Perfume has been around for thousands of years. In fact, some reasearchers believe as early as 4000 b.c. fragrant substances ( incences ) were burned in China, Egypt and Arabia for sacred reasons. The Egyptions burned kyphi in their homes and temples. The sacred perfume was a incense paste made of a wine and a raisin base with the addition of aromatic resins and herbs. Paticular fragrances were even more valueable than gold and some Egyption perfume jars were opened thousands of years later they still retained their fragrant smell. After time the use of incense spread to the Greek and Roman civilazations. Fragrance gradually became valued for persinal use and people began to wear perfume to enhance their status in the community and envoke behavioral responces.

  The Renaissance was a wonderful period for perfume development. Perfume expanded to include spices such as nutmeg, cloves and mace. Early perfumers created aromatic from scents such as orange and rose. They also began to use animal fixatives such as civet, musk and amegris.

  The first alcohol based perfume was created for Queen Elizabeth in 1370 . Elizabeth was well known for her great beauty. She was 72 when a polish king of twenty-five asked for her hand in marriage. Many thought that hungary water ( Queens perfume ) was responsible for preserving her great beauty.

  The French can trace their love of perfume back to 1533. King Henry II wed Catherine de Medici, who was Italian. She intern was responsible setting up the first perfume laboratory at Grasse, located near the Mediterranean coast in France. Four hundred years later this region is still famous as a internatinal center of perfume and flower production. By the sixteenth century Gasse was also a center for the leather tanning industry. Leather gloves from Grasse were perfumed with amber, spices, jasmine, frangpani, and musk so that women and men could hold them to their noses while wqalking in the streets where sewage ran in the gutter. The leather business declined during the eighteenth century, the maker of perfumed gloves switched to manufacturing just perfume.

 Louis XIV (1638-1715 of France became known as the Perfume King ( Le Roi Parfum ) as well as the Sun King ( Le Roi Soleil ). He required members of his court to wear a different perfume every day, which he selected. During this time perfume was reserved for the noble and was often kept in beautiful perfume bottles.

  In 1806 modern perfumery begin with the marketing of Eau de cologne by Jean Maria. His Formula, which originated in cologne, Germany, was patented in 1818 an considered alcohol-water base scented with a oil composed of neroli, bergamot, rosemary, and lemon. This alcohol-based formula evaporated quickly, Leaving a pleasantly clean citrus scent behind. Even today Roger et Galler, which took over the Farina perfume house, still produces the original Eau de Cologne today. There was a American version of Eau de Cologne called Forida Water trademarked in New York by Murray and Lanman in 1808.

  Before 1925 the coveted perfumes of France were sold exclusively in the major salons in paris, but by 1930 the distribution of French fragrance extended to the United States. At that time American fashion designers began to develop their own line of fine perfumes just as today's ready to wear designers do. The days of one-of-a-kind, custom perfume created for the rich are long gone. Today there's a fragrance for everyone, for everthing, feeling, mood, activity and lifestyle.

  If you are interested in vintage and collectable perfume bottles, please visit Passion for Perfume .