International
Perfume Bottle Association

IPBA Book Reviews and Announcements

Want to see a review of a perfume bottle or vanity item collector book before you spend your hard-earned money on it?

These book reviews and book announcements have been compiled from PBQ articles, IPBA eNews emails, and the former website. All books are available through Amazon, and possibly other booksellers. With few exceptions, these books are also available for free loans to IPBA members through the IPBA Lending Library.

Or check out the Perfume Bibliography, compiled by our esteemed Archivist, Helen Farnsworth. 2020 IPBA Bibliograpy

Members – Know of a good collector book not yet included in our Book Reviews? The editors of our Perfume Bottle Quarterly and the IPBA eNews are always looking for book reviews!

Estee Lauder Beautiful Life

A new book titled “Estée Lauder: A Beautiful Life” was recently published by Assouline Publishers. This beautiful 200 page silk hardcover book comes with a silk slipcover and includes over 300 illustrations. As an innovative businesswoman Estee Lauder […]

Novelties for Dollhouses

Reviewed by Helen Farnsworth. This book is about Stuart and Karoff perfume novelties for dollhouses and is the twelfth in the series of books written by Patty Cooper and printed by Blurb.com. The book is bright, well organized […]

Lampes Berger: A Century of History by Gérald Vilcocq

Reviewed by Afonso Oliveira. The book “Lampes Berger: A Century of History” describes the 100-year history of this company. The first edition dates back to 1998. The most recent edition was published in 2003. This 319-page book features […]

The Scent of Empires by Karl Schlögel

Reviewed by Lenore Worth Hiers. The introduction of this book explains the author’s constant exposure to the fragrance “Red Moscow” in Soviet Russia. The historian in him caused him to delve into its origins. The empires in the […]

The Maybelline Story

In 1915, when a kitchen stove fire singed his sister Mabel’s lashes and brows, Tom Lyle Williams watched in fascination as she performed what she called ‘a secret of the harem’-mixing petroleum jelly with coal dust and ash […]

The Cosmetics Baron You’ve Never Heard of: E. Virgil Neal and Tokalon

Who was the real E. Virgil Neal – cosmetics and perfume baron? Snake-oil salesman? Criminal and traitor? Who was Emma, the wife who performed hypnotism demonstrations with him in Pennsylvania mining towns, under his alias Xenophon LaMotte Sage? […]

The Company I Keep

This story was very entertaining as well as educational about many aspects of the beauty business over the last 50 years. Leonard Lauder is Estee Lauder’s oldest son (now age 87) and reveals the business and life lessons […]

Secrets of Aromatic Jewelry by Annette Green and Linda Dyett

The richness and depth of Annette Green’s experience, her keen insights and vast knowledge of scents and their containers are vividly apparent in her research of aromatic jewelry as presented in “Secrets of Aromatic Jewelry”. This is the […]

“Fragrance and Fans” by the late Evelyn Malpas

Reviewed by Helen Farnsworth. The book is a rare spiral bound softcover. It is a superior reference to the use of fans in fragrance and beauty advertising and the firms that issued them. There are 36 pages of […]

Bijoux Promotionnels de Parfumeurs

In addition to their traditional line of perfumes, many perfumers produced a line of so-called “licensed” jewelry and other items. This consists of quality jewelry intended only to be marketed. At the same time, perfumers provide so-called ‘promotional’ […]

Femmes de Papier

The Perfume Card is an ideal way of perceiving a fragrance, to discover a perfume. These cards, sought after by many collectors, have today become object d’art thanks to the talents of the artists who illustrated them combined […]

Beauty Powder and its Boxes (1880-1980) by Anne de Thoisy-Dallem

This softcover book with 208 full color pages and with great illustrations provides us with an opportunity to explore the intimacy of the makeup rituals of elegant ladies via Anne de Thoisy-Dallem’s important collection of compacts, and remarkable […]

