Gabilla, Mon Chérie, 'My Sweet One', 120 ml. or 4 oz. Flacon, Parfum Extrait, 1910, 1931, Paris, France ..

Henriette Gabilla is said to be the first female perfumer in the History of Perfumery. Syrian by birth, she arrived in France in the beginning of the 20th century to open a fragrance house. She had started to create perfumes in 1890 but founded her fragrance house only in 1910 at 6, rue Edouard VII in Paris. Gabilla was a major exporter of luxury to lower priced presentations worldwide.

Henriette moved to 6 rue Edouard VII in Paris and purchased a perfume factory in 1910 located 203 rue de Paris, Ivry-Sur-Seine. Madame Gabilla, was at one time, perfumer to the Court of Russia.

"Elegance in the Continental Fashion American women of elegance appreciate the fine distinction between perfumes made in Paris and others .. this difference is characteristic of Gabilla perfumes. They express Paris, they are Paris with all the chic and subtlety of the French capitol. Each lovely Lalique or Baccarat flacon contains Gabilla's incomparable fragrances, straight from the master artist in France."

Inspired by François Coty, Madame Gabilla launched 86 six different perfumes in 12 years. Her first creation was called "Mon Chérie". She became very famous between the wars and she sold her products all over the world. Her early creations were presented in Baccarat crystal bottles, such as for La Vièrge Folle launched in 1911, Moda launched in 1918, Gardenia launched in 1923, Mon Talisma launched in 1925 and Tango launched in 1927.

Mon Chérie is a sweet, sexy, and seductive perfume, and became famous and popular immediately upon release. This was Gabilla's first launch, and it rocketed her perfumes into popularity. Warm and luxurious, this is a real hallmark scent for Gabilla.

"As expected, it is a rich, deep, dark, floral chypre – extremely fragrant after all these years and so smoothly blended that no single note (from its eleven oils) stands out. It manages to do the impossible, to seem both bright and dark simultaneously. The undercurrent is reminiscent of L’Heure Bleue, with its vanilla/tonka/amber accord of cookie dough. Yet it is still vibrant and heady with its jasmine, musk and opopanax. (Opopanax is also known as sweet myrrh and imparts a warm, honeyed, smokey, powdery, balsamic quality.) The dryness of the orris lends a suede-like aura as well. This was certainly an era that did not stint on quality or quantity of pure aromatic oil bases in its perfume creations. The dry down has the effect of a leather/tobacco combination. Perfectly unisex by today’s standards and I imagine equally irresistible on both men and women." Basenotes Review, Jack Twist

Top notes are Citrus, Lemon, Bergamot, and Neroli
Heart notes are Jasmine, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, and Orris
Base notes are Opopanax, Peru Balsam, and Amber

Offered here is a 1930's version of Mon Chérie .. or My Darling .. Hard to find, and highly collectible .. The perfume is still sealed and comes in its original presentation box and outer packaging. It is very rare to find one that has kept so well, with its baudruche and tie in tact. This is a heavy, chunky flacon .. Collectors!