with Falke tights.

#InvisibleArmor #perfume #hauteperfumerie#FrenchPerfume #Caron #sotd #scentoftheday#HighFemme #PowerFemme #Execudrag #Feminist#Dita #LiseCharmel #Falke

Etro’s Heliotrope: Perfume of the Day 1/29/2018

Today’s perfume is a fresh bottle of Etro’s Heliotrope. Unlike the soliflore White Heliotrope of Oriza Legrand, this expression pairs soft heliotrope with a sweet almond and cherry for a confection of a fragrance. It is almost Macaron-like. As an EDT, it doesn’t have a daylong presence, but should last through work hours without issue.


Etro is an Italian fashion house founded in Milan at the heght of the Mod Era, known for their psychedelic and bohemian prints. Their perfume line is not overpriced in the realm of the Italian houses bought by LVMH, but they aren’t bargain basement artless celebrity fragrances, by any stretch of the imagination.

Lingerie is a mix of a lace bra from Soma, Rago high waist sheer knickers, an Italian slip, and Wolford patterned tights.

#InvisibleArmor #perfume #ItalianPerfume #Etro#heliotrope #scentoftheday #sotd #PowerFemme#highfemme #Execudrag #Feminist #Soma #Wolford

 

 

Guerlain’s Insolence: Perfume of the Day 1/26/2018

Today’s perfume is Guerlain’s Insolence. I’m feeling like outrageous violets again.  “But,” you say, “what about violets can be outrageous?” I’ll reply that you must be thinking about North American wild violets. I’ll admit that their fragrance is so light as to be nonexistent. But the Parma Violet grown around the Mediterranean is so overflowing with fragrance and petals that she is outrageous and insolent… just my kind of gal.  And perfect for perfume.

Lingerie is Dita’s Savoir Faire quarter cup bra with lace overlay and matching knickers.

#InvisibleArmor #perfume #hauteperfumerie#FrenchPerfume #Guerlain #HighFemme#PowerFemme #Execudrag #Feminist #Dita

Caron’s N’Aimez Que Moi: Perfume of the Day 1/25/2018

Today’s perfume is Caron’s wartime N’aimez Que Moi.

Over yesterday’s Tabac Blond it has a dryer sensibility, but the Bulgarian Rose is still central to its profile.

Lingerie is Dita’s Screen Queen set in black satin and lace with a Secrets in Lace slip, and Wolford tights.
#InvisibleArmor #perfume #hauteperfumerie#FrenchPerfume #Caron #HighFemme#PowerFemme #Execudrag #Feminist #Dita#SecretsInLace #wolford

Tokyomilk’s Gin and Rosewater: Perfume of the Day 1/23/2018

Today’s perfume is one I haven’t featured yet, Tokyo Milk’s Gin and Rosewater (no.12). It smells like a super lush rose overdose of the way Nolet’s Gin tastes. Sparkling rose, backed up with Mimosa,

Rosewood, and bitter citrus. I first discovered it as a hand cream a few years ago, and recently treated myself to an inexpensive bottle of perfume last summer when I bumped into it. It doesn’t have the longest life, only a half-dozen hours, but it is just too lovely to give up on.

Today’s lingerie is a leopard and mesh overdose. Dita tulip bra in leopard satin, Rago 940 high waist sheer knickers, Natori satin slip in leopard, and Falke micromesh tights.

#InvisibleArmor #perfume #popculture#modernperfumes #tokyomilk #rose #gin #dita #rago#falke #Execudrag #Feminist #HighFemme#PowerFemme

Oriza L. Legrand’s Heliotrope Blanc: Perfume of the Day 1/18/2018

Today’s perfume is another Oriza L Legrand, White Heliotrope. B figured it would smell lovely over the incense that remains on the

nape of my neck from Reve d’Ossian Heliotrope is an odd beast. Strong and soft floral all at once. I adore it in Guerlain’s L’Heure Bleue and Apres l’Ondee and Jean Desperes’ Bal a Versailles. Definitely something I need to explore more in old formulas before it had to be weakened.

Today’s lingerie is quite a treat. I made a post-holiday clearance score from Nancy Meyer of Seattle, and scored my first ID Sarrieri set. It arrived yesterday. Wow. This Chantilly lace is fucking amazing. The bra is a demi, and is actually comfortable with my shape (which doesn’t often happen in Designer brands), and the knickers are to die for. The high-waist beauties are in the same delicate lace backed with silk and mesh… and zip up the side, as there’s no stretch in them whatsoever. They fit like a glove. *unf*

#InvisibleArmor #perfume #hauteperfumerie#FrenchPerfume #HighFemme #OrizaLegrand#heliotrope #PowerFemme #Execudrag #Feminist#finelingerie #lace #chantillyLace #idsarrieri

Oriza L. Legrand’s Reve d’Ossian: Perfume of the Day 1/17/2018

Today’s perfume is again Oriza L. Legrand’s Reve d’Ossian. It sticks around so very well, that adding to it the next day only serves to enhance the experience.
A swirling dream of peat and pine fire with leather and incense, I hope that it will impart coziness and comfort to counteract this morning’s commute. This recreation of one of the house’s classic formulas feels like it is from another world.

Legrand’s perfumes have a scent profile that is very indicative of their time (of original formulation) which heavily uses opponox, abadnum, and frankincense.
Today it makes me think of old books.

Lingerie is a wash of blue and black. High waist Lilith knickers by Ulalume Lingerie, a Soma bra, and Italian half slip with Wolford argyle tights.

#InvisibleArmor #perfume #hauteperfumerie#FrenchPerfume #OrizaLegrand #perfumeHistory#HighFemme #PowerFemme #Execudrag #Feminist#Soma #Wolford #ulalume #handmade

House Guerlain’s L’Heure Bleue: Perfume of the Day 1/10/2018

Today’s perfume is Guerlain’s crowning glory, a vintage bottle of L’Heure Bleue. Released in 1912, it is a serene abstraction of heliotrope, iris, orange blossom, a touch of anise, topped with sparkling aldehydes. My vintage parfum bottle hails from the 60s, and has aged gloriously. It has achieved depth and softness. Today I expect it to go quite in the direction of orange blossom and heliotrope, mellowing into a powdery softness by bedtime. 

Lingerie is a mixed set of Dita Madame X in aquamarine and white, with Wolford tights and a silk slip from Neiman Marcus.
And feeling fabulous in my #truevintage #hermesQu’importe Le Flacon scarf, too.
#InvisibleArmor #perfume #hauteperfumerie#FrenchPerfume #Guerlain #HighFemme#PowerFemme #Execudrag #Dita #Wolford#truevintage #silk #askMeAboutMyEstateSaleHabit