The pocket perfume bottle from the Decembrists House Museum is thought to have belonged to Kamilla Petrovna Ivasheva, the wife of the Decembrist Vasily Ivashev. For a long time, this item, as well as other personal belongings were carefully protected and preserved as family heirlooms. The pocket perfume bottle was donated to the Turinsk Decembrists House Museum by Yelena Konstantinovna Reshko, the great-granddaughter of the Decembrist Ivashev.
The manufacture of perfume bottles truly flourished in the 18th century. The vessels were shaped like animals, birds, people, flower bouquets, angels, and fruits. They were gilded, glazed, and decorated with enamel framed in chased silver or bronze. Later, the fashion favored opal nontransparent bottles made of Bohemian glass of delicate shades, decorated with gold filigree or arabesques. Among the most popular kinds of bottles were faceted, polished, or enameled crystal ones. Jewelers even created travel bags that included a whole range of items, such as elegant crystal vials, silver funnels for pouring liquids, and mirrors.
There was a wide selection of perfume bottles. Porcelain ones were made at the Chelsea manufactory in England, while narrow, curved bottles that looked like bananas were produced on the island of Murano. The Meissen porcelain factory manufactured porcelain figurine bottles with stucco flowers, shaped like commedia dell’arte characters, figures in Chinese costumes, or characters in frivolous scenes. Rectangular metal containers inlaid with corals were made in Sicily. At the end of the 18th century, alchemists and perfumers were selling their fragrances in disposable bottles made of glass, decorated with gold painting and half beads. Vials varying from 15 to 21 cm in length had a tiny drop-shaped cavity inside where perfume was poured. They were most likely carried in a purse or pocket.
For a very long time, until the late 19th century, the bottles were not intended for just one particular fragrance, so they were usually filled with any chosen perfume. Only in the early 20th century, leading perfume companies decided that each perfume bottle design should be associated with one fragrance only.
The manufacture of perfume bottles truly flourished in the 18th century. The vessels were shaped like animals, birds, people, flower bouquets, angels, and fruits. They were gilded, glazed, and decorated with enamel framed in chased silver or bronze. Later, the fashion favored opal nontransparent bottles made of Bohemian glass of delicate shades, decorated with gold filigree or arabesques. Among the most popular kinds of bottles were faceted, polished, or enameled crystal ones. Jewelers even created travel bags that included a whole range of items, such as elegant crystal vials, silver funnels for pouring liquids, and mirrors.
There was a wide selection of perfume bottles. Porcelain ones were made at the Chelsea manufactory in England, while narrow, curved bottles that looked like bananas were produced on the island of Murano. The Meissen porcelain factory manufactured porcelain figurine bottles with stucco flowers, shaped like commedia dell’arte characters, figures in Chinese costumes, or characters in frivolous scenes. Rectangular metal containers inlaid with corals were made in Sicily. At the end of the 18th century, alchemists and perfumers were selling their fragrances in disposable bottles made of glass, decorated with gold painting and half beads. Vials varying from 15 to 21 cm in length had a tiny drop-shaped cavity inside where perfume was poured. They were most likely carried in a purse or pocket.
For a very long time, until the late 19th century, the bottles were not intended for just one particular fragrance, so they were usually filled with any chosen perfume. Only in the early 20th century, leading perfume companies decided that each perfume bottle design should be associated with one fragrance only.
