Caswell-Massey, Helio, Heliotrope, 88 ml. or 3 oz. Flacon, Cologne Water, 1889, 1970, Newport, Rhode Island, USA ..

Founded in 1752 in Newport, Rhode Island, Caswell-Massey is America’s original apothecary and perfumery, long considered one of the foremost purveyors of scent and luxury. They are known for their exquisitely crafted triple-milled bath and hand soaps, their time-tested apothecary remedies, their shaving soaps, and for extraordinary grooming and shaving accessories. Caswell-Massey was the author of classic American fragrances and an early leader in developing many popular remedies such as our cucumber eye pads, almond and aloe soaps, lotions, and shaving creams.

Stewards of the brand such as Dr. Hunter, John Rose Caswell, William Massey and Ralph Taylor shared a passion and a talent for perfumery and customer service .. still hallmarks of the brand today. Their treasured archives contain original formulas for many of their signature and bespoke perfumes, including their enchanting Elixir of Love No. 1. Their ongoing commitment to unique fragrance experiences has also yielded iconic American scents such as Number Six, Jockey Club, Newport and White Rose.

During the Twentieth Century, Caswell-Massey established its reputation as a leading perfumer by creating exclusive scents for celebrity customers, especially those willing to pay for something bespoke. They count Jaqueline Onassis, JFK, Cole Porter, Lauren Bacall and the Rolling Stones among their fans.

In their legendary New York City Store, Ralph Taylor made it a practice to become deeply acquainted with the person he was making the scent for. For example, the perfume he created for Greta Garbo, who was known as a woman of mystery, featured nutmeg .. thought to be a narcotic ‘mood enhancer’. Into the 1970s, there were profiles created for each customer .. what they liked to do, eat, their size, shape, favorite colors and pastimes .. to land on the perfect bespoke scent. Customers would ‘try on’ scents for a few weeks before their personal formulations were mastered.

Many of the fragrances offered by Caswell-Massey today are rooted in these bespoke fragrances, and many more exist in their famed archives as starting points for new fragrances they have yet to introduce to the public.

Offered here is a lovely old bottle of the Helio or Heliotrope Eau de Cologne. It smells lovely. Loved by both men and woman. Heliotropine occurs naturally in a range of botanicals including dill, violet flowers, black pepper and others and is used for vanilla or almond accords to bring a balsamic character and also has powdery, floral aspects. Despite having acquired the name heliotropine for its similar scent to that of the Héliotrope flower this chemical does not itself appear in the flower scent and so cannot be extracted from those flowers. The perfume has a sparkling quality, amazing for its age, and has notes of Lemon, Bergamot, Lilac, and Almond.

Héliotrope is a sweet-scented plant which is called Héliotrope because it follows the course of the sun. After opening it gradually turns from the east to the west and during the night turns again to the east to meet the rising sun. The Ancients recognized this characteristic of the plant and applied it to mythology.

Top notes are Neroli, Orange Blossom, Lemon, Bergamot, and Lily of the Valley
Heart notes are Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Heliotrope, Rose, Lilac, and Honeysuckle
Base notes are Sandalwood, Vanilla, and Ambergris

"To say that this is extremely feminine is an understatement. It is quite sweet and yet not heady. The delicate scent of heliotrope beautifully combines with orange blossom and bergamot. It is what I call a “wafting scent,” one that trails after you as you walk about. The jasmine, ylang and honeysuckle rise and add to the sweetness. Eventually, the scent grounds itself in rose, sandalwood and ambergris with a hint of vanilla.

This is one of those scents that though only made in cologne concentration lasted and lasted, sometimes all day. The Caswell concentration of oils did most probably exceed the normal cologne formulation.

A delight to rediscover as there are so very few heliotrope soliflores that do not rely on a combination of almond and vanilla to supposedly represent the scent. Caswell’s Helio relies on heliotropin center stage and it is the closest I have found to the delicate scent of the flower itself." Jack Twist, Basenotes

Offered here is a rare bottle of this enchanting fragrance presented in a chemist style flacon, completely full .. no box. Collectors.