Hello and welcome! Please understand that this website is not affiliated with Guerlain in any way, it is only a reference site for collectors and those who have enjoyed the classic fragrances of days gone by. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. The main objective of this website is to chronicle the 200+ year old history of the Guerlain fragrances and showcase the bottles and advertising used throughout the years. Let this site be your source for information on antique and vintage Guerlain perfumes. Another goal of this website is to show the present owners of the Guerlain company how much we miss many of the discontinued classics and hopefully, if they see that there is enough interest and demand, they will bring back these fragrances! I invite you to leave a comment below (for example: of why you liked the fragrance, describe the scent, time period or age you wore it, who gave it to you or on what occasion, what it smelled like to you, how it made you feel, any specific memories, what it reminded you of, maybe a relative wore it, or you remembered seeing the bottle on their vanity table), who knows, perhaps someone from the current Guerlain brand might see it. If you have any questions, please send all images of your bottle and pertinent information directly to me at cleopatrasboudoir@gmail.com. I will try to assist you the best I can.

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Saturday, February 2, 2013

Vetiver by Guerlain c1890s? and c1959

Vetiver: originally created in the 19th century. Originally a unisex fragrance. It was still being sold into the late 1950s.


Fragrance Composition:


Vetiver was reformulated and reissued as a man's cologne, created in 1959 by Jean Paul Guerlain, and originally created for the needs of the South American market, it was promptly suggested to be made available to the entire world, in USA by 1961.

So what does it smell like? It is classified as a masculine and elegant woodsy fragrance. 
  • Top notes: lemon
  • Middle notes:  tobacco, incense and vetiver
  • Base notes: nutmeg, vetiver, tobacco, oakmoss and pepper

I tested a vintage 1990s sample and it started off with bright lemon, then the vetiver became more prominent followed by a drydown of incense, and a smoky wood note.

Bottles:

Presented in the Carre flacon (parfum), the Amphore flacon (parfum), the Louis XVI bottle (eau de cologne), and the quadrilobe flacon (parfum).

It was available in spray form by 1962, in a plastic-coated glass bottle.







c1900-1920, Carre flacon, unusual label. photo by ellenaa


Quadrilobe flacon, c1940s. Rare early "Blazon" style label.





c1950s Amphore flacon (extrait) with lattice design box.






Vetiver Eau de Cologne in Lyre flacon c1950s Coffee Bean style packaging, quite rare presentation. Photo by ebay seller perfumemel.




c1960s Vetiver 100ml eau de cologne spray


c1960s talc.


c1960s After Shave




c1980-1984. Photo by ebay seller suze21


c1980s versions

c1996 version, photo by ebay seller perfume_cali


Fate of the Fragrance:

Discontinued, date unknown.


It was re-launched again in 2000. The bottle was changed and the color of the cologne. It is classified as a woody aromatic fragrance for men.
  • The top notes: bergamot, coriander, lemon, mandarin, and neroli
  • Middle notes: vetiver and cedar 
  • Base notes: tobacco, walnuts, pepper, and Tonka bean







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