By the time I click Publish, it’ll be probably Sunday Question even where I live, but I just came back from Hawaii where for the next 3+ hours it’s still Saturday, so I’ll pretend that I’m still there. I plan to share some photos in a separate post next week, but for now, back to our regularly scheduled programming!
Saturday Question #235:
What Is The Oldest Perfume In Your Collection?
You can interpret the question any way you like. It can be the oldest perfume by the date created. Or the date it was recreated. Or you could go by years in your collection for either the same bottle or a repeated purchase of the same perfume. Do not count samples, but any other formats can participate.
My Answer
One of my most favorite perfumes of all times, Climat by Lancome, would definitely fit the bill if to go by the continuation of one perfume in my collection (and I even still have my very first bottle, sadly empty). But Climat is my answer to so many questions (which isn’t all that surprising), that for today’s question, I decided to go with something different.
Jasmin Impératrice Eugénie by Creed was originally created in 1860s (different sites give slightly different dates, and since it can’t be found on the brand’s site any longer, I can’t confirm the official version), which makes it the oldest perfume in my collection by the date of creation. It also was recreated in 1989, which is still older than probably 90% of all perfumes in my collection.
Now, it’s your turn.
Undina's Looking Glass 
Based on date of purchase of first bottle in late 1970s — Aromatics Elixir.
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That’s impressive! I’m glad that this perfume is still in your life.
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Based on date of creation 4711. Created in 1792.
Oldest “modern” perfume by date of release is Alvarez Gomez Agua de Colonia Concentrada created in 1912.
The oldest bottle I own is Houbigant Quelques Fleurs Pure Parfum from the 60s.
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I also have 4711! I completely forgot because it was a novelty gift, I don’t use it. But I have a bottle! :)
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I have a bottle of 4711, too, so that wins on date of creation. The oldest thing I own might be a mini of Emeraude PdT; I’m not a collector of vintage but bought this on eBay one year because I remembered that my grandmother had something similar. I’m not sure what I have owned the longest- perhaps my bottle of J’Adore, which I bought at the short-lived Lord & Taylor store in Pittsburgh. It opened in 2000 and closed in 2004, a big controversy because they converted an old bank building, destroying the old marble columns, etc. in the interior to make a two story space. (Of course with tax incentives and urban redevelopment loans). It had a very pretty fragrance section, and J’Adore was new.
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As I realized after reading comments, I own that 4711 as well, but it was a gift that i never planned to wear, so I completely forgot about it.
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I don’t know if you’re into candles, but Harlem Candles has a Christmas one (the green one) that is based on Emeraude. I’m not sure how accurate it is, but it is a beautiful smell.
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What a fun Saturday question, Undina!
Based on year of release, it’s Echt Kölnisch Wasser (Eau de Cologne) by 4711.
The oldest based on actual purchase year are Lagerfeld by Karl Lagerfeld and Polo by Ralph Lauren. Both released and purchased in 1978. Both are still in my collection.
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4711 – true! I forgot about it (though, I was thinking only about perfumes I wear, so this one didn’t count anyway).
I find it interesting that many of us keep our favorites for decades. I wonder if the next generation will be like that…
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I did neglect to mention one that would technically be older that both the Lagerfeld and Polo. I’m not sure how I forgot it, since it is probably my all time favorite from 1975, Grey Flannel by Geoffrey Beene. I’d love to have a vintage bottle of this one. The original, while a beast, was simply amazing.
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Hey there Undina,
Welcome home. Very excited to see your pics.
I have the dregs of my first bottle of Le Male by JPG. Every now and then I haul it out and swoon. Have used up one other bottle and going through another. The early one is just divine though.
In also have 4711 and I can’t remember the dates for the older Oriza Legrand but I think they were originally quite old, I have the recreations.
Portia xx
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Thank you, Portia. I’ll “develop” those photos soon (read: transfer from my phone) and do a post.
I see that we all are confirming our perfumista status by owning that piece of perfume history 4711 :)
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YAY! on the post and yes, we are the real deal.
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I can’t be sure, but one of my oldest is L’Artisan Fleurs d’Oranger from 2007, which was a limited edition. I actually thought it was older than that, until I looked up the date. Now that I know the date, I know I have older, I believe one of my bottles of YSL Paris is older, and there are others. It seems a lifetime ago, but was less than 20 years, I guess!
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Having an 18-years bottle of a niche perfume is a lot more impressive than a twice older mass-market favorites. So, I’m officially impressed! :)
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Thanks!
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The original fragrance I’ve owned the longest is McQueen My Queen, a lovely powdery iris and violet. The perfume with the longest lifespan since it’s creation is Chanel No. 5 parfum.
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I’ve never tried My Queen, but know that it was quite popular.
Chanel No 5 is a good candidate, but I don’t own any real bottles of the original scent.
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Interesting question, I like that you leave it to us to interpret!
Oldest by original release date is probably Jicky but my bottle is only about a year old because I heard the recent reformulation by Guerlain was really well done. I can’t compare to vintage versions but I do very much like this one and I normally don’t enjoy lavender scents.
Oldest bottle I own is probably a vintage Coty I picked up at a flea market for the cool bottle with Bakelite cap. The scent is decent too.
BTW, if you believe the book, The Ghost Perfumer, none of the Creed Scents are actually very old…. It’s a great read with lots of interesting insights (but who can say for sure…?).
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That was a very interesting book!
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Now I want to read that book! :) (Though, [hi]story of perfumes I try has the least influence on my attitude towards said perfumes, maybe even the opposite: I distrust most stories about heirloom recipes, royal patronage, etc.)
What formulation of Jicky did you buy? I was lamenting my dwindling decant of extrait since it looks like it’s not sold any longer by the brand.
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The bottle I got at Duty Free in Italy is Jicky EdP. Strangely, it is not currently on the Guerlain US website, that I can find. It is available at quite a few online discounters though. I have never smelled the extrait, I am sure it is wonderful!
And definitely read the book if you get a chance. It is the Ghost Perfumer by Gabe Oppenheim. The subtitle is “Creed, Lies, & the Scent of the Century” (which should give you a good idea of how he feels about the topic). But I do agree, there seems to be quite a bit of stretching of the truth when it comes to the history of scents. After I read the Creed story, it really makes we scrutinize all the other marketing hype that is out there!
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As I’ve used up my mini of 4711, the oldest now is a mini of Bal à Versailles, which was launched in 1962. I bought it from an antique store and sniff it occasionally, but don’t really wear it.
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Wow… You’re probably the first person I heard of who actually used 4711 and not just have it in their collection “for reference.”
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L’Air du Temps and Madame Rochas from the 1960s, and a few others pictured in the link below. I gave the latter away to be used on a scent project with prison inmates, but it was in a good cause.
https://bonkersaboutperfume.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-other-staffordshire-hoard-my-estate.html
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Wow, those are some wonderful estate finds! I wore Chantilly and Madame Rochas many years ago.
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I didn’t even remember reading that post! But I must report that in 10+ years since then i learned several more of the names :)
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