Houbigant, Ideal, 'Perfect', 120 ml. or 4 oz. Flacon, Eau de Toilette, 1900, 1930, Paris, France ..

The illustrious perfume House Houbigant has been in business in some form or another since the late 1700's and is still in business today. There is so much that could be written about Houbigant that it would take a book to fully address all of the achievements of this amazing fragrance company. Houbigant’s two perfumers Paul Parquet and Robert Bienaimee revolutionized perfumery and their work would influence many generations that would follow. The important innovations that they brought to the world of perfumery include creating multi faceted fragrances, using synthetic materials to achieve complex scents and creating beautiful imagery to perfume packaging, flacons and advertising.

Houbigant hired the young chemist Robert Bienaimé when he was only in his early 20's. Under the tutelage of Paul Parquet, Bienaimé, became proficient in both the Art and the Science of perfumery. His first major success was Quelques Fleurs “a few flowers." Robert Bienaimé created Quelques Fleurs in 1912 and it is a benchmark fragrance in modern perfumery as it had a lightness and a brightness that had never been achieved previously. This fragrance is credited as being the first modern floral fragrance.

Le Parfum Ideal was created by Houbigant by in house perfumer, Paul Parquet in 1896, but it was launched for the first time at the 1900 Worlds Fair, along with another perfume Coeur de Jeanette. The quintessential label for Le Parfum Ideal features a Gibson Girl sniffing a flower, this label was made of gilded foil and heavily embossed. Ideal was the first floral composite bouquet perfume, containing synthetic compounds of coumarin and salicylates. It’s originality made it a great success for many years. It is considered a chic and vibrant perfume with notes of rose and ylang ylang.

Ideal is classified as a floral oriental fragrance for women. It is amazing how this beautiful perfume can still be found and is still a viable fragrance, because in most cases it has been stored and kept in its original presentation box.

Top notes are Citrus, and Carnation
Middle notes are Bulgarian Rose, Ylang Ylang, Orange Blossom, and Jasmine
Base notes are Tonka Bean, Patchouli, Ambergris, Benzoin, and Sandalwood

"The house of Houbigant, we are told, was the first to introduce the cut-glass bottle into perfumery, and to adopt an artistic style of presentation not previously attempted, the immense popularity accorded to "Parfum Ideal" being proof that a perfect perfume exquisitely exhibited is irresistible."

"The most successful odeurs of perfume history are Quelques Fleurs and Le Parfum Ideal, by Houbigant. These odeurs, in the Louis XV bottle designed for Houbigant by Baccarat, of Paris, are especially appropriate as gifts .."

Offered here is a lovely four ounce bottle of the Eau de Toilette. Very little perfume has evaporated despite the years. Bottle and label are pristine. The string tie has been cut, but not completely severed, and I don't thing the fragrance has been used. Beautiful carved bouchon. Very rare and highly collectible. Houbigant lovers .. !