Smelling History

Another interesting artifact and experience from an excavation in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada.










Ed Pinaud Hair Tonic Bottle, Paris, France, pre-1897 – ca. 1920


 


This is a pale green, mould-blown bottle (17 cm tall, 5.5 cm basal width) made in a 3-piece cup-bottom

mould with a hand applied lip.  The bottle is rectangular in cross-section with flattened corners. "Pinaud"

is clearly marked on the base.


Edouard Pinaud bought a perfume company in Paris in 1840. He and his friend and partner, Emile Meyer,

had Pinaud & Meyer in Paris until 1868 when Pinaud died.  Meyer changed the name to Ed. Pinaud around

1872. 

This December 1897 ad clearly shows this style of bottle in the middle – the shape they used for Extract Végétal A L’ixora – a hair tonic used by barbers.


1897 Pinaud Ad


This other ad also shows this style of bottle used for toilet water: Ed. Pinaud’s Lilac Vegetal.




Pinaud’s Ad 


The bottle found in this collection is embossed with Ed. Pinaud on the base and also had a label applied

to the side panel – painted, probably – with “Pinaud” still barely visible. On the other side panel is

“Ed Pinaud / Paris” with Pinaud’s traditional floral basket between them.






The amazing thing about this find - more than just the knowledge of where it was from - was that there was

still a small amount of liquid still in the bottle. As I handled it, some leaked out onto my hand and it still

had a mild floral scent – less like lilac and more like a masculine hair tonic.


It's just so tangible to be able to smell history.




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