Les Parfums Ybry

Les Parfums Ybry was founded in 1925 by Simon Jaroslawski, also known as Simon A. Jaroslawski-Fioret, an industrialist with wide-ranging ambitions in luxury perfumery. The company was formally constituted as a société anonyme (joint-stock company), with a registered capital of 50,000 francs and an unusually long legal duration of ninety-nine years—an implicit statement of confidence and longevity. Its headquarters were established at 6 and 8 rue Ybry in Neuilly-sur-Seine, just outside Paris, in the department of the Seine.

From the outset, Ybry was structured to operate beyond France. The first directors appointed were Abraham Lévy, a Paris-based merchant; Samuel Lévy, a merchant residing at 222 West 37th Street in New York City; and Simon A. Jaroslawski himself, who lived at the Neuilly address. Samuel Lévy’s New York residence points clearly to early transatlantic ambitions, reinforced by the opening of a Ybry office in New York City. The company’s formation and its board were officially recorded in the Gazette du Palais on October 28, 1925, giving Ybry a solid legal and commercial footing.

Ybry’s stated corporate purpose was intentionally broad: the manufacture and trade of perfumes “in all forms,” along with all accessories and products directly or indirectly connected to perfumery. This wording allowed Ybry to operate across multiple sectors of luxury beauty, from fragrance creation and bottling to ancillary goods, without needing repeated legal amendments. Such flexibility was typical of ambitious 1920s luxury houses seeking to adapt quickly to trends and markets.

Ybry perfumes were boldly advertised as “the most expensive in the world,” a claim that aligned the brand with the highest tier of interwar luxury. Jaroslawski reinforced this image through collaborations with elite glassmakers. Perfume bottles were produced in partnership with Baccarat, ensuring impeccable craftsmanship, while select bottles for Ybry and its sister brand Fioret were adorned with glass medallions designed by René Lalique. These artistic elements placed Ybry squarely within the Art Deco luxury movement, where fragrance, sculpture, and design converged.

Beyond perfume, Ybry offered a discreet but telling range of luxury toiletries and cosmetics. Bath powder and face powder were retailed at the high price of $5 per box, while lipsticks sold for $1 each—figures that underscore the brand’s premium positioning in the American market. Although surviving examples of these products are rare today, their existence confirms Ybry’s intention to function as a complete luxury beauty house rather than a perfume-only label.

Despite its prestige and international aspirations, Les Parfums Ybry entered liquidation in 1932, a casualty of the global economic pressures following the 1929 crash. The collapse did not erase the brand’s identity, however. Jaroslawski continued his activities through his other perfumery ventures, notably Fioret (also known as Les Parfums des Jardins de Fioret) and Mÿon, carrying forward elements of the same artistic and luxury philosophy.

Remarkably, the Ybry name did not vanish after liquidation. In some form—likely through reorganization, licensing, or residual brand use—it remained active for decades. Advertisements for Ybry perfumes can still be found as late as 1962, suggesting that the name retained commercial value and recognition well into the postwar period. By the 1960s, however, Ybry faded from view, leaving behind a legacy defined by extreme luxury, ambitious internationalism, and a brief but brilliant alignment with the golden age of French Art Deco perfumery.

 

The perfumes of the Ybry line:

• 1925 Desir du Coeur (a light floral, slightly aldehydic, sweet floral redolent of the flowers of the field, a splendid scent for warm climates)
• 1925 Amour Sauvage (a breath of wild mountain flowers with a spicy tang)
• 1925 Mon Ame (heavy floral perfume, an oriental type with Indian jasmine, lilac and sandalwood.)
• 1925 Femme de Paris (a slightly heavy, spicy, aldehydic floral perfume)
• 1927 Devinez (a sophisticated, light, young floral aldehyde, a bouquet of jasmine, rose and French flowers)
• 1928 Les Bourgeons (sporty, light floral green hyacinth perfume)
• 1928 Les Fleurs d'Ybry line (Gardenia, Oeillet, Muguet, Lilas)
• 1928 Gardenia
• 1928 Carnation (Oeillet)
• 1928 Lily of the Valley (Muguet)
• 1928 Lilac (Lilas)
• 1928 Chevrefeuille (Honeysuckle)
• 1928 Pois de Senteur (Sweet Pea)
• 1929 Un Soir de Ma Vie
• 1930 Palo Alto (floral)
• 1930 Infusion de Parfum line
• 1930 Parfum de Luxe line
• 1930 Toujours l'Aimant
• 1930 L'Amour Toujours
• 1934 Memoire de Paris
• 1934 Naturelle
• 1934 French Bouquet
• 1934 Eau de Cologne
• 1935 Joie de Vivre (spicy carnation odor)
• 1939 Parfum Odore
• 1934 Old Fashioned Garden
• 1939 French Cologne
• 1939 Wild Daphne
• 1939 "Odorade"/"Parfum Odore" Apple Blossom
• 1939 "Odorade"/"Parfum Odore" Gay Tempo
• 1939 "Odorade"/"Parfum Odore" Flower Festival
• 1939 "Odorade"/"Parfum Odore" Blue Horizon
• 1939 "Odorade"/"Parfum Odore" Sport Parade
• 1939 "Odorade"/"Parfum Odore" Heather
• 1939 "Odorade"/"Parfum Odore" Wet Woods
• 1939 "Odorade"/"Parfum Odore" Tumble Wee
• 1939"Odorade"/"Parfum Odore"  Beach Club
• 1939 "Odorade"/"Parfum Odore" Riding Club
• 1939 "Odorade"/"Parfum Odore" Balsam
• 1939 "Odorade"/"Parfum Odore" Fern
• 1940 Wild Rose
• 1942 "Odorade"/"Parfum Odore" Fine Woods
• 1942 "Odorade"/"Parfum Odore" Tangle Weed
• 1953 Sardinia

Baccarat Deluxe "Bijou" Jewel Bottles:

In the mid-1920s, Baccarat produced what is now considered the classic Ybry Art Deco perfume bottle: a flattened square form in richly colored crystal, known to collectors as the “Deluxe Jewels.” These bottles were technically sophisticated and visually striking, created by overlaying colored crystal over a white crystal core. The result was an opaque yet luminous depth of color—neither transparent nor flat—that caught light like a polished gemstone. This same distinctive glass technology was briefly shared with the short-lived Mÿon perfume line, linking the two houses materially as well as aesthetically.

Color was central to the Ybry identity. Each hue was deliberately associated with both a specific perfume and an implied gemstone, reinforcing the idea of fragrance as wearable jewelry. The palette ranged from deep red to delicate pink, slag green to darker emerald tones, jet black, orange through warm butterscotch, and violet shades shifting from deep purple to pale lavender. The bottles were usually finished with matching enameled and gilded metal covers, placed asymmetrically over the inner stopper and set at an angle on one corner—an unmistakably modern, Art Deco gesture.

