On Friday April 26, 2024 the Perfume Bottles Auction conducted its live and online auction in conjunction with the 36th annual IPBA convention, offering an exceptional variety of museum quality bottles and vanity items sourced from private collections around the world, all fresh to market and many extremely rare.
In the spotlight was Lot #5 – the original 1921 Chanel No. 5 perfume bottle that few people had ever seen.
This rare design predates the 1924 bottle still in use today, and with strong interest the historic Chanel collectible delivered a $72,000 realized price.
Other Chanel collectibles offered were the c 1929 Chanel burl wood coffret with two bottles which sold for $6,875, and a rare unopened Chanel No. 46 sold for $2,875 (the first perfume launched after WW II by Parfums Chanel).
Bottles inspired by antiquity drew strong interest, including the 1928 Bichara “Parvati”, as a crystal Egyptian obelisk covered in hieroglyphics $12,000, and the 1920’s Raffy “Futuris” of textured black glass formed as an ancient vessel with gilded Assyrian royal masks as handles $6,250.
Two spectacular 1920’s trompe l’oeil jewelry presentations featured the Delettrez “String of Pearls” in a rare blush pink finish $10,200, and the first ever appearance in Emerald green of the famous “Le Bracelet Miraculeux” by Les Parfums De Marcy sold for $27,000.
The evening offered a colorful selection of 1920’s Art Deco Bakelite, celluloid and other plastics formed as flapper dance purses, dresser items, and perfume bottles including one shaped as an airplane with propeller stopper, handmade of 13 carved parts which sold for $5,400.
Among the 100 lots offered, Rene Lalique enthusiasts battled for a rare 1920’s Roger & Gallet “Cigalia” set of 5 vanity items, which became the second highest selling item of the evening at $40,625.
Prices shown include the buyer’s premium. Results for all previous auctions can be found at PerfumeBottlesAuction.com, as well as past catalogs available for purchase.
This is the longest running and only perfume bottles auction of its kind in the US, and a percentage of the proceeds benefit the IPBA.
Consignments for the 2025 auction are welcomed. Contact: [email protected]
Note: Use of any photo provided here needs prior authorization from Ken Leach.
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