In the Victorian era scent bottles were often made of pressed glass, with silver or silver-plate rims and cut glass or imitation cut glass stoppers.
Generally, the customer purchased the bottle empty and had it filled by a chemist or perfumier, as ready filled bottles of perfume were not yet on the market.
The variety of shapes was enormous. The larger scent bottles were made in the shape of flagons or decanters. In the 1870s a new design was produced: the double ended bottle. This was a slim cylindrical bottle with a round or polygonal surface. Some were produced in clear glass, some coloured dark blue, red, green, or yellow, and some were decorated in the Nailsea style. At each end were silver or plated caps, which were heavily chased or moulded. One half of the bottle was for scent and usually had a screw cap, while the other
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end was hinged, often spring loaded for fast access, and was for smelling salts.
Some bottles hinged in the middle, and when you opened them there was the grating of a vinaigrette on one side and on the other a recess with a glass-covered photograph. The outer ends had normal hinge- or screw-caps so that either part of the bottle could be filled with scent.
The production of scent bottles continued into the twentieth century, though it became more customary to buy scent in ready-filled bottles from cosmetic houses. These 'package' bottles in themselves have become the object of much decorative skill, and no doubt in the not-too-distant future they will be sought after by collectors.
Some manufacturers supplied scent bottles with rubber bulbs, which could be attached to the top of the bottle to produce a fine spray of scent. Although some types of scent bottle can be expensive, there are still many examples available at a reasonable price.
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