One of the preeminent perfumeries of its day, The Crown Perfumery Company’s philosophy was to offer high quality perfumes to everyone, everywhere. Crown perfumes were available on the boulevards of Paris; in the pinnacled city of Constantinople; at the Viennese Court; inside the imperial palaces of the Czar; among the great cities of North and South America, within the walled cities of the Orient; across the deserts of Africa; around the Indian Empire; and throughout the lands “down under” — Australia and New Zealand. [9]

Crown was a global enterprise in a time when this was a rare accomplishment. Their genius came when they branded their scents with an eye-catching crown stopper, forever associating themselves and their clients with royalty.  Society took notice, gave their approval and became loyal followers. 

They had scents reminiscent of a favorite flower (Frangipanni, Sweet Pea, White Lilac, Wild Azalea); a season (Aroma of Spring, Noel, Holly); an area (Fleur d’Azur, Perle des Indes ), a place (Bouquet Versailles, Isle of Wight Bouquet, Buckingham, Sandringham) and scents which were artfully blended (Couronne d’Or/Crown of Gold, Matsukita).

November 23, 1872

November 23, 1872 [10]

Their first advertised perfumes were Meadow Queen, Wild Flowers of India, Mathiola, Butterfly Orchis, Crown Bouquet and Hawthorn Bloom. The scents were delicate, refined, rich, lasting and all natural.  Additional scents quickly followed.  At a time when the natural essence of violet was expensive to create and difficult to master, and when their competitors used chemicals to produce this fragrance, The Crown Perfumery Company used only the genuine essence of violets from the gardens on the Riviera. 

Their fame was such that contemporary writers invoked their name to quickly establish a characters’ place within society.

Dona Etelvina wasted no time in doing so. She brought with her an exquisite fragrance, the scent of opopanax, which back then was the most chic perfume, the one of the greatest nouveaute that The Crown Perfumery Company, of London, distilled in its factory. Her dress, her little hat, her movements, her manners…all of it was, or aspired to be, distinguished. It could be said that the latest fashion plate in Elegant Fashions Illustrated had taken on human dimensions, had acquired life by magic, and had come there on a visit. [11]

Crown's Opoponax

Used since biblical times, opoponax is a gum-resin with an earthy, sweet, balsam-like fragrance. It is also known as sweet myrrh.

Inspiration for the beloved perfume Crab Apple Blossoms was right under William Sparks Thomson’s nose — a Crab Apple tree sat in the very center of the front lawn of his London home.  Imagine his surprise during his first spring at Sidmouth Lodge, Kensington, when the tree bloomed profusely, scenting the air with a soft, rich fragrance.  As a connoisseur of scent, he began experiments to reproduce the sublime fragrance.  Thomson definitely succeeded!  His creation brought fame and fortune to The Crown Perfumery Company.  This delicate and fresh perfume was a scent society cherished for fifty years.  There is a very telling account from Bangor, Maine that places the blame for the shortage of apples in the autumn of 1893 on this perfume.  According to the article, all of the blossoms had been gathered for the perfume, leaving none to produce apples — and yet twice as many blossoms were still needed.

From Trademark applications, Crab Apple Blossoms (Malus Coronaria) was first produced in 1886.  There are some references for a much earlier date, but I have found no evidence to support this.  As was the case with Crown Lavender Salts, had Crab Apple Blossoms been created in the 1860s or 1870s, Thomson would have been advertising the perfume, for this was his creation, his best-selling perfume.  The earliest reference to Crab Apple Blossoms in print which I have seen is January 1887.  Sales were fantastic.  Over 200,000 bottles were sold annually by 1889.   By 1894, over half a million bottles were sold annually.  The last advertisement I have seen is 1937.

Crown's Crab Apple Blossoms

Crab Apple Blossoms (Malus Coronaria) was advertised in the above bottle and sold everywhere.  This was the standard bottle.  As part of the Gold Label Series, an extra fine concentration of Crab Apple Blossoms was sold in luxurious packaging along with complimentary toiletries of Eau de Toilette, Poudre de Riz (face powder), soap and sachet.