One of the practical—and now invaluable—features of the Ybry color system is that the perfume can often be identified even when the paper label is missing. Green bottles correspond to Femme de Paris. Red and pink bottles indicate Désir du Cœur. Orange signifies Devinez. Purple identifies Mon Âme, while jet black denotes Amour Sauvage. This intentional color coding suggests that Ybry anticipated long-term use, refilling, and even later recognition, embedding identity directly into the glass itself.

Labeling further distinguished the bottles. Colored crystal examples were fitted with round, gold foil embossed labels, while the dramatic black bottles carried square labels in silver foil—an elegant contrast that heightened their severity and luxury. The bottle design itself was protected by a patent granted in 1925, underscoring how novel the form and construction were at the time.

Each Deluxe Jewels bottle was offered in three standard sizes, priced at $4.25 (0.25 oz), $8.25 (0.5 oz), and $15.00 (1 oz)—already expensive by contemporary standards. At the top of the range, the “deluxe” presentation elevated the object further: a velvet presentation box paired with a crystal medallion designed by René Lalique. This version held a 2 ounce bottle and retailed for $30, while a larger luxury set holding a 4 ounce bottle reached $55, placing Ybry firmly among the most extravagant perfume offerings of the era.

By 1928, newspaper advertisements reveal just how elastic Ybry’s pricing strategy had become. For Femme de Paris, prices were originally listed at “$8.50 for the Debutante Flacon,” (by 1931, this price was lowered for $4.25), with other sizes at $16.50 for the 1 oz, $30.00 for the 2 oz, $50.00 for the 4 oz—and astonishingly, extending “up to $400.00.” These figures were not merely about perfume; they framed Ybry as an object of art, status, and extreme luxury, where scent, crystal, and presentation merged into a single jewel-like experience.

In a 1927 issue of Art et Industrie, Ybry articulated its philosophy of modern luxury through a richly poetic description of Femme de Paris, presenting the perfume as both an object of design and an emotional narrative. The house emphasized its desire for a “distinctly modern” mode of presentation, embodied in a quadrilateral flacon likened to a precious stone, its small gilded stopper set deliberately askew—“like a tilted hat”—to suggest wit, elegance, and Parisian nonchalance. The fragrance itself was described as subtle yet penetrating, composed of rare flowers and far-off essences, while its setting reinforced the illusion of a jewel: a green case lined in banana-green velvet, closed with a crystal heart engraved by René Lalique. This heart, symbolizing love between a butterfly and a rose, carried layered meanings—devotion and inconstancy, fidelity and caprice—through which Ybry “reveals its secret,” transforming Femme de Paris into a modern allegory of love, desire, and Art Deco refinement.

 

On May 11, 1926, Simon A. Jaroslawski secured United States Design Patent No. 70,116 for an ornamental bottle or similar container intended for perfumes and related products, formalizing the distinctive Ybry flacon as a protected work of design. Filed on October 15, 1925, and granted for a statutory term of seven years, the patent was assigned to Ybry, Inc., underscoring the brand’s early legal and commercial presence in the American market. The patent text is characteristically concise, defining the invention purely through its visual identity: a perspective drawing illustrating the bottle’s sculptural form, with the claim limited to “the ornamental design…as shown.” This brevity highlights how the value of the object lay not in mechanical innovation but in its modern geometry and aesthetic originality—an Art Deco statement translated into law, protecting the bottle as a luxury object whose shape alone conveyed exclusivity, authorship, and brand identity.

Packaging:

The Jewel Flacons were conceived by Ybry as complete luxury ensembles rather than standalone perfume bottles, and their presentation was as carefully orchestrated as the fragrance itself. These outer cases, officially referred to by the house as “Deluxe Jewel Cases,” were covered in fine leather and designed to echo the jewel-like character of the flacons they contained. Many were embellished with small, sharply defined triangular segments in coordinating colors, creating a subtle geometric rhythm that aligned perfectly with the Art Deco vocabulary of the period.

Adding to their theatrical elegance, the cases were often finished with sumptuous silk tassels, an intentionally tactile and ornamental detail that transformed the act of opening the perfume into a ceremonial gesture. The tassels introduced movement and softness, contrasting with the rigid geometry of the bottle and case, and reinforcing the idea of perfume as an intimate luxury object rather than a purely utilitarian item.

At the center of this presentation was the bottle itself, further elevated by an intaglio crystal medallion pendant designed by René Lalique. Suspended like a piece of jewelry, these medallions were most commonly rendered in delicate heart or triangular forms, their engraved surfaces catching the light with quiet refinement. Together, the leather-clad case, silk tassel, jewel-toned flacon, and Lalique medallion created a unified object of desire—part perfume, part sculpture, and part wearable symbol of Art Deco luxury.

For Amour Sauvage, Ybry departed from its customary Deluxe Jewel Case presentation in favor of a more severe and modern display that underscored the perfume’s dark, sensual character. The opaque black crystal flacon was housed in a two-piece cardboard slip case, consisting of a black flocked paper–covered lid trimmed in silver and a matching base. When set into the base, the bottle was deliberately turned onto one corner so that its square form reads as a diamond shape, with the stopper rising vertically at the top. Shown standing beside its case in contemporary advertisements, the flacon appears sculptural and architectural, its stark black surface edged in silver lines. This restrained yet theatrical presentation replaced leather, tassels, and medallions with contrast, geometry, and shadow, allowing Amour Sauvage to project an image of austere modernity and intense allure distinct from Ybry’s jewel-like presentations of the late 1920s.

In 1931, contemporary fashion and travel publications framed Amour Sauvage as a perfume of cultivated mystery and modern femininity. Arts & Decoration Magazine presented Amour Sauvage as an extract housed in a striking black and silver bottle, explicitly associating it with “the sophisticated woman,” while pairing it conceptually with Les Fleurs d’Ybry, evoked as a lighter, seasonal counterpoint “suggesting spring Ybry blossoms.” That same year, Travel Magazine emphasized the perfume’s evocative power, describing it as “very mysterious and entrancing,” and positioning it as a natural accompaniment to outdoor wardrobes. Praised as charming, exotic, and irresistibly alluring—so much so as to be “indescribable”—Amour Sauvage was presented not merely as a scent, but as an atmosphere, aligning Ybry’s dark, architectural flacon with modern elegance, movement, and cosmopolitan allure.

Mini Jewel Flacons:

The Deluxe Jewel flacons were produced across an unusually wide range of sizes, reinforcing Ybry’s philosophy of offering both monumental luxury objects and intimate personal treasures. At the largest end, these bottles could reach an imposing 7⅞ inches in height, while at the smallest extreme they were reduced to charming sample-scale objects measuring only 1⅜ inches tall. Despite their size differences, the larger bottles retained the same flattened square geometry, jewel-like proportions, and luxurious visual weight that define the Deluxe Jewel line.

