Breidenbach et Cie

Breidenbach et Cie., Ltd was one of the distinguished old perfumery houses of London, tracing its origins back to 1793 when Aaron Page established the business at Park Street, Grosvenor Square. Page was described as a hairdresser, perfumer, and distiller of eau de cologne, occupations that were closely intertwined during the late eighteenth century when fashionable grooming, wig dressing, scented waters, and cosmetic preparations formed part of the same luxury trade. Located in the fashionable West End district frequented by aristocratic and affluent clientele, the business specialized in refined toilet preparations and perfumes during a period when London society increasingly embraced French-inspired luxury goods and personal grooming rituals.

The company remained within the family across several generations. After Aaron Page, the business passed to his son William Page, continuing the firm’s traditions of perfumery and cosmetic manufacture. It later came under the control of Francis Henry Breidenbach following his marriage to William Page’s daughter Emily. Through this marriage, the Page family enterprise became associated with the Breidenbach name that would later achieve wider recognition in British perfumery circles. Francis Henry Breidenbach himself brought an international dimension to the firm. Born in Cologne, the historic center of eau de cologne production, he trained in Paris, the undisputed capital of nineteenth-century perfumery and cosmetics. This combination of German cologne traditions and French perfumery artistry greatly influenced the sophistication and reputation of the business.

Breidenbach’s growing prestige was formally recognized in 1841 when he received a Royal Warrant, becoming perfumer and distiller to the Queen. Such warrants represented enormous commercial and social distinction in Victorian Britain, signifying royal patronage and implying exceptional quality, refinement, and reliability. By the mid-nineteenth century the firm had become associated with elite London luxury culture. In 1852 the business relocated to 157 New Bond Street, one of London’s most fashionable commercial addresses, surrounded by jewelers, art dealers, luxury tailors, and prestigious specialty shops catering to aristocratic and upper-class customers. The move reflected both the company’s prosperity and the increasingly luxurious identity of Victorian perfumery.

An 1859 notice in The Spectator vividly described the reputation of Francis Henry Breidenbach and his perfumes. The article praised him as a “perfect artiste en parfumes,” meaning “artist in perfumes,” emphasizing his refined blending abilities and poetic approach to fragrance creation. The writer suggested that Breidenbach transformed even naturally fragrant flowers into something more elaborate and sophisticated, “touching the rose with the scent of the lily” and “adding a perfume to the violet.” The article described his creations as existing within a “flowery maze” so imaginative and varied that entirely new names had to be invented for them. Among the perfumes specifically praised were the Malakoff Bouquet, Palmerston, and Panmure, fragrances named after notable political or military figures and events of the era. The Malakoff Bouquet likely referenced the Siege of Malakoff during the Crimean War, while Palmerston almost certainly referred to Lord Palmerston, the prominent British statesman. Panmure probably referenced Fox Maule-Ramsay, 11th Earl of Dalhousie, who held the title Lord Panmure and served as Secretary at War. Such naming practices reflected the Victorian fascination with commemorative perfumes linked to current events, public figures, and imperial achievements.

The company continued to evolve into the twentieth century. In 1900 the business relocated again, this time to the elegant Burlington Arcade, one of London’s most prestigious covered shopping arcades known for luxury boutiques and fashionable clientele. Around this period the business also appears connected with Reginald Blackwell Breidenbach, who in 1908 was listed in the Pharmaceutical Journal as trading under the name Breidenbach and Co. at 48 Greek Street, Soho Square, London. The journal noted the trademark “Regent” for perfumery products including toilet articles, preparations for the teeth and hair, and perfumed soaps, indicating the company’s continued involvement in a broad range of cosmetic and personal care goods beyond fine fragrance alone.

The outbreak of the First World War dramatically altered perceptions of German-associated names within Britain. In 1916, amid widespread anti-German sentiment, the family changed its surname from Breidenbach to Bryden because a German-sounding name had become commercially and socially disadvantageous during wartime Britain. This change reflected a broader pattern among many families and businesses with German heritage who anglicized their names during the conflict to avoid suspicion, prejudice, or commercial decline. Eventually, in 1930, the historic business was sold to Eugene Rimmel Ltd, bringing an end to the independent existence of one of London’s long-established perfumery houses. The acquisition linked Breidenbach’s legacy with the larger history of British perfumery consolidation during the early twentieth century, when many older family-run fragrance firms were absorbed into larger cosmetic companies.

