Vaporisateur Pour la Coiffeuse (Spray for the Hairdresser) c1937-1965

The Vaporisateur Pour la Coiffeuse (Spray for the Hairdresser), produced by Guerlain between 1937 and 1965, was a distinctive and versatile flacon created for both demonstration and practical use. Its design reflects Guerlain’s attention not only to elegance but also to functionality, particularly in professional and travel contexts.

The bottle itself is round, squat, and made of clear glass, with a base molded in a delicate rayed pattern that adds a subtle decorative effect. It was originally intended for use by hairdressers or beauty advisors, who would employ it as a tester to spray Guerlain perfumes, brilliantine, or stilboide fluid directly onto the hair. The practicality of the design is evident in its fitted thin glass siphon tube, which ensured fine atomization of the product. When used in professional settings, the bottle was marked with the name of the perfume on its side, allowing clear identification during demonstrations.

Two sizes were produced—small (4.8cm/1.89") and large (6.5cm/2.56")—and each was available with either a gilded or nickel-plated cap, catering to both luxury preferences and durability needs. For demonstrations, the flacon carried its atomizer permanently, but Guerlain ingeniously adapted the design for travel purposes as well. In this configuration, the bottle came with a screw cap that could be removed to attach an atomizer (with thin metal siphon), offering both portability and flexibility. This travel version had actually been marketed as early as 1900 and remained available until the late 1940s, showing how Guerlain reused and refined practical formats over decades.

For customers purchasing the flacon as a luxury accessory, Guerlain offered it in a presentation box lined with satin and covered in peacock feather patterned paper, a richly decorative detail that contrasted with the understated simplicity of the glass itself. This marriage of practicality and elegance made the Vaporisateur Pour la Coiffeuse a noteworthy example of Guerlain’s ability to blend utility with refined artistry, ensuring that even functional bottles maintained the house’s aesthetic prestige.

Sizes:

• Small size - 4.8cm/1.89"
•  Large size - 6.5cm/2.56" 

Bottles:

Flacon Tortue (Tortoise) c1914-1959

The Flacon Tortue (Turtle Bottle), created in 1914, was designed exclusively for Parfum des Champs-Élysées and remained in production until the late 1950s. This remarkable flacon was conceived to commemorate the opening of Guerlain’s flagship boutique at 68, Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris. According to tradition, the design choice was symbolic: when construction delays threatened the boutique’s grand opening, the Guerlain family humorously chose the turtle as a motif—an emblem of slow but steady progress. Beyond this anecdote, author Christie Mayer Lefkowith has suggested a more poetic association, noting that turtles were thought to roam the mythological Elysian Fields, making them a fitting symbol for the perfume’s name.

The bottle itself is a striking creation in clear faceted crystal, designed to mimic the rounded, domed shell of a turtle. Its geometric cutting catches the light, lending a jewel-like brilliance to the form. On the front of the bottle, a flat polished space was reserved for a green and gold paper label, which existed in two sizes depending on the flacon: the larger label (2.4cm x 2cm) was used for the three bigger formats, while the smaller label (1.9cm x 1.7cm) appeared on the two miniature versions. The perfume itself was originally tinted a delicate green, a detail that further reinforced the thematic cohesion between the bottle, its label, and the natural imagery of the Champs-Élysées.

Production of the flacon was entrusted primarily to Baccarat, who created five different sizes: 80cc, 125cc, 250cc, 500cc, and 1 litre. In addition, Pochet et du Courval manufactured a more modest 30cc size, ensuring a range of options from intimate personal bottles to grand luxury editions.

The presentation boxes for the Flacon Tortue were equally lavish and varied. One version featured a rectangular box lined with white satin, with a green lid bearing a gold central motif but notably without a border. Another rectangular version in deep red with hinged construction displayed the same central motif, though here the scrolls lacked color and the design was framed with a double gold border. Its interior was satin-lined, with a contrasting black base. A third presentation option was more elaborate: an oval-shaped, hinged box covered in red leather, also bearing the central motif, but with the scrolls picked out in green enamel-like color and again lacking a border. Its refined finish underlined Guerlain’s dedication to producing presentations that matched the prestige of the perfume itself.