Collectors are advised to examine their bottles carefully for authentication marks. The full-sized and intermediate Deluxe Jewel bottles were produced by Baccarat and typically bear either the familiar Baccarat acid stamp or an original paper label. These marks confirm both the maker and the use of Baccarat’s distinctive layered crystal technique, which gives the bottles their opaque, gem-like luminosity.

The smallest bottles, however, tell a different story. These diminutive examples—known as the “Debutante” size—were not manufactured by Baccarat. Instead, they are embossed on the base with “Ybry Made in France,” a marking that clearly distinguishes them from their larger counterparts. Based on material, technique, and period specialization, these miniatures are believed to have been produced by Cristalleries de Nancy, a firm well known in the same era for its expertise in colored, opaque slag glass bottles. This division of production underscores Ybry’s practical yet discerning approach: reserving Baccarat for its most prestigious jewel flacons while entrusting specialist makers with smaller, more accessible sizes.

Eau de Toilette Flacons:

The largest Ybry bottle, holding 8 oz of Eau de Toilette and standing approximately 7 inches tall, shares its lineage with the square Deluxe Jewel flacons in both construction and artistic intent. Like its smaller counterparts, it was manufactured by Baccarat using the same overlaid double-crystal technique that produced an opaque, jewel-like surface with depth and luminosity. It, too, was fitted with an inner glass stopper and finished with an enameled metal stopper cover placed deliberately at an angle, a recurring Ybry design gesture that adds wit and asymmetry. Because of its imposing scale, collectors long assumed this bottle was intended for bath salts; however, a 1927 advertisement confirms that it actually contained Eau de Toilette.

The advertisement itself captures Ybry’s bold, self-aware modernism with disarming humor: “Note the container! It’s so ugly it’s handsome! Decidedly French. Decidedly modern. Exciting! $30.00.” This copy embraces the bottle’s stark, architectural form and reframes severity as beauty, aligning perfectly with the Art Deco fascination for strong geometry and provocation. The tall, upright rectangular shape stands in deliberate contrast to the flattened square Deluxe Jewel flacons, signaling a difference not only in appearance but in purpose.

That distinction reflects the fundamental difference between Parfum and Eau de Toilette. The square Deluxe Jewel flacons contained parfum—highly concentrated, costly, and meant to be applied sparingly to pulse points such as the wrists, neck, and décolletage. Their smaller size underscored the preciousness of the contents, treating scent as a jewel to be worn discreetly. By contrast, Eau de Toilette was lighter, more diluted, and designed for generous use. The larger volume of the tall rectangular bottle accommodated this ritual: EDT could be splashed freely over the body, added to bath water, used in the final rinse of shampoo, or even incorporated into the last rinse of lingerie. In this way, Ybry’s bottle forms were not arbitrary but deeply functional, translating fragrance concentration, usage, and luxury into glass—where size, shape, and material quietly instructed the wearer how each scent was meant to be enjoyed.

Jewel Atomizers:

Baccarat further expanded the Deluxe Jewel flacon series by producing two distinct atomizer forms, both executed in the same richly colored, overlaid crystal technique used for the perfume bottles themselves. These atomizers were carefully color- and scent-coordinated—appearing in red, green, orange, purple, and black—so that they visually harmonized with their corresponding Deluxe Jewel flacons. Hardware was offered in either chrome or gilt brass, reinforcing the dual themes of modernity and luxury that defined Ybry’s presentation.

The atomizers were available in both bulb and piston pump configurations and were produced in two clearly different shapes. One design is a tall, upright, columnar square form, architectural and severe, echoing the geometry of the Deluxe Jewel bottles. The second is a low, square “pillow” shape with softly curved top and bottom surfaces, offering a more sensual, tactile counterpoint. In terms of scale, the tall square pump atomizer measures approximately 3.25 inches in height, while the tall square bulb version stands slightly taller at about 4 inches, emphasizing the presence of the bulb as a decorative and functional element. The metal fittings on these atomizers are stamped “Ybry Paris,” “Made in France,” and “Déposé,” indicating a registered design, although the precise manufacturer of the hardware remains unidentified. The glass bases themselves are acid-stamped “Ybry Paris Made in France,” consistent with Baccarat’s production standards and confirming their origin in French crystal manufacture.

The low, square, pillow-shaped atomizer is a compact yet refined variation within the Ybry Deluxe Jewel series, measuring approximately 2½ inches tall by 2¾ inches square, its softly curved top and bottom giving it a tactile, jewel-like presence. Produced in the same colored, overlaid crystal technique, the bottle is fitted with metal hardware stamped “Ybry Paris France,” while the glass base bears the acid stamp “Ybry Paris Made in France,” confirming its origin and branding. This particular form was protected by a design patent granted in 1928, underscoring its originality and modernity, and reinforcing Ybry’s practice of legally safeguarding even its smallest objects as purposeful works of Art Deco design rather than mere accessories.

A 1929 notice in Harper’s Bazaar highlights how thoughtfully these atomizers were integrated into Ybry’s luxury system. The magazine praised a combination package that paired a perfume bottle with a separate atomizer top and two extra glass stems—an arrangement deemed ideal for travel or for home use by those who “jealously guard the strength” of their scent. Importantly, the article clarifies that Ybry’s atomizer perfumes were offered in single-strength perfume, not Eau de Toilette, underscoring their potency. This distinction reinforces Ybry’s sophisticated understanding of fragrance use: atomization allowed controlled dispersion of a concentrated perfume, preserving both its intensity and its preciousness while adapting it to modern, mobile lifestyles.

 Jewel Flacon Combination Sets:

Ybry extended its philosophy of perfume as a complete luxury experience through a series of combination sets that went far beyond the presentation of a single bottle. These elaborate cases were designed to resemble miniature suitcases, an unmistakable nod to modern travel and cosmopolitan life in the late 1920s. Covered in genuine suede, they conveyed softness, discretion, and expense, while their structured forms suggested mobility and sophistication—luxury meant to accompany the wearer rather than remain fixed on a dressing table.

Inside, these cases were fitted to hold multiple coordinated elements, most commonly three perfume bottles and two atomizers, arranged with precision in fitted compartments covered in velvet to protect and display each object. Even more exceptional was a rarer configuration containing two bottles, one atomizer, and a crystal medallion designed by René Lalique, the medallion suspended from the case by a silk tassel and treated as an integral jewel rather than a mere accessory. This sumptuous presentation was marketed as the “Ybry Duplex Combination Case” and retailed for $65 in 1928, a price that placed it firmly within the highest echelon of luxury goods. These suitcase-style sets encapsulate Ybry’s unique blend of glamour, modernity, and practicality—perfume conceived not only as scent, but as an ensemble of objects designed for movement, display, and indulgence.