The History of Perfumes and Cosmetics in Romania by Val Iacob

The book “The Visual History of Perfumery in Romania” maps the evolution of Romanian perfumery, from its beginnings to the present. It contains an impressive collection of photos, information, episodes and long-forgotten key moments that have defined this […]

Nancy: la cristallerie oubliée (the forgotten crystal factory) by Gérard Caussaint

Book Release Announcement: Gérard Caussaint takes you to an incredible journey to the forgotten crystal glassworks of Nancy (1920-1934) with this unique 384-pages compendium, illustrated with over 400 photographs, drawings and documents, and organized in five chapters: The […]

Fenton Art Glass, Hobnail Pattern, Identification & Value Guide, (2005) by Margaret and Kenn Whitmyer

Reviewed by Judy Parker I have been a Fenton glass collector for several years and one of my collections focused on the early Hobnail design starting with the No. 289 French Opalescent cologne bottles made for Wrisley Perfume […]

Bedroom & Bathroom Glassware of The Depression Years by Margaret Whitmyer

Reviewed by Judy Parker The first half of the Twentieth Century was comprised of two world wars, the stock market crashing and throwing the country into the Great Depression, women filling the jobs their husbands had to leave […]

Perfume Presentation

Reviewed by by Lenore Worth Hiers. This gorgeous, large “coffee-table” book is a must-have for any collector of commercial perfume bottles. If consists of over 300 pages with 530 beautiful full color photographs. The author, Ken Leach, is […]

F. Millot, Perfumer: From Eau Magique to Crêpe de Chine

Is it the big perfumes which made the big brands, or the big brands which made the big perfumes? The Parisian house F. Millot knew how to take a preponderant place on the market between 1860 and 1970. […]

American Compacts: 1921 through the Art Deco Era by Howard W. Melton and Michael A. Mont

In the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, American manufacturers created a stunning variety of powder compacts reflecting the modern design concepts of what we now call Art Deco. The advent of the Great Depression had a devastating effect […]

English Cameo Glass Perfume Bottles by Barbara Miller, Gayle Syers and Victor Weinstein

So much more. That is the phrase that continues to describe the awe Gayle, Vic and I feel after two years of working on this book. More fabulous than we ever imagined. More shapes, sizes and colors than […]

Cambridge Glass Vanity Items 1903-1955 by Kenn & Margaret Whitmyer

This follow-up book to their earlier more general vanity glassware book–Bedroom an Bathroom Glassware of the Depression Years–is a comprehensive examination of the vanity glassware production of the Cambridge Glass Company of Cambridge, Ohio. This book encompasses more […]

A Vanity Affair: L’art du nécessaire by Lyne Kaddoura

Called the ultimate illustrated guide to the most exquisite vanity cases from the nineteenth century onward, an unmissable opportunity for lovers of jewelry and fashion. This elegant and richly illustrated volume, featuring a slipcase and gilded page edges, […]

A Kind of Magic: Art Deco Vanity Cases by Sarah Hue-Williams and Peter Edwards

“A Kind of Magic”, a beautiful book on Art Deco Vanity Cases, is based on the Kashmira Bulsara Collection. Written by Sarah Hue-Williams, international jewelery historian, gemmologist and author, in collaboration with Peter Edwards, foremost dealer in 20th-century […]

Parfums Schiaparelli: Scented Stories by Antigone Schilling

The first volume to explore the fascinating stories behind Elsa Schiaparelli’s radical perfume creations, from fragrance notes to groundbreaking bottle design and innovative advertisements. Elsa Schiaparelli was a revolutionary of twentieth-century fashion because of her creative collaborations with […]

The Perfume Roads by Creezy Courtoy

Follow author Creezy Courtoy on a journey to discover the ‘perfume roads’ of the Middle-East, Far East and the West. The book includes over 280 photographs (mostly unpublished) from the Courtoy Collection. It is an incredible story of […]

Spritzing to Success with the Woman Who Brought an Industry to its Senses by Annette Green