Baccarat:

Originally, the legs were frosted glass, also originally, the feet of the tortoise had gray patina, later they were versions with little or no patina. 

• 80cc/80ml/2.7 oz - 11cm/4.33" (changed to 60ml - 10.2cm/4.02" in 1995 as a limited edition)
• 125cc/125ml/4.2 oz - 12.5cm/4.92" 
• 250cc/250ml/8.4 oz - 15.5cm/6.1" 
• 500cc/500ml/16.9 oz - 19.5cm/7.68" 
• 1 liter/1000ml - 24.5cm/9.65" 

Pochet et du Courval:

Model with or without patina.

• Mould #13617 = 30cc/30ml/1 oz - 8.5cm/3.35" (1924) 

Bottles:

Flacon Tonnelet (Keg) c1934-1950

The Flacon Tonnelet, created around 1934, was designed exclusively to hold the extrait of Sous le Vent. This perfume was said to be inspired by the lush vegetation and mingled scents of Guadeloupe, which Jacques Guerlain himself had visited. Its name, meaning “Southern Breeze,” alluded to the warm Caribbean trade winds carrying the fragrance of mimosa and other floral notes, blending into a soft, subtle, and complex perfume that reflected Guerlain’s ability to translate atmosphere into scent.

The bottle itself was strikingly unusual, described as having a form that suggested both Art Deco and Art Moderne influences, with a faintly Byzantine character. Shaped like a small keg or barrel, the flacon featured a two-tier cylindrical body, each tier marked with concave rings and concentric circles, giving it both structure and rhythm. The bottle was finished with a small, flat, disk-shaped ground glass stopper, maintaining the clean geometry of the design.

The decoration consisted of two distinct labels: a gold and black paper circle affixed to the top of the stopper, and bands of gold, yellow, and black paper encircling the projecting parts of the bottle. These labels were used interchangeably, whether the bottle was produced in crystal or glass. For presentation, the flacon was housed in a luxurious rectangular box, covered with striped silver-foiled and bright yellow paper. Inside, the bottle rested in a suede-textured cardboard interior, cut precisely to the shape of the tonnelet to hold it securely.

Production was entrusted to two major glassmakers: Baccarat, who created three moulds in crystal, and Pochet et du Courval, who likewise made three moulds in pressed glass. This collaboration ensured both high-quality luxury crystal editions and more widely available glass versions. The Tonnelet bottle remained in use until the late 1940s, after which Sous le Vent was rebottled either in the Flacon Rayonnant or the Quadrilobe stopper bottle, until the perfume itself was discontinued in 1972.

Sizes:

Baccarat:

Acid-etched on the base.

• Mould Ref. #773 = 80cc/80ml/2.7 oz - 8.6cm/3.39" (limited edition of only 5000 in 1937) 
• Mould Ref. #773 = 128cc/128ml/4.33 oz - 12.5cm/4.92" (limited edition of only 3000 copies in 1937) 
• Mould Ref. #773 = 250cc /250ml/8.4 oz- (limited edition of only 3000 copies in 1937) 

Pochet et du Courval:

Engraved on the base: "Guerlain Made in France."

• Mould #15073 = 83cc - 6.8cm (1934)
• Mould #15109 = 125cc - 8.6cm (1935)
• Mould #15128 = 250cc - 12.5cm (1935)

Bottles:

 

Flacon Tabatiere (Snuff) c1927-1972

Guerlain's Flacon Tabatière (Snuff Bottle) was created between 1927 and 1972 as the exclusive vessel for the perfume Liu, inspired by the heroine of Puccini’s opera Turandot. In the opera, Liu embodies the ultimate feminine virtues—loyalty, tenderness, and self-sacrifice—qualities that her mistress Turandot, the emperor’s daughter, lacks. The story is tragic: Liu’s devotion to the prince Calaf leads her to choose death rather than betray his identity, symbolizing the purity and intensity of love. This narrative informed the design and symbolism of the perfume bottle itself.