The combination set containing 3 different perfumes and two atomizers in the handsome suede leather case retailed for $175 in 1931.

Other Ybry presentation sets expanded on the house’s reputation for theatrical luxury and architectural precision. Among the most striking were combination sets composed of two square flacons, deliberately paired and fitted snugly within a thuya wood box. The choice of thuya wood—valued for its  intricate "eye" patterns and warm, dark reddish-brown depth—elevated the set from mere packaging to a decorative object in its own right, aligning Ybry with the refined taste of Art Deco interiors. The squared bottles, with their crisp geometry and substantial presence, echoed the era’s fascination with balance and symmetry, while the dual-flacon format suggested versatility: contrasting scents, day and evening use, or complementary compositions intended to be experienced together. Such sets reinforced Ybry’s image as a perfumery that sold not just fragrance, but a complete luxury ensemble, where materials, form, and presentation were as carefully curated as the perfume itself.

 

Colorless Crystal Refill Bottles: 

Harper's Bazaar, 1929: 

"The trademark for this house is "The Jewel of Perfumes," and the unique square containers fo indeed suggest precious stones, in the color of rubies, amethyst, emerald, and topaz. In fact, the bottles look so sumptuous that you hate to throw them away and to solve this difficulty, the sympathetic manufacturers are bringing out refills in plain glass bottles. 

By the early 1930s, the lavish era of Ybry’s colored crystal presentations was drawing to a close. The collaboration with Baccarat, which had produced richly overlaid bottles, jewel-like flacons, and elaborate deluxe cases, reflected the exuberance of the late 1920s luxury market. However, shifting economic realities—most notably the global financial pressures following the 1929 crash—made such costly productions increasingly impractical. By 1934, Ybry had fully discontinued its colored Baccarat bottles and the accompanying deluxe presentations that had once defined the house’s most prestigious offerings.

Newspaper advertisements from the period openly acknowledged this transition and, interestingly, used it as a selling point. Ads emphasized the finality of these designs, highlighting that the famous colored crystal bottles were no longer being made and encouraging customers to purchase remaining stock while it was still available. This language framed the discontinuation as a mark of exclusivity and urgency, transforming the bottles from current luxury goods into coveted last examples of a bygone style. The messaging suggests that both Ybry and its retailers were keenly aware of the collector appeal even at the time.

In retrospect, these advertisements serve as an important historical marker. They not only document the end of Ybry’s most opulent phase but also underscore a broader shift in the perfume industry toward simpler forms and more economical packaging during the mid-1930s. Today, the discontinued colored Baccarat Ybry bottles stand as tangible reminders of pre-Depression glamour—objects whose rarity was already being acknowledged in their own time, and whose desirability has only deepened with the passing decades.

Powder Boxes: 

Among the rarest and most luxurious Ybry accessories are the presentation boxes created for the scented face powders that accompanied the Jewel flacon line. Produced by Ybry, these boxes were conceived not as simple containers, but as objects of luxury in their own right. Constructed of sturdy cardboard, each was carefully color-coordinated to match the corresponding perfume scent and finished with gleaming metallic gold paper trim, giving the impression of a miniature jewel casket rather than a cosmetic box.

Ybry poetically referred to these powder boxes as “Golden Treasure Chests,” a name that perfectly captures their intent and presentation. Opening the box revealed a lavish interior fitted with a genuine swansdown puff, dyed to harmonize with the exterior color scheme. The use of real swansdown—soft, dense, and costly—underscored the prestige of these items and aligned them with the same high-end sensibility as the Baccarat crystal Jewel flacons themselves.

The color and scent pairings followed the established Jewel flacon palette: Désir du Cœur in red, Femme de Paris in green, Devinez in orange, and Mon Âme in purple. Each combination reinforced Ybry’s sophisticated use of color as a branding and sensory cue, linking sight, touch, and scent into a unified luxury experience. Notably absent from this grouping is Amour Sauvage—no evidence has surfaced to suggest that a corresponding “Golden Treasure Chest” powder box was produced for that fragrance, making the existing examples all the more distinctive and desirable.

Today, surviving examples of these powder treasure chests are exceptionally scarce. Their fragile cardboard construction, combined with daily use and the perishable nature of cosmetic accessories, means few have endured intact. When found complete—with their original swansdown puffs and vibrant color schemes—they offer a rare glimpse into Ybry’s most opulent period, where even a face powder box was treated as a jewel worthy of display.

Other High Quality Flacons:

Besides the vividly colored crystal flacons often associated with Ybry, the house also released a small but striking group of perfumes presented in sparkling clear crystal bottles. These designs, created for fragrances such as Les Bourgeons and Palo Alto, emphasized purity of form and brilliance of glass rather than color overlay, allowing light to play freely through their sharply defined planes. The clarity and weight of these bottles signal a level of craftsmanship equal to Ybry’s deluxe offerings, yet they stand apart stylistically from the jewel-toned Baccarat presentations. Although the exact crystal manufacturer remains unidentified, surviving examples confirm that these flacons were not produced by Baccarat, suggesting Ybry sourced from another high-quality glassmaker capable of meeting its exacting luxury standards.

Les Bourgeons:

One of the most refined Art Deco perfume designs produced by Ybry was created for Les Bourgeons (“The Buds”), first introduced in 1928. The flacon is a sparkling clear crystal, terraced, footed form often likened to a stylized wine glass, topped with a sharply modernistic stopper. Its stepped profile and crisp geometry embody the height of late-1920s French design, emphasizing light, clarity, and architectural balance rather than applied decoration. These bottles are consistently found unsigned, and while their quality rivals that of the finest luxury crystal of the period, the exact manufacturer remains unknown. Five sizes of this crystal flacon are documented, measuring approximately 3.5 inches, almost 4.25 inches, 4.25 inches, 4.75 inches, and an impressive 6 inches tall, indicating a full luxury range from purse to statement vanity size.

All crystal versions bear a gold foil paper label on the front, adding a restrained touch of warmth against the brilliance of the glass. The smallest 3.5-inch bottle held ½ ounce of parfum and was presented in an oval cylindrical box, while the larger sizes were housed in striking hexagonal boxes covered in faux shagreen paper—materials chosen to echo fashionable exoticism of the era. The 4.75-inch bottle is frequently cited as one of the most visually satisfying proportions in the series. All crystal examples are acid-marked on the base “Ybry Paris France,” firmly anchoring them within the house’s top-tier production.

