LIMITED EDITION 
PERFUME HANDKERCHIEF
Box Set
Exclusively For Christmas 2022

ONLY 9 Available  

Set Includes: 
1 Large Cotton Hankie 14 3/4" X 14 3/4"
1 Medium Dainty Hankie 11" X 11"
1 - 6ml Glass Roller Ball Bottle Of Perfume - Spring Flowers Extract - 1890
1- 3 ml Glass Roller Ball Bottle Of Perfume - Bouquet Royal - 1890
1- Vintage Poeintesetta advertisement card with extra info on the back
1- Small Square Card with info and secret hankie language!
1- 5" X 5" 1 1/2" Black Sturdy Box with Gold LBCC Historical Logo
2 - Paper Flowers

This is a one-of-a-kind gift steeped in history,

This project has truly been a labor of love, research, and enjoyment! We are always searching through our archives to see what we can bring back from history. In our August 24th, 1932 Avon distributors book, we noticed this ever so adorable advertisement for an Avon Perfume Handkerchief Set ( check the photos). Of course, we fell in love with the idea, and so we bring you your very own truly original and historical handkerchief perfume set with very iconic scents. We could have stayed with the 1930s theme, and we did for the reproduction perfume advertisement card, but we took this chance to delve into a little unknown and very historical section of perfumery that no one talks about anymore. 

Handkerchief Perfumes are one of history's most overlooked products. Often these have their own category in the old compounding manuals with titles such as "bouquets" or "extracts" and often touting, "The highest branch of the art of the perfumer is the manufacturing of essences for the handkerchief." Handkerchief Perfumes are so called because they were heavily scented and made to be applied to handkerchiefs, which retained the scent longer and stronger instead of applying directly to the skin or clothing as we do now. Many of us are used to seeing them as pocket squares or in the old black and white movies, they are used to wipe tears and cover the mouth or nose of coughs. They also helped circumvent putrid smells. But what most people don't know is they were usually perfumed. This history of perfuming the handkerchief is very old. In fact, they were also given as expensive gifts by Queen Elizabeth I, who was rumored to have invented coded gestures for the hanky - how cool is that! -Some of the coded gestures are written on a card inside the box!

The important aspect to note here is that only the best perfumes were employed for use on the handkerchief. A little-known fact about this forgotten method of scent is that we have documents recorded as early as 2000 BC by the Egyptians who used linen and silk squares sprinkled with various forms of scented perfumes. In the Middle Ages, a knight would wear his lady's handkerchief for good fortune in battle.

ON TO THE PERFUMES: 
We chose these two scents because they are timeless, and in many, many formularies, they have had little change to their formula over time. Of course, each Apothecary or perfumer could add or change the recipe as they saw fit, but after comparing many recipes, we settled on the recipes coming from an 1890 manual. It should be noted that these are strong and we recommend using them on your handkerchiefs, not your skin. Historically these were sold to be used on your hankies. 

In our compounding manual from 1890, we first noticed this little bit that the author has to say about Spring Flowers Extract and Bouquet Royal. 
"The reputation of these two perfumes rank first in the very best mixtures that have been made by any manufacturing perfumer. Their odors are truly flowery but peculiar unto themselves. Being unlike any other aroma, it cannot well be imitated..." I have to agree with the author. You will have to smell them for yourself. 

By 1890, we start seeing synthetic oils being created, and this changed the perfume industry. I recently read a paper that discussed the introduction of synthetic scents with the change in names for perfumes. For example, historically, perfumes and scented waters were named for what the ingredients were - nouns like- Eau de Orange Flower.... or Rose Water... They were factual, and you knew the main ingredient by the title. But in the 1890s, we started to see a change in names that move away from the basics and start evoking the idea of selling fantasy. They specifically called out the famous "Kiss Me Quick," Which we also offer in our Apothecary. But in the end, this specific paper did not find enough evidence to support the idea that the introduction of synthetic oils to the market had anything to do with the swap from general to fantastical names. In any case, these two handkerchief perfumes were so previously popular that they dare not change their names. So we are lucky, and it makes it easier to trace their history. All this to say that as soon as synthetic oils were introduced, it enabled many who previously could only afford scented water, to experience a highly concentrated perfume which in the past only the wealthy could afford. This is another reason that handkerchiefs were employed to disperse the scent. It was now more affordable but precious nonetheless.

Also, it should be noted that these are unisex perfumes. Differentiating perfumes for men and women didn't happen until later in the 20th century.

Bouquet Royal - 3ml Glass Roll On Bottle.  

This scent is my favorite of the two. It reminds me of damp wooded ground with hints of warm cassia cinnamon and wild violets dotted with jasmine, bergamot, and a very light rose. It's sophisticated, more so, in my opinion, than the Spring Flowers, which on me, has a bit of aquatic powdery notes, but it is pretty and soft nonetheless. For me, Bouquet Royal dries down with leathery notes which remind me of a dimly lit library and old books with a warm fireplace. It also reminds me of one of my favorite novels, Wuthering Heights, for some reason. Keep in mind everyone will smell different notes, and you may get something completely different than me. 

Ingredients: Alcohol, Bulgarian Rose Essential Oil, Rose Fragrance Oil, Jasmine Fregapani, Violet Essence, Cassia, Synthetic Musk, Synthetic Ambergris, Verbena, Lemon, Bergamot, Styrax 
**********************************************************
Spring Flowers Essence - 6ml Glass Roller Ball Bottle

Spring Flowers is light and airy. It's akin to walking in a meadow of wildflowers. This perfume is not as complex in notes. It's bright with roses, violets, bergamot, and underlying notes of cassia with vanilla and bits of Benzoin mixed in. For me, this perfume falls into the soft oriental floral and green note category. Keep in mind that everyone will smell different notes, and you may get something completely different than me. But I really love this scent. It's the perfect everyday wear scent that isn't too powdery but has a lovely balance of spring flowers.


Ingredients: Alcohol, Rose Fragrance Oil, Violet Essence, Cassia, Bulgarian Rose Essence, Synthetic Musk, Synthetic Ambergris, Benzoin, Bergamot, 
**********************************************************
We hope you enjoy this lovely bit of forgotten history. 

How to care for Your new Handkerchiefs: 
MACHINE WASHABLE: We Recommend washing in cold water with a light detergent. With the first
wash, the handkerchiefs may shrink a bit. Starch and Iron.