Ravel, Faun, 15 ml. or 0.5 oz. Flacon, Parfum Extrait, Leather Chypre, 1946, Paris, France ..

The Ravel Perfume Corp was established in Nice, France and had a branch in New York City. Ravel was established by Aizic Manole in the 1940s after his partnership in the Legrain perfumery company was dissolved just before the second world war. Ravel also produced cosmetics such as nail polish.

The name Ravel was chosen after the name composer and subsequently Ravel released several perfumes with names taken from famous songs of the era such as "Bolero" by Ravel. The perfume Faun was inspired by the Debussy classic "Afternoon of a Faun."

Launched in 1945, Faun was the most famous of all the Ravel perfumes. "It's bottle resembles a 1945-1950 era Chanel bottle- spare and squared in shape with a plain black cap. Even for it's time, Ravel was one of the smaller perfume houses based in New York. It seems Ravel was one of many start-ups that flourished in the glow of post WWII optimisim but it lasted less than a decade. The perfumes of Ravel include: Adagio, Pagan, and Pagoda; all three of these were from 1945. Faun came out in 1946, followed by the trio of L'Amour En Rose, My Fair Lady and Moments De Passion which were released in 1955 and the final known release, No. 9, came out in 1956. "

"The name itself is intriguing. The image of the Faun is that of a half human, half goat that is usually but not always male. Looking at iconic images of the Faun, it seems clear there is an implied sensuality and rustic animalic quality is suggested by use of the Faun image. At its opening, Faun is bursting forth with juicy bergamot and smells at first like a typical hersperidic cologne. Very soon the citrus is joined by aldehydes which lift and intensify the composition, taking it more towards a typical perfume. Early on in the scent, I sense a slight turn toward cool green and slightly powdery chypre notes .. there is a restrained plum-prune, mossy, mushroomy accord that typifies Chypres of this same period for me. Yet, smelled side by side, I see the accord is very hushed in Faun."

"Soon the perfume turns again, the fresher citrus elements at the forefront bolstered by a rooty, effervescent middle in which orris and the rich, smooth, softness of fur notes shine. Fur notes in perfume have almost mythical status today. We do not see these notes often in the most modern compositions yet at one time fur was perhaps one of the most celebrated of notes for feminine perfumes, famously referred to in the poetry imagery of Baudelaire. Fur, like musk smells heavily of animal but Ravel's Faun does not turn on us, nor bare its teeth, thanks to a generous helping of dry patchouli that anchors the composition perfectly. The patchouli plays up the tingle of salicyclates and prevents the perfume from going too far toward mossy green shadings of a proper chypre perfume. Along with the patchouli and fur, the base of the perfume reveals itself to be a proper, very classic and somewhat salty and stout leather."

"Amazingly free of overt florals, Faun lives up to its androgynous promise. The citrus, aldehyde and patchouli/leather/fur combination is one that still feels wearable even in this admittedly dated creation. On the whole, I've become impressed with Faun, or more so with it's type- a genre busting scent that plays with male-female, cologne-perfume duality; it is one of the few vintages that I might enjoy wearing but that might also appeal to someone with more strictly modern tastes." The Perfume Vault

"Ravel’s Faun is wonderfully warm and inviting. The plummy, slightly green center is supported by a solid .. but not intrusive .. base of oak moss, patchouli and leather. The animalic oils are of course ambergris, civet and musk. It transports the wearer to a special and intimate place. Imagine cuddling your favorite feline with leather gloves and then inhaling the always clean fur. Those who love the house of Weil, which composed many scents to be worn with and on fur coats and stoles, should experience Ravel’s Faun. For those who desire a vintage leather rivalling the Cuir de Russies of ages past, Ravel is a wonderful and affordable discovery. Vintage bottles can be found on the Internet." Basenotes Review. Jack Twist

While there is no note descriptions to be found on the Internet, it will be constructed something like this ..

Top notes are Aldehydes, Hesperidic Notes, Bergamot, Citrus, Petitgrain, and Lemon
Heart notes are Green Notes, Plum, Prune, Oak Moss, and Orris
Base notes are Patchouli, Leather, and Ambergris

Similar in many ways to Guerlain's Bouquet des Faunes and Molinard's Baiser de Faun, this perfume is exciting and rare. I was so delighted to find it and research it, and now offer it here. Offered is a half ounce bottle, almost completely full, almost no evaporation. No box. Label on both sides of bottle. A delicious and sumptuous perfume .. so rare now ..