The name Les Bourgeons was trademarked by Ybry in 1929, but the following year it became the subject of a legal challenge from Bourjois, who argued that the name sounded deceptively similar to their own. As a result of this dispute, Ybry was compelled to amend the labeling, and bottles thereafter appeared as Les Bourgeons – “The Buds.” This episode adds a fascinating layer of commercial and branding history to the perfume, and helps explain subtle variations in labeling encountered by collectors today.

To broaden the perfume’s appeal, Ybry later introduced a less expensive version of Les Bourgeons, produced in pressed glass rather than fine crystal. This bottle, standing about 4 inches tall, lacks the elegant pedestal foot and sharply cut edges of the original design and instead features softer contours and simpler molding. It contained the Infusion concentration, positioning it as a more accessible interpretation of the fragrance while preserving its essential character.

A 1929 advertisement reads "The eminent Ybry, playing with some forty intense floral essences, found one spring morning, the perfect harmony of them all. Elated, he glanced outdoors - the gardens were in first bud - and named the new discovery "Les Bourgeons" - "the buds." Its ingredients are aged seven years - some of then ten - its actual compounding takes eight long months. No wonder there is a magical tenacity in the way it diffuses its mysterious bouquet of blossoms for hours and hours - and no wonder it improves the longer you keep it. Its lovely chartreuse liquid, in fantastic flacons, is just now the most exciting thing! Priced at &, $12.50 and $22."

Contemporary descriptions portray Les Bourgeons as “the fragrance of innocence,” composed from “some forty floral essences,” and praised as a light sports perfume, particularly suitable for the hair. The 1929 advertisement elaborates poetically on its creation, emphasizing long aging of ingredients, slow compounding, and remarkable tenacity. Based on the chartreuse hue of the liquid and the language used, the scent was almost certainly a floral chypre or citrus-floral chypre. One can plausibly imagine a bright opening of bergamot and lemon, possibly accented by petitgrain, leading into a complex floral heart of orange blossom, jasmine, rose, narcissus, and perhaps lily-of-the-valley. The chypre structure would likely have been completed with oakmoss, labdanum, and soft woods, lending freshness, elegance, and persistence without heaviness. In total, Les Bourgeons would have smelled luminous, green-floral, and lightly mossy—an airy yet sophisticated composition perfectly aligned with its theme of new buds, springtime vitality, and modern 1920s refinement.

Palo Alto Bottle:

In 1930, Ybry unveiled Palo Alto, a fragrance distinguished as much by its presentation as by its evocative scent. The earliest bottle created for this perfume is notably unconventional for its time, echoing the ornate silhouettes of Bohemian crystal flacons popular during the Victorian era. Fashioned from finely cut crystal, the bottle deliberately departed from the streamlined modernism seen in many late-1920s designs, instead embracing a nostalgic, almost romantic historicism. This striking flacon was presented in an imported thuya wood box, elevating the perfume into the realm of collectible luxury objects rather than mere commercial packaging.

Thuya wood, derived from Tetraclinis articulata, is a rare and highly prized aromatic burl native exclusively to the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Revered for its dense structure, deep reddish-brown coloration, and distinctive swirling “eye” grain patterns, thuya was traditionally reserved for small, precious objects such as caskets, knife handles, and turned decorative items. Its resinous fragrance and exotic provenance made it an inspired choice for Palo Alto, reinforcing the perfume’s theme of richness, warmth, and far-reaching sensual associations. The pairing of cut crystal and thuya wood underscored Ybry’s commitment to materials that conveyed rarity, craftsmanship, and international sophistication.

The fragrance itself was promoted in lush, poetic language. Contemporary descriptions characterized Palo Alto as possessing a “languorous scent, like the breeze from a tropic isle,” and as “hauntingly sweet,” evoking the “brilliant richness of California’s flower-laden hillsides.” These phrases suggest an opulent floral composition with a warm, possibly balsamic or ambery undertone, designed to feel both expansive and enveloping. The emphasis on sweetness and tropical languor hints at generous floral notes—perhaps orange blossom, jasmine, or ylang-ylang—supported by soft resins or woods, creating a perfume intended to linger and captivate.

At its debut, Palo Alto stood among Ybry’s most exclusive offerings. The three-ounce cut crystal bottle paired with its exquisite thuya wood box retailed for the extraordinary sum of $100 in 1930, placing it firmly in the highest echelon of luxury perfumes of its day. However, the economic realities of the Great Depression soon made such lavish presentations untenable. By the mid-1930s, Palo Alto was reissued in alternative, more economical bottles, including the crackle glass bottle used for the Infusion de Parfum line. These later versions preserved the fragrance itself while signaling a necessary shift away from the extravagant materials and pricing that had defined its original, pre-Depression debut.

Les Fleurs d'Ybry:

Introduced in 1928, the Les Fleurs d’Ybry line represented Ybry at its most refined and modern, distilling the essence of individual flowers into elegantly minimalist crystal flacons. Each scent was presented as a soliflore, allowing the character of a single blossom to take center stage. The bottles themselves are striking examples of late-1920s design: clear, high-quality crystal with a cylindrical upper section rising from a square base, a form that balances geometric modernism with graceful proportion. Although the manufacturer of the glass remains unknown, the weight, clarity, and precision of the flacons clearly place them among luxury productions of the period.

A distinctive and ingenious detail is found in the stopper design. Each stopper is drilled with a small hole, allowing a silken thread to pass through and be wrapped around the neck of the bottle, serving both as a seal and as a decorative accent. This practical yet poetic solution reinforces the handcrafted, jewel-like quality of the presentation while subtly evoking earlier traditions of tied or sealed luxury containers. The bottles were offered in three sizes—½ ounce, 1 ounce, and 2 ounces—providing options that ranged from intimate personal use to more substantial vanity display.

The presentation boxes were equally luxurious and deliberately restrained. Each bottle was housed in a square box made of heavy cardstock, covered in rich black velour and trimmed with metallic gold paper. This combination of matte black and gold created a dramatic contrast with the brilliance of the clear crystal within, underscoring Ybry’s sophisticated approach to packaging. The boxes conveyed quiet elegance rather than flamboyance, perfectly complementing the purity of the single-flower concept.

The fragrances in the Les Fleurs d’Ybry line included Muguet (lily of the valley), Lilas (lilac), Gardenia, Œillet (carnation), and Chèvrefeuille (honeysuckle), each chosen for its recognizable floral identity and emotional resonance. Expanding the concept beyond perfume, Ybry also offered scented face powders in this line, produced in six different tints. Together, the perfumes and powders formed a cohesive floral wardrobe, reflecting Ybry’s ability to combine modern design, refined materials, and evocative scent in a manner that feels both timeless and distinctly of the late 1920s.