Reviewed by Terri Chappel-Boyd Annette Green, in her autobiography Spritzing to Success, takes on her “fragrant journey” from her first job as an editorial assistant at American Druggist to her 40 years heading the Fragrance Foundation. The Fragrance […]

Harvey K. Littleton: A Life in Glass: Founder of America’s Studio Glass Movement by Joan Falconer Byrd

Reviewed by Elizabeth Creech. Harvey LIttleton, Honorary Lifetime Member of the IPBA, was honored in major museums throughout the United States in 2012 as the founder of the American studio glass movement, which marked its 50th anniversary in […]

Perfume: A Global History by Jean-Bernard Pouy

Reviewed by Lenore Worth Hiers Offering a synthesis of everything known about perfume-making and cosmetics, this extensive reference is written by some 60 world-renowned specialists and encompasses all areas and civilizations. This large book is an anthology on […]

Quintessentially Perfume by Nathalie Grainger

Reviewed by Lenore Worth Heirs Fabulous color photographs of bottles from the Baccarat Heritage collection are interspersed throughout this book. Primarily the focus is on niche fragrances from boutique perfume houses, most of which are names unknown to […]

The Secret of Chanel No. 5: The Intimate History of the World’s Most Famous Perfume by Tilar Mazzeo

Review by Lenore Worth Hiers Fascinating story of the behind-the-scenes events leading to the creation of this perfume. An “unauthorized” biography telling tales of Mlle. Coco Chanel’s (1883-1971) life and loves (not reported in other biographies). Interesting facts […]

The Crown Top Book by Pauline Turco

Reviewed by Lenore Worth Hiers This wonderful book deals exhaustively with the specialty collecting area stated in its title. Pauline Turco, a long time member of the International Perfume Bottle Association, has spent years researching her specialty and […]

Francois Coty, Fragrance, Power, Money by Roulhac Toledano and Elizabeth Coty

Reviewed by Lenore Worth Hiers While much has been written before about M. Coty (1874 – 1934), this biography is greatly enhanced by the personal reminiscences of his grandson’s wife who worked for the company, and is filled […]

A Passion for Purses by Paula Higgins and Lori Blaser

A Passion for Purses is an excellent reference providing a four hundred year historical overview, then homing on on specific eras and purse types, highlighting the following twelve chapters. Capping it all, Chapter 14 is a candid commentary […]

The Essence of Perfume by Roja Dove

The Essence of Perfume is lavishly illustrated journey through the history of perfume, taking in the glamour and scandal of the industry as well as the science behind iconic scents. Perfume has always been an exclusive industry. From […]

Lei in a Bottle: Collecting Hawaiian Perfume Bottles by Gwen and Evan Olins

This is a beautiful softcover book containing well over 200 photos of Hawaiian perfume bottles. While the photos and graphics are stunning, the actual stories of how the Hawaiian perfume industry came to be is captivating. The Hawaiian […]

The Wonderful World of Collecting Perfume Bottles Second Edition by Jane Flanagan

Jane hopes that Edition II will have many surprises for our readers. In addition to updating chapters shown in Edition I, included is a new company, the E & H Walker Company, never before seen in a perfume […]

Mueller’s Overview of American Compacts & Vanity Cases by Laura Mueller

Reviewed by Helen Farnsworth Our very own Laura Mueller has published her third book about face powder compacts and vanity cases. As usual, Laura’s book is very well researched and indexed with a fine bibliography. Her scholarly and […]

Perfume: Joy, Scandal, Sin by Richard Stamelman

Reviewed by Lenore Worth-Hiers Perfume by Richard Stamelman is a heavy read – and I mean this both literally and figuratively… It weight five pounds! Regarding content, the author has gone into great depth and research concerning the […]

Classic Perfume Advertising 1920 – 1970 by Jacqueline Johnson

This book is a beautiful and colorful testament to the collecting interests of one of our dearest, and now lost, IPBA members, Jacqueline Johnson. Most of us know her from her columns in the Perfume Bottle Quarterly. In […]

