Yardley of London, Old English Lavender, 60 mls. or 2 oz. Flacon, Parfum Extrait, 1893, 1940, London, England ..

Yardley of London, usually referred to simply as Yardley or Yardleys , is an international English-based company and one of the oldest firms in the world to specialise in cosmetics, fragrances and related toiletries products. Established in 1770, Yardley was a major producer of soap and perfumery by the beginning of the 20th century. By 1910, it moved its establishment to London's Bond Street, and in 1921 Yardley received its first Royal Warrant. Today, Yardley holds two Royal Warrants.

The company was established by the Cleaver family in 1770, the official date displayed on its product labels. According to the company's website an earlier incarnation existed prior to this but most records of the earlier company were lost in the Great Fire of London of 1666.

The company is named after William Yardley, who purchased the firm in 1823 from the sons of the founder Samuel Cleaver, who had gone into bankruptcy. The company became Yardley & Statham in 1841 when Charles Yardley, the son of William, took on William Statham as a partner in the business. At the time, the business sold perfumes, soaps, powders, hair pomades and, other toiletries.

In 1851, the company, still known as Yardley & Statham, exhibited at The Great Exhibition in The Crystal Palace. That same year, the company changed its name to Yardley & Co. Yardley & Statham exhibited soap and perfume including a soap called Old Brown Windsor, which was embossed with a picture of Windsor Castle and was one of their first production soaps.

In 1913, Yardley adopted Francis Wheatley's "Flowersellers" painting from his "Cries of London" series as their new corporate logo. The yellow primroses being sold in baskets in the painting are replaced by the company with sheaths of lavender.

Yardley's signature scent is English Lavender, which was launched in 1873. English Lavender was popular during the Victorian Era in England and was imported to the USA in the 1880s where it became popular in American households. The lavender that Yardley uses in their products is the variety Lavandula angustifolia, which is specially grown for Yardley in the South of England. The variety of lavender used by Yardley was selected by the company in the 1930s after a several year search for the finest variety.

Due to the growing popularity of Yardley soaps and cosmetics at the turn of the 20th century, the company opened a shop in 1910 on Bond Street in London. The original Yardley shop on Bond Street was at 8 New Bond Street, but it later moved to 33 Old Bond Street.

Lavander Perfume is truly an ode to summertime, a real stroll on the fragrant hills of England. Brightened by the radiant freshness of citrus fruits, this lavender perfume has a light, breezy scent, underlined by a woody, musky base with a captivating trail. This vibrant scent is a celebration of summer that captures the sunshine and brightness of Lavender fields. Fresh and light it should be used generously!

Launched originally in 1893, Yardley's Lavander is a beautifully fresh, clean elegant fragrance combining bergamot and clary sage with English Lavender from the south of the country, geranium, jasmine, chamomile and violet, enhanced with deeper, warm notes of wood, vanilla and patchouli. A truly complex scent, but with a lavender heart that bursts forth in its true summer profusion.

Offered here is a beautiful old two ounce flacon of Yardley's famous Lavender perfume, still in near perfect condition and presented in a gorgeous vintage crystal flacon. This is full perfume strength. Comes in its original presentation box which is a bit stained on the inside from time. Smells divinely of lavender at the neck ..