Lesser Quality Bottles:

Starting in the 1930s, Ybry underwent a noticeable shift in both the quality of its perfumes and the refinement of its presentations. This transition closely mirrors the broader economic and cultural impact of the Great Depression, which forced many luxury houses to scale back costly materials and elaborate designs. While Ybry continued to produce fragrances, the emphasis increasingly moved away from the jewel-like crystal flacons and sumptuous cases of the late 1920s toward more economical, mass-market–oriented packaging.

Among the bottles most commonly encountered from this later period are square-shaped glass flacons fitted with frosted stoppers molded directly with the Ybry name. Although functional and clearly branded, these bottles lack the sharp cutting, weight, and visual drama of earlier crystal designs. The molded branding, rather than discreet acid stamping or elegant paper labels, reflects a more industrial approach to production and a reduced focus on artisanal finishing.

Additional examples from this era include the pinched-glass cologne flacons, which were lightweight and practical but stylistically plain. The crackled-texture bottles used for the Infusion de Parfum line also belong to this cost-conscious phase; while visually interesting, their appeal lies more in surface effect than in form or craftsmanship. Similarly, the Odore bottles represent a simplified aesthetic, prioritizing accessibility and durability over luxury materials or innovative design.

Taken together, these later bottles illustrate a clear departure from Ybry’s earlier identity as a purveyor of elite, object-level luxury. While historically important, they stand in sharp contrast to the house’s pre-Depression masterpieces, serving as tangible evidence of how financial pressures reshaped even the most prestigious perfume brands during the 1930s.

YBRY Stopper Bottles:

These square-shaped flacons represent one of the more standardized bottle forms adopted by Ybry as the brand moved into the late 1920s and early 1930s. The bottles are characterized by their clean, rectilinear profiles and are found fitted with either frosted or unfrosted glass stoppers molded in relief with the Ybry name. This molded branding marked a shift away from earlier, more discreet acid stamping and bespoke crystal cutting, signaling a move toward greater uniformity while still maintaining a recognizable house identity.

Packaging and labeling for these bottles varied depending on the presentation and fragrance, indicating that Ybry reused the same basic bottle form across multiple offerings. Labels differ in typography and finish, and the boxes were not standardized, appearing in several styles that reflected both the specific line and evolving cost considerations. Despite these variations, the bottles themselves remain consistent in shape, making them a familiar and identifiable format within the Ybry catalog.

Ybry first employed this bottle design for the Les Fleurs d’Ybry line, a collection of single-flower perfumes intended to capture the pure essence of individual blossoms. Scents released in this format included Œillet (carnation), Gardenia, Muguet (lily of the valley), and Lilas (lilac). The restrained geometry of the square bottle complemented the soliflore concept, allowing the focus to remain on the fragrance rather than on elaborate ornamentation.

The bottle was produced in three sizes to accommodate different uses and price points. The smallest, a ½-ounce “debutante size,” stands approximately 2.5 inches tall and was clearly intended for portability or youthful consumers. The 1-ounce version measures about 3 inches tall, offering a modest vanity presence, while the 2-ounce size provided a more substantial option for regular use. Together, these sizes underscore Ybry’s effort to balance elegance, practicality, and accessibility during a period of transition for the brand.

The Etude, 1938:

"Ybry has also recently introduced Palo Alto, a subtle scent reminiscent of the heather in high hills."

 

Pyramid Bottles:

In 1942, Ybry introduced another distinctive bottle design that looked back to the brilliance of imported Czech crystal, a style long admired for its crisp geometry and light-catching facets. These elegant Art Deco flacons are instantly recognizable by their dramatic stepped stopper, which rises in tiered form like a small pyramid—hence the nickname “pyramid bottles.” Made of clear, colorless glass, the bottle stands approximately 5 inches tall and is molded with the Ybry name on the base, a practical yet confident mark of identity during a period when luxury materials were increasingly scarce.

Despite their modest capacity of just ½ ounce, these bottles were marketed as Deluxe Packages, emphasizing presentation over volume. Each was housed in a refined, jewelry-style box that opened with two front doors, creating a theatrical reveal reminiscent of fine caskets or vanity cases. This presentation was offered for several established Ybry fragrances, including Old Fashioned Garden, Les Bourgeons (“The Buds”), and Joie de Vivre. Priced at $4 each in 1942, these pyramid bottles demonstrate Ybry’s ability to sustain a sense of elegance and visual interest even under wartime constraints, translating earlier crystal-inspired luxury into an accessible yet thoughtfully designed form.

Eau de Colognes:

In 1934, Ybry expanded its offerings with the introduction of the Ybry Eau de Cologne line, presented in generous 4-ounce and 8-ounce sizes. Unlike many of Ybry’s earlier luxury bottles, these flacons were not produced by Baccarat, reflecting a deliberate move toward more practical and historically inspired designs. The bottle itself is particularly handsome and distinctive, modeled after a 17th-century French brandy bottle. Its defining features include softly pinched sides and a sturdy silhouette, most commonly rendered in warm amber glass, though examples in clear glass are also known.

The fragrances offered in the Eau de Cologne line emphasized freshness, tradition, and everyday elegance. Scents included Naturelle, French Bouquet, Old Fashioned Garden, Wild Daphne, Wild Rose, and Honeysuckle, all names that evoke natural florals and classic cologne structures. The choice of this historic bottle form, combined with approachable fragrance themes, suggests Ybry was intentionally positioning these colognes as refined yet accessible, suitable for regular use rather than rarefied luxury.

In 1941, the same pinched bottle form was reintroduced as part of a refreshed range known as the Fleur de Perle Colognes. For this iteration, the bottles were fitted with atomizers and produced in clear glass that was overlaid with opaque, pearly pastel paint, lending a soft, luminous finish. Each color corresponded to a specific fragrance: pink for Wild Daphne, blue for French Bouquet, gold for Naturelle, and ivory for Old Fashioned Garden. This transformation demonstrates Ybry’s adaptability during the wartime era, preserving familiar bottle shapes while updating their appearance to feel decorative, feminine, and contemporary despite ongoing material and economic constraints.

Flower-Stoppered Flacon:

This graceful flacon, produced for Ybry, is an especially charming example of late Art Deco to early wartime perfume bottle design. Made of colorless pressed glass, the bottle features a gently twisted slim body that gives it a sense of movement, complemented by a softly ruffled neck. Its most striking element is the stopper: a frosted ground glass form molded as an open flower, delicately petaled and tactile in the hand. Although pressed rather than cut, the glass is well executed, with pleasing clarity and a sculptural quality that elevates it beyond purely utilitarian packaging.

This bottle was produced in two sizes. The smaller ½-ounce version stands approximately 4 inches tall, while the larger 1-ounce bottle measures about 4.75 inches. Both sizes share identical proportions and detailing, differing only in scale. The base is molded with the name “Ybry,” providing clear attribution, though the identity of the glass manufacturer remains unknown. The design was used to house the perfumes Joie de Vivre and Old Fashioned Garden, fragrances that aligned well with the bottle’s floral, optimistic aesthetic.

