A 1917 Baccarat Egyptian Perfume Bottle Sells For $38,400 At 26th Annual International Perfume Bottle Association Convention Auction

July 17, 2014

The International Perfume Bottle Association (IPBA) celebrated their 26th annual convention in Pittsburgh, Pa., in May. One of the highlights of the convention was an incredible perfume bottle auction with celebrity Nicholas Dawes, from the show “Antiques Roadshow,” as auctioneer.
The auction included many vintage perfume bottles, compacts and other rare vanity items. One of the consignors was the Maharajah of Indore, whose extremely rare 1922 Rosine bottle, Antinea ou au Fond de la Mer or “bottom of the sea,” sold for $18,000. Included among the lots was a very special 1930s Czechoslovakian blue crystal bottle with an Egyptian motif, which sold for $12,000.
The biggest highlight, however, was the $38,400 selling price for an exquisite 1917 Baccarat Egyptian bottle presentation. "Even though many of the bottles sold in the thousands of dollars, there were plenty of beautiful items selling in a much lower category," said Jeffrey Sanfilippo, IPBA president. "The IPBA hosts the longest running specialty auction of perfume bottles in the U.S. at our annual convention in the spring, and we invite the public to participate."
A favorite with perfume bottle collectors and convention attendees was the Exhibit Hall and Showroom where there was one of the largest and most concentrated collections of fabulous perfume bottles and vanity items for sale anywhere. Perfume bottle dealers came from as far away as Switzerland just for the event. "Walking into the showroom is a magnificent amount of sensory overload with the beauty and charm of these vintage perfume bottles and ephemera," stated Deborah Washington, IPBA conventions chair. "To have access to this kind of quality and variety of items available for sale is a perfume bottle collector's fantasy come true. We named the convention ‘Bottles that Steele Your Heart’ because we came to Pittsburgh, and here in the showroom and at the convention there were certainly many bottles that did steal your heart."
Other events included a Keynote presentation by local celebrity Anne Madarasz, author of “Glass Shattering Notions” and the Heinz History Museum's division director. A fireside chat with Annette Green, one of America's leading fragrance authorities and co-author of “Secrets of Aromatic Jewelry,” was also offered. Green is currently working on her memoirs, "Perfume in my Veins."
Marti DeGraff and Toby Mack gave a presentation called "DeVilbiss - Beyond the Catalogs." Marti and Toby's book “DeVilbiss Perfume Bottles: 1907 to 1968” is due to hit the stores any time. There was also a fun and ingenious presentation called “Scents in the Cinema” presented by Susan Arthur and Jeffrey Sanfilippo.
The convention was full of all kinds of activities from tours to local attractions to meetings of specialty groups of perfume bottle collectors to round table discussions and a market where members could sell items. "We also include an outreach program for the public called "Collecting Perfume Bottles 101," said Teri Wirth, IPBA vice president. "It's a free, fun and basic presentation - an introduction to collecting perfume bottles. I've found that most of the attendees have at least a few bottles, and they want to know more. We had a very well-attended program this year."
The IPBA put together a really superb, educational and fun convention. They have the right combination of learning experiences, exhibits, excursions, social events and a show-room full of gorgeous perfume bottles and ephemera to purchase. The IPBA's 2015 Convention will be held in Spartanburg, S.C. Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the Biltmore Estate and The Grove Park Inn in Asheville, N.C.
For more information on the convention or perfume bottle collecting, visit the IPBA website at www.perfumebottles.org.







 

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