Ashes of Roses by Bourjois c1909

Cendre des Roses, "Ashes of Roses" in English, was a toiletry line by Bourjois launched in France in 1909 and the USA by 1913, it was introduced to England in 1923 with the formation of Bourjois Ltd. For most people today, the name may seem strange. The Ashes of Roses name was based on a specific mauve fabric color called "Ashes of Roses" which was popular in the late 1800s and into the early 1900s. Other "Ashes of..." colors were also offered in the Victorian era.

 Ashes of Roses was created by Ernest Beaux.

Fragrance Composition:

So what did Ashes of Roses smell like? It was a floral blend of Marechal Niel rose, tea roses, Bulgarian red roses, and honeyed sweet briar.

• Top notes: tea rose
• Middle notes: Bulgarian red rose, Marechal Niel rose
• Base notes: sweet briar

Ashes of...:

The popularity of the Roses line paved the way for more "Ashes of..." lines. Each presentation used simple shapes, enhanced by coordinated paper graphics featuring a slender vase with a single flower. This design motif was typical of the Paul Iribe drawings from 1910. It is possible that these graphics may have been designed by Iribe, who worked for perfume companies such as Lubin, LT Piver, Bichara, Rosine, Lanvin and others.

Ashes of Carnations was created by perfumer Constantin Mikhailovich “Kot” Weriguine.

The Ashes of line included:

• Ashes of Roses c1909 
• Ashes of Violets c1913 
• Ashes of Mandarine Roses
• Ashes of Muguet c1913 
• Ashes of Jasmine c1913
• Ashes of Cyclamen c1913
• Ashes of Chypre c1913
• Ashes of Gardenia c1913
• Ashes of Sandal (or Sandalwood) c1913 
• Ashes of Wall Flower c1931
• Ashes of Lilies c1931
• Ashes of Carnations c1931
• Ashes of Lavender c1932
• Ashes of Lilac c1932
• Ashes of Heliotrope  

Despite the eleven different choices of flowers, the Ashes of Roses line was the best selling of them all. In 1921, Bourjois applied for a US trademark on the Ashes of Roses logo. IN THE TRADE MARK UPON A GOLDEN BACKGROUND THE WORDS "ASHES OF ROSES" AND A VASE APPEAR IN WHITE, SAID VASE HOLDING A RED ROSE WITH GREEN LEAVES.

In 1929, a new,modernized graphic motif was designed for the "Ashes of Roses" line, which depicted a different kind of vase or basket, which featured five full roses instead of a single bloom.

Rexall Pharmacy photo from Octavian Coifan. 

Window display of Ashes of Roses c1920s, photo from worthpoint

Ashes of Roses Domino set, photo by ebay seller murrykin

These perfume lines were so successful that the Bourjois shops had their interiors and furniture decorated using the same graphics.

A special advertising chair, a rare piece of furniture from one of Bourjois' salons, used in either the Paris or London boutique. Only two chairs are still known to exist. The front of the wooden chair features a central splat decorated with a hand painted Art Deco motif of a slender vase holding a single stylized rose bloom in polychrome enamel, the background of the design is gilded. At the base of the splat, the name Bourjois and the cities Paris & London are stenciled. The top rail of the chair has a small hand painted cartouche featuring the name "Ashes of Roses", a perfume. The back of the chair has a similar hand painted design, this time, the flower is of two stylized violet blossoms and the cartouche reads "Ashes of Violets", the name of another Bourjois perfume. The chair has an applied varnish and is fitted with a leather upholstered slip seat.

The Ashes of Roses/Violettes included the following products:

• Perfume in six sizes including miniature
• Toilet Water 
• Eau de Cologne in three sizes, and two decanter sizes 
• Toilet Soap, 3 bars in a box 
• Toilet Soap, 1 in a box 
• Bath Soap, 3 bars in a box 
• Bath Crystals in three sizes 
• Bath Tablets in two sizes 
• Bath Dusting Powder 
• Talcum Powder in two sizes 
• Sachet Powder in satin envelopes
• Baby Powder 
• Cold Cream
• Night cream 
• Vanishing Cream in two sizes 
• Face Powder in two sizes 
• Compact Powder in two sizes 
• Rouge
• Lipstick
• Depilatory 
• Cigarettes in two box sizes 
• Perfume Cachous 
• Smelling Salts
• Liquid Brilliantine for the hair in Ashes of Roses or Ashes of Violets 
• Solid Brilliantine
• Wave Setting Lotion
• Vanity Bag Compact Powder in gilt case with dainty puff and mirror, in two sizes 
• Coffret with perfume, eau de cologne, lipstick and face powder

Perfume:

Introduced in 1923,  the Ashes of Roses perfume (Parfum) was available in various bottles. The Perfume came in six different sizes. One bottle was a slim, square shape topped with a glass button shaped stopper covered  in gold enamel.

Perfume Ashes of Roses, of delicate and lasting fragrance.

• Purse size (Ref. No. 90M)
• 1 oz - Small size (Ref. No. 90) measures 2.75" inches high and 1.5" inches wide
• 2 oz? - Larger size (Ref. No. 91)

 

 

The perfume bottle stands 3" tall and the powder box measures 2 7/8" in diameter and 1 1/14" tall. Photo by ebay seller manysmiles.

The bottle below was the Deluxe version made by both Baccarat and St Louis Glassworks. This bottle was originally used for the Bourjois perfume Miss Kate and is the precursor to the famous Shalimar bottle used by Guerlain. The bottle stands about 4.5" tall including the urn shaped black glass stopper.

Eau de Cologne:

Introduced in 1923, the Eau de Cologne came in several sizes, small flasks, medium flasks, and large flask. It also came in two different economy sized decanters.

Eau de Toilette:

Introduced in 1923, Bourjois described their Toilet Water (Ref. No. 92) as having the" highest and most delicate quality.  Fragrant and stimulating." It is shown in the tall, slim bottle with colored glass button stopper below:

Rouge:

Introduced in 1923, what is commonly called blush or blusher today, Bourjois' rouge was originally housed in gold-decorated leatherette cases with rich ball-top puffs. 

• Rouge in shades Ashes of Roses (dark and rich), Mandarine (frankly orange, light and bright) 
• Rouge, pocket size with puff (Ref. No. 83) 
• Rouge, boudoir size with puff (Ref. No. 84) 
• Rouge, professional size - no puff (Ref. No. 85) 

Face Powder

Introduced in 1923, Bourjois said: their face powder was “A triumph of French art. Unrivalled for smoothness of texture and invisibility, delightfully perfumed. Like a bloom gathered from the rose.”  Their ads also claimed that it was "the result of years of research in one of the most modern perfumery laboratories in Paris." The face powder was ground "so fine as to be almost invisible."

Face Powder came in two sizes, also in compacts too. Shades: Naturelle, Rachel, Blanche, Rose, and Brunette. 

Lipstick:

Introduced in 1923, the lipsticks were contained inside of gilded metal cases with push up tubes. Bourjois said their lipstick “Adds that last alluring touch to beauty.” Lipstick in two colors - Ashes of Roses (dark) and Ashes of Rose Mandarine (light), in two sizes: 

• Purse size (Ref. No. 97)
• Larger size (Ref. No. 98)

Bath Crystals & Tablets:

Introduced in 1923, Bath Salt Tablets were available in two sizes, a small container of six or large container of twelve in Ashes of Roses or Ashes of Violets scent. Bath salt crystals were available in two sizes, large and small. Luxury bath crystals could be has in small or large fancy opal glass jars. All in Ashes of Roses, Ashes of Violets and Ashes of Carnations fragrances.

Talcum, Baby  Powder & Poudre de Toilette:

Introduced in 1923, Talcum powder came in two sizes. 

Cold Cream, Vanishing Cream & Night Cream:

Introduced in 1923, the Vanishing Cream was an all purpose cream that was supposed to fade dark spots, blemishes, remove blackheads and pimples, and help prevent sunburn.You were supposed to apply it before your face powder in the morning before going outside. Bourjois described it as “An exquisite cream of lasting freshness and delightful perfume—a perfect base for powder.”

Introduced in 1924, Bourjois described their cold cream as “The true skin food—it creates that bloom of health and a soft, rounded suppleness.”

Introduced in 1928, the Night Cream was to be applied before retiring for bed. Bourjois described it as “Softens and nourishes the skin and removes all impurities from the pores while you sleep.”

Ashes of Roses Depilatory:

With the fashions of the day revealing women's legs and bare arms, shaving was a must for those who did not want the old fashioned "au naturel" look. However, unlike today, women of the period did not have many options. Shaving the underarms and legs during the 1920s was not just seen as "risque" but also was actually very risky, as women had to use men's razors or the special lady razors that still looked like men's big clunky razors. To counteract this, many companies came out with cream based depilatories, and Bourjois was no exception, their version, introduced in 1925, was scented with their famous Ashes of Roses perfume. Bourjois said that it “Removes superfluous hair in a few minutes, quickly, safely and surely, leaving the skin smooth and soft and in no way irritated.”

Now women had a product to help not only remove hair but also leave the skin lightly perfumed.

Ashes of Rsoes Soap:

Introduced in 1923, it was a square shaped bar soap.

Ashes of Roses Brilliantine:

In 1927, Bourjois introduced two types of brilliantines: crystallized and liquid.

 

Ashes of Roses & Violets Cigarettes:

Introduced in 1927, these cigarettes were made by the Silver Perfumes Cigarette Company and "made by hand with the finest Virginia tobacco" and subtly scented with Ashes of Roses or Ashes of Violets fragrances. The feminine cigarettes came in boxes of 12 and 25, the cigarettes themselves were described by Bourjois as "dainty" and "gold-tipped."Each was emblazoned with the Ashes of Roses flower vase motif and gold tips.