Novelty Hand Fans by Cynthia Fendel

Cynthia Fendel has written a previous book on fans (Celluloid Hand Fans) and is a founding member of Fan Association of North America. Her book is divided into 20 chapters. Perfume collectors will find most interest in the […]

Perfume Bottles for Purse and Dresser: From Czechoslovakia, 1920s-1930s by Verna J. Kocken

Beautiful glass scent bottles made in Czechoslovakia during the 1920’s and 30’s were produced to please a variety of tastes, decors, and pocketbooks. Today, these tiny artistic treasures possess an Old World charm that endears them to collectors. […]

The Wonderful World of Collecting Perfume Bottles by Jane Flanagan

Long time member Jane Flanagan has written a book entitled “The Wonderful World of Collecting Perfume Bottles”. This is a book for the novice collector, one who merely wants to identify an older bottle and maybe a surprise […]

Scents & Sensibilities: Creating Solid Perfumes for Well-Being by Mandy Aftel

Reviewed by Shari Maxson Hopper Delve into the world of natural perfume and discover how different scents can have a profound effect on your emotions, from relieving stress to enhancing sensuality. In Scents and Sensibilities, author Mandy Aftel […]

Perfume Legends II by Michael Edwards

” A great perfume is a work of art. It can lift our days,haunt our nights and create the milestones of our memories. Perfume is liquid emotion.” We all know Michael Edwards as a British fragrance expert, author, […]

Fragrances of the World by Michael Edwards

Michael Edwards presents the 31st edition of his book Fragrances of the World 2015 The Fragrance Bible by emphasizing that in 2014, the market welcomed over 1600 new perfumes, which were included in the new amended edition of […]

DIOR: The Perfumes, by Chandler Burr

Review by Lenore Worth Hiers Many members will remember the author from his 2008 keynote presentation at convention in St. Louis, and some of us own his earlier book The Perfect Scent. This book is in a class […]

Elsa Schiaparelli: A Biography by Meryle Secrest

From reviews in Elle magazine to the New York Times, to the introspective feature on 1stdibs, biographer Meryle Secrest has been described as “offer(ing) insights aplenty into the strategist that lay behind the ‘madcap’ Schiap façade” with details […]

DeVilbiss Perfume Bottles by Marti DeGraaf and Toby Mack

Bring back the memories of grandmother’s vanity with this wonderful book by our very own Members Marti DeGraaf and Toby Mack. The first-ever complete guide to collecting and understanding the perfume bottles and related vanity products produced by […]

Microcosmos Van René Lalique by Benjamin Janssens

The Lalique Museum in The Netherlands is producing a new book to be available on September 7, 2014 to accompany the exhibition which begins on that date. It is dedicated to the jewelry and glass artistry of Rene […]

Lips of Luxury by Jean-Marie Martin-Hattemberg

Reviewed by Lenore Worth Hiers Starting with its gorgeous gold-embossed jacket, this new book by IPBA Member Jean-Marie Martin-Hattemberg of Paris, France, is a feast for the eyes throughout. Most perfume bottle collectors have never focused on the […]

Antique Trader Perfume Bottles Price Guide by Kyle Husfloen and Penny Dolnick

Reviewed by FRANK AND ELIZABETH CREECH IPBA’s very own PENNY DOLNICK has distinguished herself, yet again! As an author, Penny has contributed several excellent and valuable guides for perfume bottle collectors: Penny Bank Commercial Bottle Price Guide (8th […]

Glamour Icons by Marc Rosen

Reviewed by Lenore Worth Hiers Mr. Rosen has written this absolutely spellbinding book about his career as a creator of perfume bottles for commercial fragrances beginning in 1972. Beautiful photos of his creations for Revlon, Elizabeth Arden, Karl […]

The Art of Rene Lalique by Christie Mayer Lefkowith

Reviewed by Verna Kocken What you will not find: A table of contents; Numbered chapters; A precise chronology. What you will find: A larger-than-life tribute to an artist who was larger-than-life. Commissioned by Silvio Denz, President and CEO […]