Synopses & Reviews
This entertaining and informative book is a lively history and a far-ranging exploration of every aspect of perfume--from the physiology of smell and the alchemy of scent to the art of the perfume bottle and the marketing strategies of modern perfume manufacturers. Fragrance authority Edwin T. Morris first introduces the natural sources of perfumes, the essential oils, and details the methods of distillation and extraction. He then launches the reader on a historical world tour of perfumes, recounting their origin, use, and development in the ancient cultures of Egypt, Greece, Rome, India, China, and Japan. Next he traces the technical, cultural, and social evolution of perfumery in Europe from the Middle Ages to the great designers of the twentieth century--Coty, Chanel, Geurlain, and others. He concludes with a detailed account of the sources of modern perfumes including floral, spice, wood, and citrus oils. More than 100 illustrations enhance the text of this fascinating book, essential reading for students of fragrance and fashion. It's also a wonderful gift book for anyone intrigued by perfumes and their place in world culture. Originally published by E. T. Morris & Co., Greenwich, CT., 1984. 103 illustrations.
Synopsis
Enter the unexpected and intriguing realm of scent, where fragrances have the power to calm as well as to stimulate. These tales from the ancient quest for pleasing aromas offer a microcosm of history's larger movements, from the scented sails of Cleopatra's barges to modern-day fashion trends. This book is more than a historical overview of one of the world's oldest industries, although it's comprehensive, well-researched, and scrupulously accurate in its details. Neither is it just a book of pretty pictures, even though it's abundantly illustrated with lovely drawings and photographs that include every variety of perfume bottle, ads, paintings, as well as famous (and infamous) figures. Fragrance pursues its subject's very essence, with a rich panoply of insights that ranges from the botanical origins of fragrant oils and the role of aromatics in economic and religious life to the ways in which scents influence behavior and chemists extract, preserve, and reproduce fragrances. A fascinating stirring of the senses.