Crab Apple Blossoms was also part of the Delectys Series, offered in their highest perfume concentration and nested in a glamorous box. Other items in this series included Poudre de Riz, Soap, Toilet Water, Lotion for the Hair, Huile Antique, Brillantine, and Sachet.

A select number of Crown perfumes were presented in a variety of cut glass bottles and atomizers. Crab Apple Blossoms and several other perfumes were available in the cut, polished and silver collared bottle shown below.

c. 1900 Trade Catalog

c. 1900 Trade catalog

Retail merchants had the option of ordering individual perfumes in a variety of bottles and boxes depending on the desires of their clientele. Goutte d’Or was available in a square crystal bottle in a plain white case.  A stylish casket of Lyons silk held the same bottle for a few shillings more.  A more expensive presentation at almost twice the price of the first item was Goutte d’Or cushioned in a handsome leather case. 

Crown's Goutte d'Or

Goutte d’Or  crystal bottle with a Lyons silk casket
c. 1900 Trade catalog

The most expensive perfume, circa 1900, was Couronne d’Or. Crown of Gold.  When 2 ¼ ounces were placed in the crystal bottle below, the wholesale price was $1,175.00 in 2014 dollars!

Crown's Couronne d'Or, c. 1900

c. 1900 Trade catalog

Matsukita du Japon, “Redolent of the Land of Flower,s” was one of the richest perfumes created by The Crown Perfumery Company.  An “intoxication of delight,” it was unlike any perfume – ever.  When layered over Crab Apple Blossoms, the two scents produced a new, complex and more luxurious scent.  Women wore Crab Apple Blossoms during the day, then applied Matsukita du Japon to their pulse points in preparation for a special evening out.  Perfume layering was an untried concept which was popularized by socialites.

An intriguing thought occurs when studying two advertisements for Matsukita.  Are these advertisements drawn by William Thomson, the son?  The signature resembles his known signature.  He was an accomplished artist who exhibited at The Royal Academy of Arts in London and at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago.  It is a strong possibility… 

Matsukita ad, 1894
Matuskita ad, 1895

Two Matsukita advertisements, possibly drawn by William Thomson
  1894[12]                                                                                          1895[13]

Introduced around 1906, Jazmin del Pais was another successful scent for The Crown Perfumery Company.  This high quality perfume in a cut glass bottle with faceted stopper was placed in a grey suede box.  The label was also grey suede with a large metal crown attached.   A round turquoise knob was attached to the outside of the box.   Soap, Poudre de Riz, eau de toilette, lotion, sachets and brillantine were other items scented with Jasmin del Pais.  The line, with the addition of bath crystals, continued to be a success for William Gossage & Sons, Ltd. in the 1920s.  The last advertisement found is dated 1937 for Jazmin del Pais soap.

Crown's Jasmin del Pais casket
Crown's Jasmin del Pais

The crystal bottle is 4.5″ / 11.5 cm tall

Crown's Jasmin del Pais label

A close-up view of the grey suede label with its metal crown.

Lune de Miel, (Honeymoon) was advertised in 1910 with the same cut crystal bottle as Jazmin del Pais.  

055

December 1, 1910[14]

Iroma, a floral perfume, was awarded the Grand Prize medal at the Festival of Empire Imperial Exhibition and Pageant of London in 1911. Scented toiletries included Poudre de Riz, soap, lotion for the hair, brillantine and sachets.  The entire front page of the Daily Mail newspaper on May 31st, 1912 was an Iroma advertisement. 

There is a charming press account of the Ash Vicarage Fete in Somerset, England in the summer of 1912. Mrs. Fulton donated numerous Iroma sachets to this charity event.  To the delight of the organizers, the sachets quickly sold.  Not so delighted was the Vicar the following Sunday when there was a noticeable distraction of Iroma permeating the church!

Crown's Iroma

4.5″ / 11.5 cm

In the language of flowers, Violettes de Parme translated to “perfect beauty.”  Crown’s “perfect beauty’”perfume was a favorite among society.  The perfume was offered in various collections of their best quality fragrances:  Gold Label Series, Crown Royal Series and the Delectys Series.