 (http://www.landdbryden.co.uk/breidenbach/index.htm)

The perfumes of Breidenbach:

• 1852 The Royal Hunt Bouquet
• 1853 Empress Eugenie’s Nosegay
• 1853 Eau de Cologne
• 1853 Sandal Wood
• 1853 Japanese Perfume
• 1853 English Wallflowers
• 1853 White Rose
• 1853 Clove Pink
• 1853 Flowers of Erin
• 1853 Sweet Briar
• 1853 Bouquet of the Prado
• 1853 Wood Violet (Violette du Bois)
• 1856 Forget Me Not
• 1859 Bouquet Palmerston
• 1859 Panmure
• 1859 Malakoff Bouquet
• 1861 Zouave Bouquet
• 1866 Queen's Own
• 1866 Prince of Wales
• 1866 Princess of Wales
• 1866 South Sea Myrtle
• 1866 Royal Osborne
• 1866 Curious Essence
• 1866 Number One 
• 1866 L'Africaine
• 1866 Westeria
• 1866 Fraxinella
• 1866 Mathiola
• 1870 Opoponax
• 1871 Lord of Lorne Bouquet
• 1871 Rose
• 1871 Heliotrope
• 1871 Bride of the Highlands Bouquet
• 1871 Musk
• 1871 Frangipanni
• 1871 Quest 
• 1876 Talipat Blossoms from Ceylon
• 1876 Ess Bouquet
• 1876 Ipomoea
• 1876 Jasmin
• 1876 Jockey Club
• 1876 Stephanotis
• 1876 New Mown Hay
• 1876 Spring Blossoms
• 1876 White Moss Rose
• 1876 Opoponax
• 1876 Polo Club
• 1876 Chypre
• 1878 Abronia
• 1878 Olde English Lavender Water
• 1880 Acme Bouquet
• 1880 Phlomis
• 1882 Albany Bouquet
• 1883 Essence of Lloydia
• 1883 Neapolitan Violet
• 1884 Soudan Bouquet
• 1887 Hungary Water
• 1887 Florida Water
• 1887 Triple Essence of Ixia
• 1890 Triple Extract Lily of the Valley
• 1890 Triple Extract Wallflower
• 1890 Triple Extract White Rose
• 1890 Aux Fleurs Night Scented Stock
• 1890 Xylopia
• 1894 Ba-Tush-Ka
• 1894 Double Extract of White Rose
• 1898 Bay Rum
• 1899 Mei-Butsu
• 1900 Violette de Parme – Triple Extract
• 1901 Coronation Lily
• 1907 Marquise
• 1908 San Toy
• 1910 The Geisha Bouquet
• Heather
• Extrait Bouquet d’Albert
• Extrait Bouquet Reine Victoria
• GR. IV Lavender
• Grand Duchess 
• Lavender
• Lavender Royale
• Princess Myra
• Violette de Parme
• Wild Apple Blossoms
• Rosuria

Fragrances:

The perfume catalog of Breidenbach et Cie., Ltd reveals the evolution of nineteenth-century British perfumery from relatively simple floral waters and colognes into increasingly elaborate artistic fragrances inspired by royalty, military events, exotic lands, literature, and fashionable society. The breadth of the line demonstrates how the firm combined French-trained perfumery sophistication with distinctly Victorian tastes for romantic floral compositions, imperial references, and elegant social symbolism. Many of the perfumes reflected the era’s fascination with named bouquets — complex blended fragrances intended to evoke personalities, places, political events, or idealized visions of femininity and refinement.

The earliest fragrances from the 1850s consisted largely of floral soliflores, classic toilet waters, and romantic bouquets. Among these was the 1852 Royal Hunt Bouquet, whose title suggested aristocratic sporting culture, horseback riding, and country estates. In 1853 the company launched Empress Eugénie’s Nosegay, almost certainly inspired by Empress Eugénie of France, the glamorous wife of Napoleon III and one of the great fashion icons of the nineteenth century. The term “nosegay” referred to a small hand-held bouquet of flowers, indicating a richly blended floral fragrance intended to evoke Parisian elegance and imperial sophistication. 

Also appearing in 1853 were more traditional fragrances such as Eau de Cologne, Sandal Wood, White Rose, Clove Pink, Sweet Briar, and Wood Violet (Violette du Bois). These perfumes reflected the prevailing Victorian preference for recognizable natural floral and botanical scents. Clove Pink would have emphasized the spicy carnation-like aroma of dianthus flowers, while Sweet Briar recreated the green rosy scent of eglantine rose leaves. English Wallflowers and Flowers of Erin appealed to sentimental associations with gardens and the romantic landscapes of England and Ireland. Bouquet of the Prado may have referenced Madrid’s famous Prado district or promenade, suggesting Continental sophistication and cosmopolitan fashion.

Several fragrances demonstrate the Victorian fascination with exoticism and distant cultures. Japanese Perfume, introduced in 1853, likely reflected Europe’s growing fascination with Japanese art and aesthetics decades before the height of Japonisme in the late nineteenth century. L’Africaine from 1866 almost certainly referenced either African exoticism generally or Giacomo Meyerbeer’s grand opera L’Africaine, which premiered in 1865 and became enormously popular across Europe. Talipat Blossoms from Ceylon, introduced in 1876, evoked the tropical flora of colonial Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, while Mei-Butsu from 1899 adopted a Japanese term meaning “famous specialty” or “celebrated object,” reflecting continued fascination with East Asian culture. Ba-Tush-Ka from 1894 carried a Russian flavor, probably inspired by the word “batюшка,” meaning “little father” or a term of affection in Russian. The Geisha Bouquet from 1910 continued this fascination with romanticized Japanese imagery that was highly fashionable in Edwardian decorative arts and perfumery.

Military, political, and royal themes were especially prominent throughout the Breidenbach line. Bouquet Palmerston, Panmure, and Malakoff Bouquet, all advertised in 1859, were directly linked to contemporary political and military figures and events associated with the Crimean War era. Malakoff Bouquet referred to the Siege of Malakoff, one of the defining battles of the Crimean War. Panmure referenced Lord Panmure, Secretary at War, while Palmerston honored the influential British Prime Minister Lord Palmerston. Zouave Bouquet from 1861 drew inspiration from the famous French Zouave regiments known for their colorful uniforms and military reputation. Royal and aristocratic associations continued with Queen’s Own, Prince of Wales, Princess of Wales, Royal Osborne, Lord of Lorne Bouquet, Grand Duchess, Princess Myra, and Coronation Lily from 1901, likely launched in celebration of the coronation festivities surrounding King Edward VII. These names appealed strongly to Victorian and Edwardian consumers fascinated by royalty, court life, and imperial prestige.

The perfume list also reveals the extraordinary Victorian enthusiasm for floral compositions. Traditional blossoms such as Rose, Jasmin, Heliotrope, Stephanotis, Lily of the Valley, Wallflower, White Moss Rose, Lavender, and Violette de Parme formed the foundation of the catalog for decades. Many of these were offered in increasingly concentrated forms, such as Triple Extract Lily of the Valley, Triple Extract White Rose, Triple Extract Wallflower, and Violette de Parme – Triple Extract, reflecting advances in perfumery concentration and the growing prestige associated with stronger, longer-lasting extrait-style perfumes. Aux Fleurs Night Scented Stock from 1890 referenced the evening-blooming flower admired for its rich nocturnal fragrance. New Mown Hay captured the sweet dry grassy scent beloved in Victorian perfumery for its pastoral nostalgia. Frangipanni recreated the creamy tropical floral accord that had become popular in European perfumery during the nineteenth century. Musk and Opoponax reflected deeper oriental influences, with opoponax — a sweet resin sometimes called “sweet myrrh” — contributing warmth and balsamic richness.

A number of fragrances appear to have emphasized fashionable bouquet construction rather than identifiable single notes. Acme Bouquet, Albany Bouquet, Ess Bouquet, Extrait Bouquet d’Albert, Extrait Bouquet Reine Victoria, Bride of the Highlands Bouquet, Soudan Bouquet, Polo Club, Quest, Marquise, and Rosuria all suggest sophisticated blended perfumes designed to create mood, status, or atmosphere rather than simply reproduce a single flower. Bride of the Highlands Bouquet likely drew upon romantic Scottish imagery popularized by Victorian literature and royal fascination with Scotland following Queen Victoria’s love of Balmoral. Polo Club from 1876 probably targeted elite sporting society, associating the fragrance with masculine elegance and aristocratic leisure. Marquise from 1907 invoked French nobility and refined femininity.

The line also included numerous toilette staples and grooming waters. Hungary Water and Florida Water, both launched in 1887, were classic cosmetic preparations with long histories in European and American toiletry. Hungary Water traditionally combined rosemary and aromatic herbs in an alcohol base and was considered one of the oldest alcohol-based perfumes in Europe. Florida Water, by contrast, was a bright citrus-and-spice cologne popular for refreshing the skin and scenting linens and handkerchiefs. Bay Rum from 1898 catered particularly to masculine grooming traditions, offering a spicy bay leaf and rum-scented aftershave and hair tonic popular throughout the English-speaking world.

Taken as a whole, the Breidenbach perfume catalog illustrates the transformation of perfumery across more than half a century, from Georgian and Regency floral waters to sophisticated late Victorian and Edwardian artistic perfumery. The collection blended French influence, British royal patronage, imperial romanticism, military commemoration, and exotic fantasy into a remarkably diverse fragrance library. Through these perfumes, Breidenbach et Cie., Ltd established itself as one of the elegant and culturally attuned perfumery houses of nineteenth-century London.