Fan Fan La Tulipe by Rosine c1912

Fan Fan Le Tulipe by Rosine: launched in 1912. The name was taken from a folkloric French character,  a D'Artagnan-like popular fictional womanizing soldier.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It was classified as a sweet floral fragrance for women, but I have no notes on this perfume, I would need a sample to tell you what it smell like. Taking various tulip perfume formulas of the period into consideration, the composition might have looked something like the following:

• Top notes: aldehyde, neroli, cassie, almonds, lily
• Middle notes: rose, jasmine, tuberose, orris, violet, orange blossom
• Base notes: musk, sandalwood, vanilla, ambergris

Poiret commissioned his friend Roger Boutet de Monvel to create a poem based on the perfume. Boutet de Monvel wrote "Fan Fan la Tulipe":

"That is it the legendary knight going to war while holding in his hand the marvelous flower, that it is the elite guard with white wig and curly moustache, or the little drummer in garrison cap beating the charge, or finally the leader mounting the assault and planting the tricolor flag in the breach of the enemy's line, it is always Fan Fan la Tulipe, the soldier in the song, the usual hero. And always, it is also the same rich perfume, fiery, generous, its whiffs going straight to our hearts, the lovable, carefree perfume, the perfume of cheerful bravery, the perfume of the flowers inside the rifle barrels. Victorious and triumphant, dispelling the night's gloom, it rises with the sun, fills the atmosphere, travels the world. It is like the bouquet of an old French wine, it is like some kind of glory scent, it is our aroma."

Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 1916:

"Rosine Nuit de Chine...$7.35
Rosine Toute la Foret..$8.25
Rosine Monsieur and Madame...$7.80
Rosine Minaret ..$7.65
Rosine Fan Fan La Tulipe...$7.50"

Bottles:

The box was dressed in symbols of French patriotism - the Phrygian cap and a  red, white and blue tri-colored military cocarde- who but Poiret could have designed it.

The uniquely simple clear glass flask suggestive of those from the 18th century, with a silvery over cap and hand enameled floral reverse. It was marked Fan-Fan La Tulipe Rosine with a simple paper label with the Phrygian cap and tulip motif, this perfume retailed for $6.00 in 1921.

The presentation box was covered with tricolor striped faille and adorned with a gay cockade, The original box was covered with an antique 18th century vertically striped fabric straight from Poiret's personal collection. When the supply ran out of the antique fabric, Poiret released a second version, which was covered with paper simulating the fabric, but was in a horizontal stripe, rather than vertical. The vertical striped presentations are considered extremely rare to find today as they were made in a limited number, and may have only been offered to Poiret's couture clientele.

Also for sale was a dainty vial, filled with the haunting scent to be worn around the neck on a silken cord - a pretty little fancy, was shown in a Lord & Taylor newspaper ad along with a drawing of the Fan Fan La Tulipe bottle, this perfume pendant retailed for $4.50 in 1921.

Fate of the Fragrance:

Discontinued, date unknown.