The Flacon Tabatière is a chunky, black crystal bottle, shaped to resemble a traditional Chinese tea caddy, though it is often referred to as a “snuff bottle” due to its squat, geometric Art Deco form. The bottle’s front bears a large vertical label in gold foil and black paper, while the recessed center of the flat, square, ground-glass stopper features a metallic gold foil round paper label with Guerlain’s name rendered in an abstract font. The letters "Liu" in gold on the bottle’s body subtly symbolize the secret and devotion central to the character’s story.

Two renowned French glassmakers were responsible for producing the bottle: Baccarat, which created a single mould, and Pochet et du Courval, which produced five moulds. Made entirely in black crystal, the Flacon Tabatière was exclusively reserved for Liu, highlighting its luxurious and singular purpose. Its combination of Art Deco geometric styling, symbolic references to Chinese culture, and literary inspiration make it one of Guerlain’s most distinctive and evocative perfume flacons.

Sizes:

Baccarat:

Baccarat only produced one mould:

• 80cc/80ml/2.7 oz - 7.8cm/3.08" - (limited edition of only 6000 single copies, often unsigned, this has never been reissued)

Pochet et du Courval:

Pochet produced five moulds:

• Mould #15025 = 30cc/30ml/1 oz - 5.9cm/2.32" (1934, export version)
• Mould #15369 = 40cc/40ml/1.35 oz - 6.4cm/2.52", ground glass stopper (1937)
• Mould #14188 = 80cc/80ml/2.7 oz - 7.8cm/3.07", with out without acid etching: "Guerlain - Paris 0 France."  (1927)
• Mould #14423 = 125cc/125ml/4.2 oz - 9cm/3.54" (1929)
• Mould #14425 = 250cc/250ml/8.4 oz - 11cm/4.33" (1929)

Bottles:

Limited Edition:

In 1994, Guerlain celebrated the heritage of the Flacon Tabatière by reissuing Liu in a sumptuous limited edition that faithfully echoed the original Art Deco design. This reissue comprised 3,000 bottles, each holding 75ml of the parfum. The bottles were produced by Pochet et du Courval and fitted with a “plastemeri” stopper, a modern adaptation that retained the look and function of the original square, black stopper while offering greater durability.

The presentation emphasized luxury and exclusivity. Each bottle was sold in a black outer box, accompanied by a booklet detailing the perfume’s history and the story behind its iconic design. While the original edition of Liu had been 80ml (2.7 oz), the reissued version was slightly reduced to 75ml (2.5 oz), reflecting minor adjustments in modern production standards without compromising the elegance of the original flacon. This reissue allowed collectors and enthusiasts to own a piece of Guerlain’s Art Deco legacy while enjoying the perfume in a carefully crafted, historically resonant container.

Flacon Republique Etui Carre (Bottle for the Square Box) c1840 - ?

The Flacon République Etui Carré, which translates roughly as “Bottle for the Republic Square Case,” it refers to a flacon designed to fit into a square-shaped presentation case (étui carré). It is an early Guerlain design produced around 1840 and continuing in use for several decades. Crafted by Pochet et du Courval, the bottle was made in four sizes—2 ounces, 4 ounces, 6 ounces, and 8 ounces—and featured a molded Imperial coat of arms alongside the classic “femme drapeaux” motif, a decorative figure holding a banner that appears on many of Guerlain’s early bottles. Each bottle was fitted with a ground glass stopper, reflecting the standard closure technique of the period.