Documented in Commercial Perfume Bottles by North (page 215), this bottle is generally dated to the late 1930s through the mid-1940s. Its pressed-glass construction reflects the economic and material realities of the period, yet the romantic flower stopper and fluid silhouette show that Ybry continued to prioritize beauty and emotional appeal even as luxury standards shifted. The design bridges the exuberance of the pre-Depression years and the restrained elegance of the wartime era.

A 1938 issue of The Etude offers insight into how Joie de Vivre was positioned at the time, describing it as “a happy perfume, vibrant with life, ready to go anywhere, at any time at the toss of a coin, yet it is a luxury perfume.” This description perfectly complements the bottle itself—portable, expressive, and cheerful, yet unmistakably refined. The same passage notes Ybry’s recent introduction of Palo Alto, described as “a subtle scent reminiscent of the heather in high hills,” underscoring the house’s continued emphasis on evocative storytelling and emotional resonance through both scent and design.

 

Infusion de Parfum, Infusion de Fleurs & Extrait Concentre:

The Infusion de Parfum, Infusion de Fleurs, and Extrait Concentré ranges were all introduced by Ybry in 1930 and remained in production, in one form or another, until roughly 1960, making them among the longest-running offerings in the Ybry catalog. At their launch, these perfumes were housed in an elegant square crystal bottle fitted with a flat, teardrop-shaped glass stopper. This original presentation reflected Ybry’s late-1920s refinement—clean geometry, fine materials, and understated luxury. However, by 1934 this bottle design was discontinued, replaced by a far more economical and visually distinctive alternative.

The new bottles adopted a crackled surface texture intended to imitate alligator skin, a fashionable motif of the period that conveyed exoticism while relying on less expensive glass production. Early examples of these crackle bottles retained glass stoppers, preserving a sense of quality, but later versions were fitted with plastic screwcaps, signaling further cost-cutting as the decades progressed. Within this framework, naming conventions clarified concentration: the parfum strength was marketed as Extrait Concentré, while the eau de parfum strength was known as Infusion de Parfum. This allowed Ybry to offer different intensities of the same scent while maintaining a cohesive visual identity.

Contemporary commentary reveals how these perfumes fit changing habits of use. A 1936 issue of The Sportswoman noted a growing preference for perfumes that could be applied “rather widely and generously,” rather than sparingly, and praised Ybry’s Infusions for their suitability with atomizers. This aligns perfectly with the larger bottle sizes offered for the Infusion line and suggests a deliberate repositioning of perfume as something wearable and practical, not merely precious.

The Infusion de Parfum bottles with glass stoppers were produced in two main sizes: a 2-ounce bottle standing approximately 4.75 inches tall, and a larger 4-ounce version measuring about 6.25 inches. The Extrait Concentré bottles were smaller and more concentrated, offered in ¼-ounce (2.5 inches tall), ½-ounce (3 inches tall), and 1-ounce (3.75 inches tall) sizes. Together, these formats accommodated both liberal everyday use and more restrained, luxury application.

Period newspaper advertisements, however, often lagged behind actual production changes. Retailers frequently continued to advertise discontinued bottles and perfumes for years afterward, offering old stock at clearance prices while promoting them as “newly introduced” or “just in from Paris.” In many cases—particularly in rural or less fashion-forward areas—this may have been true in a practical sense, as merchandise reached these shops long after its Paris debut. Such advertisements today complicate precise dating, but they also provide a vivid glimpse into how Ybry perfumes circulated, lingered, and were recontextualized in the marketplace well beyond their official production life.

 

Harper's Bazaar, 1943:

"Ybry's Les Petits Trois combines three miniature bottles of its concentrated de luxe perfumes, $5." 

These tall, rectangular flacons represent one of the most recognizable bottle styles used by Ybry from the mid-1930s onward. Made of clear crystal with a deliberately crackled surface texture, the bottles were designed to suggest exotic luxury while remaining economical to produce. Importantly, these flacons were not manufactured by Baccarat nor by Lalique, despite their visual sophistication. Most examples are molded with the Ybry name on the base, a straightforward branding method that replaced the more discreet acid stamping seen on earlier luxury bottles.

The crackled texture, often likened to alligator skin, gave the bottles a tactile and decorative appeal that compensated for the absence of costly crystal cutting. Their tall, architectural proportions reinforced a sense of modern elegance, while the clear glass allowed the color of the perfume to remain a key visual element. These bottles were typically presented in richly appointed boxes covered in gold paper and velour, ensuring that even as materials were simplified, the overall presentation retained a feeling of indulgence and gift-worthiness.

Originally, these crackle bottles were fitted with ground glass stoppers, but by the 1950s this detail was replaced with screw caps, reflecting both changing consumer expectations and further cost efficiencies. The shift from fitted stoppers to screw closures marks an important visual cue for dating examples from this line, with earlier bottles appearing more refined and later ones more utilitarian.

In addition to housing Infusion de Parfum, this same bottle form was also used for Extrait Concentré, the parfum-strength version of Ybry’s fragrances. The Extrait was typically sold in a diminutive ¼-ounce size, making it both concentrated and portable. When paired together in the late 1940s as a presentation set containing both the Infusion de Parfum and the Extrait Concentré, the offering was marketed as “La Duette.” This pairing cleverly combined generosity and intensity, underscoring Ybry’s continued emphasis on versatility and coordinated luxury even as its packaging evolved through the mid-20th century.

The Infusion de Parfum occupied a distinctive and carefully defined place within the offerings of Ybry, positioned as a lighter, refreshing alternative to traditional extrait while still retaining true perfume character. Period descriptions emphasized its modern appeal, calling it a “lotion infused with the concentrated oils perfumes,” and likening its sensation to “a cool shower.” This language highlights its intended role as an invigorating, wearable fragrance meant to be applied more freely than a precious dab of parfum. Notably, it was marketed as equally desirable for men and women, reflecting an early appreciation for shared or gender-neutral fragrance enjoyment.

Although less intense than pure parfum, the Infusion was carefully distinguished from ordinary toilet water. Advertisements stressed that it was “not a toilet water,” but rather a formulation with “all the lasting quality of an essence,” suggesting longevity comparable to that of a conventional perfume. This made the Infusion a true intermediary concentration—balanced between freshness and persistence—anticipating what would later be formalized as the Eau de Parfum category. Its appeal lay in combining comfort, ease of use, and durability without the heaviness or expense of extrait.

