Molinard, Les Violettes du Loup, 'Wolf Violets', 30 ml. or 1 oz. Flacon, Parfum Extrait, Julien Viard for Baccarat, 1917, Paris, France ..

The Maison Molinard was founded in 1849 in Grasse, Provence, in the south of France, cradle of the world's perfume industry. It has remained an entirely family-run business to this day, and is also the oldest of its kind. At that time, Molinard produced floral waters and Eaux de Cologne, which it sold in its "little shop" in the town centre. In 1891, Queen Victoria stayed at Grasse, and bought Eaux de Cologne there.

In 1900, the company moved into an old perfume factory, where the distillery structure was designed by Gustave Eiffel. Molinard is still there today. A typical Provençal showroom was set up, and its first customers were wealthy foreigners from England and Russia. They came to admire its magnificent collection of 17th and 18th century furniture, and buy Molinard eaux de Cologne together with all its floral fragrances.

The first violet plantations in Grasse date back to 1867. To begin with, the perfume from the violet flowers was extracted by ‘enfleurage', followed by solvent extraction of the leaf at the end of the 19th century.

In 1900, 200 tonnes of Parma and Victoria violet flowers were distilled and 100 tonnes of leaves. The Parma violet, replaced little by little by the Victoria, had disappeared completely from Grasse by 1932. Until the 1940s both leaf and flower were used but the yield of extraction from the flower was so poor that it became more profitable to recreate it with synthetic products and concentrate on using the leaves.

Violet leaf lends a cut grass and sliced cucumber note to fragrances, quite different from the sweet and powdery scent of violet flowers. Egypt is a major producer of violet leaf absolute today. The leaf is an exceptional addition to the perfumer’s palette and synthetics do not offer the same diffusion or colour. Along with galbanum it also offers the only other natural green tint that can be used in perfumery.

Today there is no sufficient cost-effective oil from the violet flower and perfumers routinely use synthetic molecules, called ionones, to render the violet note. The violet leaf note does yield a different oil which can be used, but the effect is different.

Les Violette du Loup was launched in 1917 by Molinard and is a floral, earthy, woody, musky fragrance. Due to its production date, this rare and highly collectible perfume is made from the real thing, violet flowers and violet leaves.

"This is quite a different violet scent, being strongly influenced by the dry suede note of orris root. One is reminded very much of Serge Lutens’ Iris Silver Mist in its concentration of orris. The pure violet leaf oil provides a green freshness that does not hinder the true oil of the violet flower from floating over all. The effect is that of violet oil having been rubbed into a suede jacket. At once green, powdery and dry, this is a very sophisticated and modern scent, which would be quite unisex and quite at home today in the upper echelons of fashion. Molinard would turn to the violet again in 1935 and yet again in 1994, but the second is more traditional in its feminine powdery violet sensation and the latest is all chemicals, more “suggested” than an actual experience of violet." Basenotes review. Jack Twist

The top note is Violet and Iris
The heart notes are Violet Leaf and Orris
The base notes are Heliotrope and Sandalwood

Offered her is a beautiful one ounce Baccarat signed flacon of this rare and sought after scent. The flacon is engraved with the name ‘Les Violettes du Loup’ at the top, and Molinard at the bottom. In the middle there is a charming engraving of a violet plant. The engraved areas are filled with a delicate violet colour. The flacon is still sealed with its heavy cord. The baudruche is visible in the photos. No box.

"The sweetness of the violet’s deep blue eyes, Kissed by the breath of heaven, Seems color’d by its skies." Byron