Bacorn, Heliotrope, 120 ml. or 4 oz. Flacon, Quadruple Extrait, 1910, 1925, Elmira, New York ..

The Bacorn Company was an American manufacturer of perfumes, toilet waters, and household toiletries based in Elmira, New York, operating from roughly 1909 until a catastrophic fire destroyed the factory in 1927. It permanently closed after a fire destroyed the plant and its controlled alcohol stock during Prohibition.

Barcorn manufactured perfumes, colognes, toilet waters, fruit extracts, and skin creams like Skin Glo Creme. They produced floral and botanical toilet waters including Lily of the Valley, Supreme Violet, Heliotrope, Carnation, Crabapple, and Trailing Arbutus.

Barcorn was active only from 1909 to 1927. They manufactured their own distinctive glass perfume and extract bottles. The catastrophic blaze ended all company operations and prompted official filings with the IRS regarding the destruction of stored alcohol.

Rather than being modern reproductions, surviving bottles found on the antique market years later originated from old inventory, labels, and stock salvaged from the factory's or warehouse's surviving lower levels by old employees. Some of these have survived until today, and I managed to find two of the Heliotrope bottles on the market.

I also found a large one litre bottle of the original Barcorn Heliotrope which survived the fire. After many attempts to get it open, I was delighted to find that the contents are in beautiful condition and have been preserved for almost 100 years in tact.

Héliotrope was first created in 1870, and was very popular during the years from 1878-1883. 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.

It was already sold by Guerlain in 1890's and actually it represents one of the first perfumes based on the new synthetic molecule called heliotropine which smells like almond and vanilla and many Guerlain perfumes used it. In those early days Héliotrope became a type of perfume, and one of the first "fantasy" soliflore fragrances.

Heliotropin was discovered in 1869 by Fittig and Mielk who synthesised it and thus made the ‘sweet cherry pie' note of the Héliotrope flower, for which it is named, available to perfumers for the first time .. it was already in use in fragrances by the early 1880s.

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.

"Heliotrope is a delicate plant with a warm scent, difficult to cultivate in gardens due to its need for balanced sun and shade. The scent has been likened to both vanilla and almond, but walks a fine line between the two, and is its own unique creation.

"Piperonal, also known as heliotropin, is an organic compound which is commonly found in fragrances and flavors. The molecule is structurally related to other aromatic aldehydes such as benzaldehyde and vanillin. It was discovered and marketed in perfume in 1870 and has been used to replicate the scent of heliotrope in many perfumes. It has a sweet, nutty, and floral demeanor. It is also an excellent fixative.

"Guerlain has used Heliotropin to its finest display in both their L’Heure Bleue and Apres L’Ondee.

"I have experienced many soliflore Heliotrope perfumes in my day, but most seem to just miss the elusive essence of the flower. Closest has been the Guerlain (Heliotrope Blanc 1890).

This Barcorn Heliotrope is absolutely lovely. I got a couple of drops on my fingertips while filling this bottle, and it lasted all night .. still vibrant in the morning. A pure delight ..

Offered here is a remarkable old Barcorn Heliotrope bottle filled with the original perfume from the early 1920's .. it is simply beautiful. The inner cork has a small piece missing from it, but I don't think it is a problem.

Heliotrope bliss ..