By the late 1950s and into 1961, Infusion de Parfum was still being offered, a testament to its long-standing popularity and adaptability. However, by this point it was often sold at drastically discounted prices, signaling both changing consumer tastes and the waning prominence of the Ybry brand. Even so, the Infusion remains an important example of early 20th-century innovation in fragrance concentration, bridging the gap between luxury perfume and everyday wear in a way that feels remarkably contemporary.

 

During the Great Depression, the Infusion de Parfum offered by Ybry became an important and appealing alternative for women who could not afford the house’s more expensive perfumes but still wished to enjoy a sense of glamour and refinement. Marketed as an accessible luxury, the Infusion allowed women to participate in the ritual and pleasure of fine fragrance without the prohibitive cost of pure parfum. In this way, it promised the confidence and polish of high society—letting its wearer, as advertisements implied, “smell like a million bucks” even in economically difficult times.

One of the defining features of the Infusion de Parfum was its versatility. Its strength was entirely dependent on how generously it was applied. For daytime wear, guidance suggested a light body rub after the bath, followed by a few sprays over the arms and neck to create a freshly groomed, invigorating effect. In the evening, the same fragrance could be used more lavishly, building depth and presence simply through increased application. This adaptability made the Infusion especially practical, allowing a single bottle to serve multiple moods and occasions.

Ybry positioned the Infusion as ideal for daytime and warm-weather use, emphasizing its role in intimate, personal rituals. Period descriptions recommended it for boudoir use, after the bath, on lacy garments, or applied to the neck and arms. It was also promoted for the hands and hair, reinforcing its identity as a multi-purpose fragrance product rather than a strictly formal perfume. This broad range of uses aligned perfectly with contemporary ideas of cleanliness, freshness, and understated elegance.

Although the Infusion de Parfum was offered in as many as fourteen different fragrances, a handful emerged as clear favorites. Among the most popular were Devinez, Femme de Paris, Désir de Cœur, and Mon Âme, all names already associated with Ybry’s earlier luxury creations. For collectors today, bottle size can be determined by height when labels are missing: the ¼-ounce bottle stands approximately 2.5 inches tall, the 2-ounce bottle about 4.75 inches, the 4-ounce bottle roughly 6 inches tall, with larger sizes also produced in 8-ounce and 16-ounce formats. Together, these details underscore how thoughtfully Ybry adapted luxury fragrance to meet the realities and desires of Depression-era consumers.

By 1935, Ybry expanded the appeal and convenience of the Infusion de Parfum by offering it fitted with an atomizer, making liberal and even application easier and reinforcing its role as a modern, everyday luxury. This development aligned perfectly with contemporary recommendations to apply the Infusion generously after bathing, on the body, hair, and clothing. In addition to atomizer bottles, Ybry also marketed Infusion de Parfum in coordinated gift sets that included matching dusting powder and talc, allowing women to layer scent and extend its presence throughout the day. These sets emphasized completeness and value, presenting fragrance not as a single indulgence but as a cohesive toilette ritual, ideally suited to both personal use and gift-giving during the mid-1930s.

Consumer Reports, 1940:

"Desir du Coeur (Ybry). $2 (4 oz.). Nondescript, slight aldehyde odor. Weak."

Parfum Odore:

In 1939, Ybry entered a distinctly modern category with the introduction of Parfum Odore – The Secret of Body Charm, a line of perfumed deodorants designed for active men and women. This was a significant departure from traditional perfume presentation, reflecting changing attitudes toward hygiene, sport, and everyday grooming on the eve of World War II. One of the most evocatively named scents in the line was Beach Club, and the product’s label was boldly illustrated with a nude beauty holding a bouquet of flowers—an image intended to suggest natural freshness, sensuality, and vitality. Like many of Ybry’s later bottles, these flacons were not made by Baccarat, underscoring the brand’s continued move toward more practical, mass-oriented production.

Later in 1939, the line was renamed Odorade, a name that emphasized both odor control and refreshment. Advertising language positioned these products as far more than simple deodorants, describing them as “perfumed deodorants for active men and women…the epitome of all that is finest in body aids, blended with true finesse and understanding.” Odorade was promoted as neutralizing perspiration while retaining its fragrance for hours, without harming skin or fabrics. Consumers were encouraged to use it as they would a toilet water, and even to select a scent that would harmonize with their favorite perfume—an early example of deliberate fragrance layering.

Odorade was offered in two practical sizes: a ½-ounce purse size for portability and discreet use, and a larger 2-ounce bottle for regular application. The range of fragrances was extensive and deliberately expressive, drawing on nature, movement, and leisure. Scents for women included Apple Blossom, Gay Tempo, Flower Festival, Blue Horizon, Sport Parade, and Heather. Fragrances marketed for both men and women included Wet Woods, Tumble Weed, Beach Club, Riding Club, Balsam, and Fern, reinforcing the line’s active, outdoors-oriented identity.

In 1942, Ybry expanded the Odorade selection further with the addition of Tangle Weed and Fine Woods, again marketed for both men and women. Taken as a whole, the Parfum Odore / Odorade line illustrates Ybry’s adaptability during a period of social and economic change—blending perfume tradition with modern functionality, and redefining fragrance as an integral part of everyday body care rather than a purely decorative luxury.

 

Maison Ybry: 

Ybry ceased operations in the mid-1960s, bringing to an end a brand once celebrated for its inventive fragrances and distinctive luxury packaging. Decades later, the name resurfaced when the rights were acquired and Maison Ybry was announced in 2005. This revival was presented online through the now-defunct website www.ybry.com (since 2018), where a proposed new collection paid direct homage to Ybry’s historic jewel-toned aesthetic and Art Deco heritage.

The showcased perfumes—Amour Sauvage, Femme de Paris, Désir du Cœur, Mon Âme, Devinez, and Ruban Rose (Pink Ribbon)—were depicted in richly colored crystal bottles topped with engraved and enameled square brass caps, a clear visual reference to Ybry’s famed pre-Depression luxury flacons. Each fragrance was assigned a specific color, reinforcing the historic Ybry tradition of scent-color association: black for Amour Sauvage, emerald green for Femme de Paris, ruby red for Désir du Cœur, amethyst for Mon Âme, coral for Devinez, and pink for Ruban Rose.

Despite the elegance of the concept and the careful branding, there is no evidence that any of these perfumes were ever commercially produced or released. The website eventually went offline, no contact information remains available, and no retail presence or verified bottles have surfaced. As such, the Maison Ybry revival appears to have remained a conceptual or promotional project rather than a realized return to production.

Among the proposed releases, Ruban Rose stood out for its stated purpose: it was intended as a token of dedication to breast cancer survivors and victims, symbolized by its pink crystal bottle. This gesture suggests that the revival aimed not only to evoke Ybry’s historic glamour but also to align the brand with contemporary causes. Today, however, Maison Ybry exists only as a brief digital footnote—an intriguing but unrealized attempt to resurrect a storied perfume house.