Period Aftershaves/Colognes/Perfume Scents and Brands

[Jeremy Bevard]

After an experience this weekend I was prompted to think about what male colognes and aftershaves were available during our time period. Even better what brands or scents are still available today for our use? I learned about Caswell Massey Number Six and I know about the ever popular Bay Rum but what else? Feel free to talk about the same for women (minus the aftershave of course).

[GenuineInformation]

Re: Period Aftershaves/Colognes/Perfume Scents and Brands

Paris's Creed and London's Floris (notably worn by Florence Nightingale) are both brands dating from the mid-1700s, and (if you have the money!) you can buy both today.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creed_(perfume)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floris_of_London

-JSK

[crabby]

Re: Period Aftershaves/Colognes/Perfume Scents and Brands

Yardley of London is another one. Founded in 1770 they were known for soap and perfume.

[Ambrose Bierce]

Re: Period Aftershaves/Colognes/Perfume Scents and Brands

Clubman is also readily available and has been in production since 1810. Glad you made it out of Dave's barber chair in good order, Jeremy!

http://www.clubman.com/frag_clubPin_01.shtml

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Period Aftershaves/Colognes/Perfume Scents and Brands

http://www.peachridgeglass.com/2013/08/florida-water-murray-lanman-new-york/

They still make Florida Water to the original 1800's recipe, allegedly. I have a few bottles at home...smells like orange rum.

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Period Aftershaves/Colognes/Perfume Scents and Brands

Vanilla extract, rose water, lavender water, anyone? Not necessarily commercially-manufactured perfumes, but unofficially used when necessary.

[Jeremy Bevard]

Re: Period Aftershaves/Colognes/Perfume Scents and Brands

Thanks for the replies so far. I will have to check out the Florida Water. Doing a quick search it looks like rose and lavender water would be pretty easy to make home if those flowers are being grown around the home.

[Jeremy Bevard]

Re: Period Aftershaves/Colognes/Perfume Scents and Brands

Thought I would bump this to see if there was anything else out there.

[Chip]

Re: Period Aftershaves/Colognes/Perfume Scents and Brands

Thought I would bump this to see if there was anything else out there.

Out of the Pinaud / Clubman line, Lilac Vegetal dates back to the 1850's when it was made for a detachment of Hungarian cavalrymen serving the court of Napolean III after his marriage to Eugénie de Montijo.




Chip Uhlir
21st Ohio V.V.I.
SCAR

[lukegilly13]

Re: Period Aftershaves/Colognes/Perfume Scents and Brands

What about straight up witch hazel? I know it is often an ingredient in aftershaves and native Americans used it as an ointment. I would think it a fairly common product In the mid 1800's but not sure of its uses.

[Daniel]

Re: Period Aftershaves/Colognes/Perfume Scents and Brands

National Geographic has an online story of a blockade runner that sunk on it way to Wilmington, NC in 1863. Along with the guns and war materials were bottles of wine and Florida Water.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/08/pictures/110817-civil-war-wine-mary-celestia-shipwreck-science-bermuda-perfume/#/wine-perfume-found-shipwreck-mary-celestia-measuring_39029_600x450.jpg

Dan Stewart

[crabby]

Re: Period Aftershaves/Colognes/Perfume Scents and Brands

Ummmm,while Witch Hazel had many uses I do not think as colone is one of them.
For those who have never tried it - it smells terrible!
A very strong pungent medicinal odor.

[lukegilly13]

Re: Period Aftershaves/Colognes/Perfume Scents and Brands

You are right...it has quite a strange smell. I was thinking more as an aftershave. Especially if one had nicked themselves or maybe had some sort of razor burn.

[PogueMahone]

Re: Period Aftershaves/Colognes/Perfume Scents and Brands

From Lord's book on Sutlers, he lists the following as items sold by sutlers that are relevant to the discussion and the makers of those items:

Hair Tonic - James R. Bird
Witch Hazel - E. E. Dickinson
Cologne - D'Orsay of New York City
Musk Cologne - Harrison
Perfumery Extracts - Lubin
Shaving Lotions, Hair Preparations, Colognes - Edward Pinaud, Paris
Yorktown's "Old Spice" - Shulton
Bayrum - Smith's Medical Depot
Pomades, Lavender, Soaps - Yardley of London

Other makers/products mentioned:
St. Johns Bay Rum
Trumpeter Essence of Lime
Chesboro Vaseline
Windsor, Roberts Co. Ltd, of London

I highly recommend independent research on any of these entities prior to commiting a label to a bottle or tin. I have found some mistakes in Lord's book. Also, modern products made by the same/original manufacturer may not be comparable to the items sold during the war.

[PogueMahone]

Re: Period Aftershaves/Colognes/Perfume Scents and Brands

Looking for something else, I stumbled upon this collector's page and thought you might find it of interest:

http://www.hairraisingstories.com/Pr...tList_AAA.html

Not all products mentioned here are CW period, but I found a few and some pre-date the war. It would be of general interest to a history geek.