The square case (étui) protected the bottle and served as part of the luxury presentation, making it both practical and visually elegant. So essentially, République Etui Carré describes a bottle-and-box combination: a flacon designed specifically to sit in a square étui, often used for colognes, eaux de toilette, or distilled waters in the mid-19th century.

This flacon was highly versatile, used to contain a wide variety of Guerlain products, including colognes, eaux de toilette, and distilled waters. Notable examples include Eau de Verveine, Eau de Cologne Hégémonienne, Eau de Rose Distillée, Eau de Cologne Impériale, Eau de Cologne Russe, Neva, Bouquet Impérial, Do Brazil, Bouquet de l’Impératrice Eugénie, and Parfum Impérial, among others. Its continued use into the 1910s demonstrates the enduring practicality and aesthetic appeal of the design, which combined elegance, functionality, and a subtle reference to France’s imperial symbolism.

Sizes:

Pochet et du Courval produced four moulds:

• Mould #6660 = 61cc/61ml/2 oz - 9cm/3.54" (vers 1870) 
• Mould #2570 = 122cc/122ml/4 oz - 11.5cm/4.53" (1840) 
• Mould #2576 = 183cc/183ml/6 oz - 13.5cm/5.31" (1840 changed to 166cc/166ml/5.61 oz - 15.5cm/6.1") 
• Mould #2578 = 244cc/244ml/8 oz - 17.5cm/6.89" (1840 changed to 332cc/332ml/11.23 oz - 19.5cm/7.68") 250cc/250ml/8.4 oz - 17.5cm/6.89" 

Bottles:

Scents:

• Bouquet de France
• Bouquet de Paris
• Bouquet Do Brazil
• Bouquet Marechale Duchesse
• Bouquet Napoleon
• Bouquet Neva
• Bouquet de l'Imperatrice Eugenie
• Bouquet du Jardin Roi
• Bouquet Imperial
• Eau de Cologne Hegemonienne 
• Eau de Cologne Imperiale
• Eau de Cologne Russe 
• Eau de Rose Distillee
• Eau de Verveine
• E Pluribus Unum
• Fleurs Nouvelles
• Parfum Imperial 
• Veritable eau de Cologne impériale

Flacon Rayonnant (Radiance) c1932-1983

The Flacon Rayonnant, also known as the Radiance bottle, was created in 1932 and remained in use until 1983. Its most distinctive feature is the striking radiating design that decorates its body, a motif intended to evoke both light and movement. Baccarat first produced this flacon to house the parfum Vol de Nuit, later extending its use to include Sous le Vent. The design was stylized to resemble the spinning blades of an airplane propeller—an homage to aviator and novelist Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and his famous work Vol de Nuit (Night Flight) and "Courrier Sud", which inspired the fragrance.

A particularly notable feature of the Flacon Rayonnant is its square-shaped ground glass stopper, whose flat top is elegantly encased in a gilded metal “jacket” engraved with the Guerlain name. This complements the distinctive metal label on the body of the bottle, designed to evoke the engine of an airplane propeller and reinforce the aviation theme of Vol de Nuit. The perfume’s name is centered within two concentric bands, creating a cut-out effect that adds visual depth and echoes the mechanical precision of the radiating flacon design. For the smallest sizes, Guerlain cleverly substituted a gilded cardboard label that mimicked the metal version, preserving the aesthetic and thematic cohesion across all formats. These combined details—the metal label and gilded stopper—recall the elegance of the George Chevalier-designed Djedi bottle, which similarly featured gilded metal accents, demonstrating Guerlain’s consistent attention to luxury, craftsmanship, and decorative harmony.

The production of this bottle was undertaken by three major glassworks. Baccarat created the original mould, while Brosse contributed five moulds, and Pochet et du Courval developed eight. Over the decades, these bottles were often made in limited runs, with slight variations in their appearance. They could be found in shades ranging from smoky green to completely clear glass. Notably, some clear crystal examples survive without any identifiable glassmaker’s trademark, which adds to their rarity and intrigue among collectors.

One such bottle, in clear crystal and without a maker’s mark, has been documented containing Sous le Vent. It holds 250cc and measures 12 cm in height, with its base acid-etched “Guerlain Made in France.” While the flacon debuted with Vol de Nuit, it was also used to present Sous le Vent between 1950 and 1972. The Rayonnant remains one of Guerlain’s most visually symbolic bottles, merging aviation-inspired modernism with the timeless elegance of French perfume design.

The perfumes Vol de Nuit and Sous le Vent were also presented in Guerlain’s iconic quadrilobe stopper bottle for the larger formats of 500 ml and 1 litre. This standard flacon, with its rounded shoulders and distinctive quatrefoil-shaped stopper, was reserved for the house’s most prestigious perfumes and served as a unifying design across Guerlain’s offerings. It provided a more formal and enduring presentation for these fragrances compared to the sculptural specialty flacons.

By the 1980s, Vol de Nuit continued to appear in the quadrilobe bottle across several sizes. The 60 ml size was introduced in the early 1980s, while the 15 ml version had been in use since October 1908, and the 7.5 ml miniature format became available from September 1981. This continuity of presentation demonstrates Guerlain’s strategy of adapting the quadrilobe flacon to a wide range of sizes and markets, ensuring the perfume’s identity remained consistent across decades.

At the same time, the radiating flacon associated with Vol de Nuit—its propeller-like design directly tied to the perfume’s aviation theme—remained in production as well. Even as late as 1997, this bottle was still offered in the 30 ml size for Vol de Nuit, proving that Guerlain retained both the traditional quadrilobe and the more symbolic Rayonnant flacon within its catalogue. The parallel use of these two designs illustrates Guerlain’s balance between heritage and innovation, with the quadrilobe embodying timeless house identity and the Rayonnant serving as a striking thematic statement for one of its most celebrated fragrances.

Sizes:

Baccarat:

Baccarat created one mould, smoked glass, acid etched with trademark and "Guerlain Paris" or "Guerlain France."

• Mould #771 - 80cc/80ml/2.7 oz - (limited edition of only 8000 single copies) (1937) 

Brosse:

Brosse created five smoked glass bottles engraved with "Guerlain - Bottle Made in France - VB."

• Mould #7 = 20ml - 6.6cm
• Mould #7 = 30ml - 7.2cm
• Mould #7 = 60ml - 8.6cm, thickness 2.7cm, width 6.7cm.
• Mould #7 = 80ml - 8.5cm, thickness 3.1cm, width 6.9cm.
• Mould #82085 = 125ml - 9.8cm, smoked glass, engraved "Guerlain - Paris - Made in France - VB" (Nov 1981)

Pochet et du Courval:

Pochet created eight moulds, smoked glass.

• Mould #18079 = 10cc/10ml/0.388 oz - 5.3cm/2.09, etched "Guerlain - Made in France - HP" (1954) changed to 7.5ml/0.25 oz engraved  "Guerlain Paris - Bottle Made in France - HP" (1962-1981) 
• Mould #18105 = 20cc/20ml/0.676 oz - 6.6cm/2.6" (1955) changed to 15ml/0.5 oz, engraved  "Guerlain Paris - Bottle Made in France - HP" (1962-1980) 
• Mould #15021 = 30cc/30ml/1 oz - 7.2cm/2.83" (1934) 
• Mould #15420 = 40cc/40ml/1.35 oz (1937-1959) 
• Mould #19120 = 60cc/60ml/2 oz- 8.6cm/3.39" (thickness 2.7cm/1.06", width 6.7cm/2.64") (1962) changed to 55ml/1.86 oz - 8.5cm/3.35" (1977-1983) 
• Mould #14843 = 82cc/82ml/2.77 oz - 8.5cm/3.35" (thickness 3.1cm/1.22", width 6.9cm/2.72") (1932-1963) 
• Mould #14955 = 125cc/125ml/4.2 oz - 9.5cm/3.74" (1933) changed to 125ml/125ml/4.2 oz - 9.8/3.86"cm (1979-1984) 
• Mould #14957 = 250cc/250ml/8.4 oz - 11.8cm/4.65" (1933)

Bottles:

Scents:

• Sous le Vent
• Vol de Nuit

Flacon (Djedi) c1926-1959

The Flacon Djedi, created in 1926, is one of Guerlain’s most striking Art Deco perfume presentations. Designed by Baccarat as flacon #598, it was conceived exclusively to house the extrait of Djedi. The sculptor George Chevalier, who worked in close collaboration with both Guerlain and Baccarat, gave the bottle its strong geometric form. While it can be seen as a development of the earlier Petit Beurre flacon from 1916, Chevalier refined the lines into a purer Art Deco expression, with a balance of simplicity and monumentality that perfectly captured the spirit of the late 1920s.

Baccarat produced the bottle in three sizes—60ml, 125ml, and 250ml—each fitted with a ground-glass stopper sheathed in gilded metal and secured with a gold cord. The flacon was further distinguished by its gilded metal label, uniform in size at 4cm by 2.9cm, regardless of the volume of the bottle. This created a sense of continuity across the line while also emphasizing the perfume’s luxury. The bottles remained in production until the end of the 1950s, though surviving examples are rare.

The presentation box was no less opulent. Made from poplar wood clad in green leather, it was designed with a roof-shaped top outlined by two parallel gilt borders and stamped with the name Guerlain in gold. A gold metal label, matching that of the bottle, was fixed to the lid for a unified presentation. Inside, the box was lined in shimmering gold paper, while a press-stud fastening secured the closure, underscoring the perfume’s exclusivity and refinement.

Sizes:

Baccarat produced three sizes::

• 60ml/2 oz - 8.5cm/3.35" 
• 125ml/4.2 oz - 9.5cm/3.74"
• 250ml/8.4 oz - 11.7cm

Bottles:

Reissue:

In 1996, Guerlain revisited this icon to mark the 70th anniversary of Djedi. The house issued a limited edition of 1,000 individually numbered flacons, made once again by Baccarat using the original 60ml mould. This reissue allowed collectors to experience the design in its original form while celebrating Jacques Guerlain’s 1926 composition. 

From the press kit: "Perfumer since the Second Empire, Guerlain has marked the history of perfumery with more than 300 creations. Today, Guerlain celebrates the 70th anniversary of Djedi, a fragrance created in 1926, and reissues it in an exceptional limited edition of 1,000 copies. With Djedi, a warm, vibrant perfume, it is the Orient, a thousand and one nights, that Jacques Guerlain sought to recapture... In Paris, people flock to the theatre to see Diaghilev and the Russian ballet. It is a time when creators and artists are inspired by Scheherazade, by Arabia and its mysteries. Meanwhile in Hollywood, The Thief of Bagdad with Douglas Fairbanks and The Sheik with Rudolph Valentino embody romantic epics whose sumptuousness the public adores... Djedi—its warm heart a blend of leather, moss, and wood, enriched with a subtle mix of jasmine and rose—remains a captivating chypre-oriental perfume."

Guerlain described Djedi evocatively as “a warm, vibrant perfume...the Orient, a thousand and one nights,” conjuring the same cultural atmosphere of the 1920s when Paris was captivated by Diaghilev’s Russian ballet and the allure of Scheherazade, Arabia, and exoticism. A chypre-oriental with a warm heart of leather, moss, and woods, tempered by subtle floral notes of jasmine and rose, Djedi remains one of Guerlain’s most fascinating and mysterious creations, housed in a bottle that fully embodies its bold artistic spirit.

Baccarat:

• 60ml/2 oz - 8.5cm/3.35" (limited reissue in 1996) 

Bottles: