Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Aladin by Rosine c1919

Aladin by Rosine: launched in 1919. A perfume of magic, based on the famous character in The Thousand and One Nights, Aladdin.




The name Aladin was trademarked for perfume on May 28, 1919 and was introduced in a magnificent presentation reflecting Paul Poiret's life as the so-called "Pasha of Paris". Paul Poiret is represented by Mario Simon on the box of the perfume as a sultan from Thousand and One Nights.


Fragrance Composition:



So what does it smell like? It was classified as an oriental fragrance for women. It was described as having "all the allure of grand Moorish palaces."
  • Top notes: aldehydes, citrus, bergamot
  • Middle notes: incense, rose, jasmine, spices, carnation, orange blossom
  • Base notes: vanilla, ambergris, sandalwood, incense, patchouli, vetiver, oakmoss, labdanum, tonka bean and musk



Bottles:


Aladin was housed inside of an elaborate frosted glass bottle shaped like a snuff bottle, molded with mythological creatures fighting one another, embellished with rusty red patina in the nooks and crannies. It had a brass chain affixed to loops molded onto the shoulders of the bottle for this very purpose. A long, thin, silvery paper label was affixed towards the bottom front of the bottle.

Poiret's perfume flacons were undoubtedly designed with the help of his friend, the perfumer-glassmaker Maurice Schaller, while the bottles were produced by Depinoix and Lefebure et Cie.

This beautiful design was copied and used for an identical flask of cast silvery metal in imitation of ancient Persian metalwork, and like the glass bottle, it was embellished with rusty red patina in the nooks and crannies. A silvery metal chain was affixed to loops on the shoulder so that it could be carried. Rather than a paper label, the name Rosine and Aladin were molded into the metal where the label would be. The height of this bottle is about 3" tall with stopper in place. 

The stoppers of both bottles were made up of Bakelite with a carved pierced effect and can be found simulating either ivory, green stained ivory or amber. A notch was carved into the top of the stopper to allow the baudruchage cord to pass through and wrap around the neck of the bottle. This was done at the factory to seal the bottle and ensure the top did not come off during shipment, preventing leakage of the perfume.

The packaging of his perfumes resembled the look and materials of his fashions, with great emphasis on vivid colors, opulent textures and Oriental lampshade patterns and the presentation box used for Aladin was no exception, in fact, it might be my favorite.

The exquisite presentation box, designed by Mario Simon, follows the shape of the flacon and was covered in a paper simulating elaborate Persian lacquer work. The paper covering the face of the lid was printed to look like a Persian miniature portraying Poiret, appropriately dressed in Persian costume as Aladdin. It had a wide, gold colored band running along the outer border of the lid. The interior of the box was lined with striped multicolored West Indian fabric imitating ancient Persian textiles, probably based on his own collection of authentic antique textiles.

The same box was used to contain the metal flask, except it did not feature the wide, gold colored band running along the outer border of the lid. It was complete with the fabric interior as the previous box.


Oregon News, 1920:

"Aladin Rosine" is lettered on a Chinese sort of silver bottle with jade green colored stopper perforated so that the fragrance may perfume the room."









The bottles used for the Eau de Toilette are of clear glass, molded like a tall, narrow, truncated pyramid shape. It was fitted with a ground glass stopper entirely gilded with gold enamel. It had a paper label that followed the triangular shape of the flacon. This was the standard flacon used for all Rosine Eaux de Toilette.


Fate of the Fragrance:


The Aladin fragrance was probably discontinued around 1930.

It was still being sold in 1929 as seen in a volume of the Official Journal: Body of the Provisional Government of Mexico along with other Rosine perfumes:

 Ambre de Venise, Aladin, Arlequinade, Avenue du Bois, Borgia, Chez Poiret, Chypre des Isles, Coeur en Folie, Connais Tu le Pays?, Hahna, Jasmin de la Riviera, Le Balcon, Le Bosquet d'Apollon, Le Coup D'or, Le fruit Defendu, La Rose de Rosine, Maharadjah, 1935, Nuit de Chine, Pierrot, Qui Es-Tu?, Sa Chambre, Sakya Mouni, Toute la Foret.."

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