Avon Collectibles

Avon Collecting can be a very fun and rewarding hobby. Avon was started by a man named David H. McConnel. In 1886 he started a company known as, "The California Perfume Company". The company was established in New York. McConnels first Agent, a Mrs. P. F. Albee, was a model for todays Avon Representatives to go by.

In 1897 the first laboratory was built in Suffern, New York. In 1906 the Lab was destroyed by the San Francisco Earthquake. It was reopened immeditaley. In late 1906 the first Color Brochure was developed By 1914 the first overseas office was opened in Montreal, Canada. In the late 1920`s California Perfume Company had more than doubled its sales to $2 million dollars. About this time the home office moved to Manhattan and the first products were offered under the brand name of AVON. By 1937 the sales have doubled once again and the companies named was changed to "Avon Products Inc." And the rest, as they say, is history.

Are You A Collector Of Perfume Bottles ?

by nbisea

Perfume and perfume bottles are huge collector's items. Well, not so much the perfume because eventually it will go bad. It may take a long time but you do not want a hundred year old vintage bottle of perfume sitting on your display shelf, just in case it were to tip over.



The smell may not be one of roses and lilies of the valley. But it is the bottles that command so much attention. Take for example a recent auction in which a 1930's Mickey Mouse perfume bottle sold for over eight hundred dollars. Other rare bottles can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars more than that!



The earliest perfume bottles can be traced back to the Egyptians and Mesopotamians. These early civilizations used clay to make vessels to hold their cosmetics, essential oils and the perfume with which they anointed their bodies.



Excavators have uncovered the remains of these bottles in tombs and pyramids of the pharaohs showing their importance in the day to day lives of these exalted leaders. Obviously smelling good was of great importance. As far as monetary value goes, these bottles would be considered priceless.



The glass and ceramic eau de parfum bottles came to us from the Greeks and Romans during their reign. But the real collectible beauties came about in the 16th and 17th century, courtesy of the Venetians and their colorful glass. These pretty baubles are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.



If you are lucky enough to see and touch one in person, then you have definitely hit a milestone in collecting. A damaged or cracked bottle may sell for over five hundred thousand dollars and a mint condition bottle could easily double that if it is signed by the maker and is rare.



That brings us to a good point. The value of a perfume bottle is determined by demand. If you are not a collector, then paying one hundred dollars for one is going to seem like ninety-nine dollars too much. The value is in the desirability of the object. If you are a collector of perfume bottles, then you need to take a look at the condition of the bottle and pay attention to any damages or cracks.



Look for any type of identification to help you date when it was created. Hand manufactured bottles are obviously more collectible than modern day reproductions. Above all else, remember that a thing of beauty is a joy forever.About the Author

Mike Selvon owns a number of niche portal. Please visit our perfumes portal for more great information on perfume bottles, and leave a comment at our fragrances blog.

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