Crown's Violettes de Parme

An early Gold Label Series crystal bottle
4.5″ / 11.5 cm

William, Annie and Charles Thomson sold The Crown Perfumery Company of London to William Gossage & Sons, Ltd. in 1921. The new firm was The Crown Perfumery Company Ltd.  Gossage was a soap manufacturer, owned by another soap manufacturer, Lever Brothers.    Lever Brothers then merged with the Dutch firm Unie Margarine to form Unilever in 1930.  

The Crown Perfumery Company Ltd. discontinued most of the fragrances, retaining about two dozen scents, including Crab Apple Blossoms, Heliotrope, Jazmin del Pais, Lily of the Valley, Jockey Club, Violet, Wallflower and White Rose.  Crown Lavender Salts was most definitely retained.    

Contemporary writers state that during the 1920s and 1930s, “x perfume was inspired by celebrity y.” This does not make sense as the majority of these perfumes have introduction dates several decades earlier.  Perhaps these classic perfumes never went away and were continued by William Gossage & Sons, Ltd.  Perhaps these perfumes were re-formulated and updated.  A few of the men’s scents are from this time period and thus could have been developed for, or inspired by, specific gentlemen.  If we know that these famous men and women, society’s darlings, were wearing Crown perfumes, then the company did not lose its allure and quickly fade away after being sold by the Thomson children in 1921.

Scent Developed for / Inspired by

Earliest Known Date

Crown Alpine Lily Empress Sissy 1879    
Crown Bouquet Wallis Simpson 1872
Crown Bouquet Greta Garbo 1872
Crown Court Bouquet Lady Astor 1875
Crown Heliotrope Ava Gardner 1875
Crown of Gold An Arabian Princess 1910
Crown Stephanotis Isadora Duncan 1873
Sarcanthus Amy Johnson 1900
Tanglewood Bouquet Greta Garbo 1874
Crown Fougere Charlie Chaplin 1885
Crown Park Royal Edward, Duke of Windsor 1929
Crown Spiced Limes Lawrence of Arabia 1921
Eau de Quinine Oscar Wilde 1890
Marquis Gary Cooper, worn by 1928
Sumare King Faud I of Egypt 1900
Town and Country Winston Churchill 1925

The Crown Perfumery Company Ltd. ceased the manufacturing and supply of their products on December 31, 1937. Other companies within the Unilever house continued production of a very limited selection of Crown items for a few more years.

Known Perfumes of The Crown Perfumery Company
and The Crown Perfumery Company Ltd.

