Guerlain Perfumes: Flacon Amphore (Amphora) c1955-1982

Sunday, August 31, 2025

Flacon Amphore (Amphora) c1955-1982

The Flacon Amphore, produced between 1955 and 1982, is one of Guerlain’s most recognizable and enduring perfume bottles. Its origins trace back to the launch of Ode in 1955, when the design was first introduced as the “Ode” flacon. Baccarat produced the earliest examples in two sizes, 40cc and 80cc, both under mould #816. The bottle itself was a delicate composition of clear crystal with frosted drapery accents, capped with a ground glass stopper molded into the shape of a rosebud. The presentation was equally refined: Draeger, a renowned Parisian design house, created exquisite floral illustrations that adorned the silk-covered boxes, available in both flat and hatbox styles.

Following the success of Ode, Guerlain adapted and slightly modified the “Ode” bottle into a standard design that would come to be known as the “Amphora” flacon. This version was produced over several decades and used for a wide variety of Guerlain extraits, including Shalimar, Mitsouko, Jicky, L’Heure Bleue, Liu, Chant d’Aromes, Muguet, Chamade, Sous le Vent, Vol de Nuit, and others. Production was not limited to Baccarat alone; over the years, the amphora was manufactured by five major glassworks: Baccarat, Pochet et du Courval, Saint-Gobain Desjonqueres, the Romesnil glassworks, and Brosse. Baccarat’s original moulds set the precedent, but subsequent variations were introduced to accommodate broader production.

The presentation boxes reflected Guerlain’s tradition of aligning packaging aesthetics with the character of each fragrance. While Ode retained Draeger’s original floral silk-covered designs, other perfumes housed in the Amphora flacon were sold in flat boxes decorated with motifs and colors specific to the scent: pink and green for Chant d’Aromes, parquet-patterned for Mitsouko and L’Heure Bleue, and bold zebra striping for Sous le Vent. In some instances, perfumes were presented in a standard coffee-bean patterned box, a recurring Guerlain motif of the era.

The labels used on the Amphora flacon also varied but remained distinctive. The most iconic is the gold-foiled “bat-wing” paper label, identical in design to the one first used on Ode bottles, though slightly adjusted in size (2.2cm x 0.4cm). Other examples include black-and-white demi-lune labels, similar to those employed for the Stilboide Fluide. These subtle but thoughtful variations in labeling and presentation highlight Guerlain’s enduring dedication to detail and luxury, ensuring that the Amphora bottle remained both versatile and unmistakably elegant throughout nearly three decades of production.

Sizes:

Baccarat Flacons:

Mould #816 = 40cc/40ml/1.35 oz - 14,5cm/5.71" (1955)
Mould #816 = 80cc/80ml/2.7 oz - 18,3cm/7.2" (1955)

Pochet et du Courval:

Mould #18691 = 15cc/15ml/0.5 oz - 11.5cm/4.53" (1959) ground glass rosebud shaped stopper, changed to plastic rosebud screwcap in 1978.
Mould #18151 = 20cc/20ml/0.676 oz - 11.5cm/4.53" (1955): frosted drapery, transparent or gold screw cap.
Mould #18140 = 30cc - 12.5cm (1955) frosted drapery, ground glass stopper

Saint-Gobain Desjonqueres: