Perfume runs out. The bottles stick around. That's the whole secret of perfume bottle collecting: the scent was gone decades ago, but the glass, the silver, the little screw caps and the squeeze bulbs are still here, looking fabulous on somebody's dresser. Here's a friendly tour of the kinds you'll run into, and what to look for.
Why People Collect Them
Perfume bottles are small, pretty and endlessly varied. A whole collection fits on one mirrored vanity tray, which is more than you can say for carnival glass. They also tell the story of how women dressed up: from Victorian scent bottles tucked in a purse, to Art Deco atomizers on a 1930s vanity, to the novelty minis of the 1980s.
The Main Kinds You'll Find
Silver Overlay Bottles
Around 1890 to 1920, makers like Alvin and Gorham electroplated a lacy layer of silver right onto glass, usually in flowing Art Nouveau flowers, with irises and lilies as favorites. Real sterling overlay is often marked "Sterling" or "999 Fine" in the silver. These are the high end of the field.
Pewter Overlay Bottles
In the 1980s and 1990s, sculpted pewter overlays wrapped around small clear glass bottles became a hugely popular gift. The best-known maker was JJ (Jonette Jewelry), whose bottles came in fairies, castles, dancing couples, celestial suns and flowers, and are often marked "JJ." Many unsigned ones were made in the same style. They usually have a threaded neck and a screw-on metal cap, so they really can carry perfume in a purse.
We have one right now: a vintage pewter overlay mini perfume bottle with irises and a butterfly, a little nod back to those Art Nouveau silver overlay irises.
Czech Crystal Bottles
Czechoslovakia (Bohemia) made some of the most dramatic bottles of the 1920s and 1930s: cut crystal in jewel colors with towering carved stoppers, sometimes with jeweled metal mounts. Look for an acid-etched "Czechoslovakia" mark on the base. Stoppers were often numbered to match their bottle.
Atomizers
An atomizer sprays instead of dabs, using a fabric-covered rubber squeeze bulb and a metal pump. DeVilbiss of Toledo, Ohio is the big American name, especially for Art Deco atomizers from the 1920s and 1930s. Original bulbs are often cracked or missing, so a working original bulb is a nice bonus.
Dabber Bottles and Stoppers
Many vanity bottles have a glass stopper with a long glass rod (the dauber) to dab scent on your wrist. Check that the stopper actually belongs to the bottle: a good fit, matching glass color and matching numbers are all good signs.
Miniatures and Commercial Bottles
Perfume companies made tiny sample and purse bottles, and collectors love them. Avon's figural bottles from the 1960s to 1980s are fun and inexpensive. Factice bottles, the oversized display bottles from department store counters, are another fun niche.
Purse minis that still have their original case or box are the ones to watch for. Fabérge sold its scents, like Woodhue, Tigress and Aphrodisia, in tiny "Fabergette" bottles meant to ride along in a handbag. We have a Fabérge Woodhue purse perfume in its leather Fabergette sleeve and original box, with some of the perfume still inside.
Irice and Vanity Sets
Irice was an importer whose name you'll find on frosted glass and gold filigree vanity bottles, often with jeweled or flowered decoration, from the mid-century on. They pair beautifully with vanity trays and powder jars.
How to Date a Perfume Bottle
- Marks: Turn it over. "Czechoslovakia," "DeVilbiss," "Sterling," "JJ" or a perfume house name narrows things quickly.
- Closure: Ground glass stoppers point older; threaded necks with screw caps are common from the mid-20th century on.
- Style: Swirling flowers and irises say Art Nouveau; bold geometry says Art Deco; fantasy and celestial themes say 1980s and 90s.
- Wear: Real age shows as light scratches on the base and natural patina on metal parts.
Condition: What to Check
- Chips on the rim, base or stopper
- Cloudy "sick" glass that won't wash clean
- Dried perfume residue inside (common, and often part of the charm)
- Loose overlay or cracked atomizer bulbs
Caring for Your Bottles
Wash glass by hand in lukewarm soapy water, never the dishwasher. For dried residue, let warm water and a drop of dish soap sit inside overnight. Keep silver and pewter overlay dry, and go gently with any polish so you don't strip the patina that makes it look its age. For more, see our guide to cleaning and caring for vintage finds.
Start Your Collection
Perfume bottles are one of the easiest ways to start collecting: small, affordable, and a joy to display. Do you have a bottle that belonged to your mother or grandmother? We'd love to hear about it. Browse our Collectable Glass and Trinkets and Oddities for vanity pieces as they come through the shop.