| It was not until the 1900s that perfume, then | | | | £521.10 (about £280.00) on eBay, |
| usually called 'scent', was sold in ready filled bottles. | | | | and a vintage bottle of Lotus Bleu Perfume by |
| Previously scent was bought in plain bottles, | | | | Moehr of Monte Carlo that fetched £78.00. |
| functional not decorative, and most ladies (also | | | | * A name can cause fierce bidding, for maker of |
| men) owned an array of usually exquisitely ornate | | | | bottle or perfume, better still both in one example. |
| and intricately made bottles, sometimes made | | | | The big names to look for in bottle makers are |
| uniquely for them, often hand created, | | | | Lalique (sumptuous glass creations often frosted |
| occasionally monogrammed or engraved and | | | | or opalescent); Baccarat, specialising in quality |
| generating high prices today on eBay and | | | | crystal items, not just bottles; Galle, famed for |
| elsewhere. | | | | stunning art nouveau designs that fetch high |
| On eBay, recently, a globular - globe shaped - milk | | | | prices on eBay. Other popular perfume makers |
| glass scent bottle attracted 38 bids and $1386.38 | | | | include Christian Dior, Guerlain, Estee Lauder, Avon. |
| finishing price, and a Lalique scent bottle fetched | | | | Avon created some of the world's most beautiful |
| $950. These are low prices compared to others | | | | containers and many bottle collectors seek |
| selling recently on eBay or at offline auction | | | | exclusively Avon creations which can fetch |
| houses. Consider, for instance, a 1910 Wiener | | | | upwards of £100 each. They're not that |
| Werkstatte cut glass globular design (there's that | | | | hard to find at flea markets, or at boot sales |
| word 'globular' again and key to a very popular | | | | where I picked up a 1969 Blue Blazer body |
| shape) that sold at Sotheby's for £1,000, | | | | powder shaker in the shape of Andy Capp which |
| and an egg shaped bottle/flask made from silver | | | | cost me 50p and is valued in Lyle's A Fortune in |
| and hallmarked 1882 that sold by the same | | | | Your Attic at £100. |
| company for £550. | | | | * Andy Capp is just one of countless characters |
| Things to Know About Scent Bottles | | | | whose presence on a scent bottle can make an |
| * This is a great area for speculating and risking a | | | | everyday object worth hundreds, even thousands |
| few pounds on something that might quadruple | | | | of pounds. Cartoon characters are especially |
| your investment or fetch much more. So many | | | | popular, such as Bonzo Dog (my favourite) whose |
| different collecting themes meet in the overall | | | | image appeared on thousands of collectable items |
| scent bottle experience that even the cheapest | | | | including scent bottles. Also look out for Felix the |
| and seemingly most ordinary perfume bottles | | | | cat who recently made $650 on a scent bottle, |
| bought for a pound or two at flea markets, | | | | and don't overlook Disney characters, Betty Boop, |
| jumble sales and boot sales, can attract multiple | | | | Florence Upton Golliwogs. |
| bidders and high finishing prices on eBay. The trick | | | | * Amongst most popular subjects depicted on |
| is to focus on bottles with two or more collecting | | | | scent bottles are dogs and cats (cats seem more |
| interests, such as maker and material, for | | | | often to sell and at higher prices than dog |
| instance, a Lalique glass bottle with silver stopper, | | | | depictions); hand painted flowers, place names on |
| or a bottle made by Bacarrat and decorated with | | | | crested china bottles, almost anything of oriental |
| gold leaf. Another good example is where original | | | | interest. |
| and subsequent use converge, as where a bottle | | | | * Some scent bottles, complete or just the |
| once holding perfume can be used as a | | | | stopper, were designed to be used later as |
| paperweight today. Two collecting interests in one | | | | paperweights, thereby reaching another popular |
| item all but guarantees multiple bidders and | | | | collecting area and potential bidding wars between |
| enviable finishing prices. | | | | bottle and paperweight collectors. There's nothing |
| * At flea markets and boot sales look out for | | | | to stop you describing your item as a |
| box and tray lots of seemingly low value items, | | | | paperweight and even listing under 'paperweights' |
| such as bottles of half-used scent from the 1950s | | | | in the Collectibles category. |
| and earlier. Some with undamaged labels detailing | | | | * Detail all possible collecting interests in the title |
| maker and perfume name, are popular with | | | | for your bottle and reach the widest possible |
| advertising enthusiasts, and like a 1930s bottle of | | | | market, such as a French 19th Century Opaline |
| Saturday Night Lotion featured in Millers' | | | | Egg Scent Bottle made by Baccarat that's just |
| Collectables Price Guide can be worth up to | | | | fetched $560.52 and doubtless appealed to |
| £35 each, some much more. A good | | | | collectors interested in: maker = Baccarat, subject |
| example is a 1930 bottle of Guerlain perfume | | | | = egg, material = opaline glass, age = 19th |
| 'Guerlilas' in Baccarat bottle that fetched | | | | century. |