Scent Earliest Date Scent Earliest Date Scent Earliest Date
1872 – 1921 Ambree 1899 Aroma of Spring
Asphodel 1889 Astrabel 1908 Bengali Bouquet 1873
Bouquet Versailles 1898 Brise d”Amour 1900 Butterfly Orchis 1872
Caprice des Fees 1900 Carnation 1900 Chidia 1889
Chypre 1876 Cologne Salts 1886 Coronita 1907
Corylopsis 1889 Couronne d’Or 1907 Crab Apple Blossoms 1886
Crown Alpine Lily 1879 Crown Bouquet 1872 Crown Court Bouquet 1875
Crown Ess Bouquet 1873 Crown Esterhazy 1874 Crown Lavender Salts 1885
Crown of Gold 1910 Crown Rose 1873 Crown Stephanotis 1873
Crown Violet 1880 Crystal Distilled Eau de Cologne 1874 Csarina (Tzarina) 1889
Cyclamen 1903 Damask Rose 1873 Daphnys 1900
Duke of Edinburgh Bouquet 1875 Elder Flower 1893 Eldorado 1899
English Roses 1892 Eucalyptus & Lavender Salts 1893 Favorys 1900
Felicia 1899 Flaming Hibiscus 1899 Flavia 1902
Fleur d’Azur 1906 Fleur de Lys 1893 Frangipanni 1875
Gardenia 1889 Gardenia Ameliore 1900 Gauhajan 1900
Genuine Otto of Roses 1900 Geranium 1900 Gironetta 1908
Gloria 1903 Golden Gorse 1900 Goutte d’Or 1906
Hawthorne Bloom 1872 Heliotrope 1875 High Life Bouquet 1873
Houx (Holly) 1900 Idalia 1900 Idylle 1900
Iroma 1911 Isle of Wight Bouquet 1884 Jasmin 1876
Jazmin del Pais 1906 Jeunesse Dorée 1890 Jockey-Club 1873
Karilpa 1890 Lemzoin 1901 L’Entente Cordiale 1907
Lilac 1900 Lilas Blanc 1889 Lily of the Valley 1900
Lotus Blossoms 1887 Lune de Miel                         (Honeymoon) 1910 Lysia 1903
Magnolia 1884 Malabar 1919 Mandrina 1887
Marechal Niel 1884 Marechale 1876 Marie Antoinette 1899
Mathiola 1872 Matsukita du Japon 1892 ‘Mbali Wentaba 1907
Meadow Queen 1872 Mignonette 1883 Milliefleurs 1884
Mitcham 1893 Mitcham Lavender Bouquet 1892 Moss Rose 1876
Musk 1876 Nadia 1903 Natural Violets 1904
New Mown Hay 1875 Night Brewing Cereus 1887 Noel 1903
Novelty Violet 1904 Old English Lavender 1901 Opoponax 1875
Orchidia 1887 Parfum Adorable 1910 Patchouli 1885
Patricia 1902 Peau d’Espagne 1892 Perle des Indes 1913
Pink Lilac 1894 Prince of Wales Bouquet 1876 Prize Medal Eau de Cologne 1885
Prize Poem Bouquet 1876 Reseda 1899 Rêve Dorée 1900
Rêve Etoile 1906 Rondelatia 1883 Rosbar 1907
Rose 1885 Rose Printanière 1900 Rose Printemps 1900
Royala 1900 Sandal Wood 1876 Sarcanthus 1900
Soupir d’Amour 1911 Spring Flowers 1875 Stephanotis 1873
Sumare 1900 Sweet Pea 1904 Tangerina 1875
Tanglewood 1876 Tanglewood Bouquet 1874 The Queen
Trèfle de France 1900 Vanda Suavis 1900 Versailles 1893
Violet 1912 Violet Ambree 1899 Violettes de Parme 1890
Violette Printanière 1887 Wallflower 1892 White Hawthorne 1895
White Heliotrope 1893 White Rose 1873 Wild Azalea 1910
Wild Flowers of India 1872 Witbar 1907 Wood Violets 1873
Ylang Ylang 1873 Opoponax Tsarina 1893
Buckingham 1880 Crown Eau de Quinine 1890 Crown Eau de Russe 1892
Crown Fougere 1885 Crown Imperial 1905 Guards’ Bouquet 1875
Sandringham 1873 Sumare 1900
     

 The Crown Perfumery Company Ltd. 

       
Crab Apple Blossoms 1886 Crown Alpine Lily 1879 Crown Bouquet 1872
Crown Court Bouquet 1875 Crown Heliotrope 1875 Crown Lavender Salts 1885
Crown of Gold 1910 Crown Stephanotis 1873 Crown Toilet Dainties 1921
Honey and Flowers c. 1921 Iroma 1911 Jazmin del Pais 1906
Jockey Club 1873 Lily of the Valley 1900 Malatti c. 1921
Marechale 1876 Matsukita 1892 Mimi 1922
Muguet de Mai c. 1921 Perles d’Or 1925 Prize Medal Eau de Cologne 1885
Sandringham Heather Bouquet c. 1921 Sarcanthus 1900 Tanglewood Bouquet 1874
Violet 1880 Wallflower 1892 White Rose 1873
Crown Fougere 1885 Crown Park Royal 1929 Crown Spiced Limes 1921
Eau de Quinine 1890 Marquis 1928 Sumare 1900
Town and Country 1925

 

 

 

 

[9]  The Pharmaceutical Era.  1 December 1893, 530

[10] Harper’s Bazaar.  23 November 1872, Advertisement.

[11] Valera, Juan.  The Illusions of Doctor Faustino: a novel.  1875. 

[12] The Christian Work. Illustrated Family Newspaper.  13 December 1894, 970. 

[13] Century Magazine.  April 1895. 

[14] Vogue.  Vogue Online.  1 December 1910, 122.

 

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