• About
  • Login to comment
    • Facebook
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Now Smell This

a blog about perfume

Menu ▼
  • Perfume Reviews
  • New Perfumes
  • Perfumers
  • Perfume Houses
  • Shop for perfume
  • Resources

Perfume book report: Perfume, by William I Kaufman

Posted by Robin on 27 October 2005 4 Comments

Perfume, by William Kaufman, is yet another coffee-table type survey of the world of perfume. It offers a more detailed history of perfume than some of the other books reviewed here, starting with the use of aromatic materials in ancient Egypt, moving on to an overview of perfume flacons through the ages, and then tracing the origins of the modern perfume industry in France via the production of perfumed gloves in Grasse. The section on modern-day perfumery is, however, comparatively brief and offers little of note on the 20th century.

But the main draw is the second section of the book, which focuses on creation and artistry in the field. Highlights include 1973 interviews with Edmond Routnitska and Marcel Carles, a lecture given by Mr. Roudnitska to the First International Perfumery Conference in 1969, and a reprint of an article by Jean Carles titled "A Method of Creation in Perfumery". These are fascinating reading for perfume enthusiasts, and the Jean Carles article will also be of special interest to anyone who is interested in learning to create their own perfumes.

Perfume is 200 pages long, and there are full-color illustrations throughout. It was published in 1974 by E.P. Dutton & Co, and is long out of print, but copies turn up on Ebay fairly regularly.

Filed Under: perfume books

Advertisement


4 Comments

Leave a comment, or read more about commenting at Now Smell This. Here's our privacy policy, and a handy emoticon chart.

  1. Anonymous says:
    27 October 2005 at 9:39 am

    Great! First hand documentation (like the interviews and the lecture you mentioned) is always best. I will be looking out for this one. I've read that the photography in this book is very nice too.

    Log in to Reply
  2. Anonymous says:
    27 October 2005 at 10:25 am

    M, I think you would love this book. The photography is nice — lots of full color pictures of raw materials, which is rare.

    Log in to Reply
  3. Anonymous says:
    27 October 2005 at 12:21 pm

    I love this book! It is such a mine of information. Jean Carles method article alone is worth the price.

    Log in to Reply
  4. Anonymous says:
    27 October 2005 at 10:22 pm

    Completely agree, V, and especially if you can find it on ebay for less than $20.

    Log in to Reply

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Advertisement

Search

Browse by…

Topic

Perfume talk New fragrances
Shopping Books :: News
Body products Home fragrance
Polls Another subject

Date

February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
Prior months

Author

Robin Jessica
Angela Kevin
Erin Guest Author

Tag

Celebrity perfumes
Cheap thrills
Collector bottles
Perfumista tip series
Video
The complete tag index

From NST at Twitter

  • I am a day late but you can still enter: "Kraft Singles is giving away grilled cheese-scented incense to celebrate… https://t.co/8T64EZUJmy, 18 hours ago
  • @Counselor_Gal44 I don't always, but I really like these bottles so I hope I like at least one of this set!,
  • "Estée Lauder to close Rodin Olio Lusso" (cosmeticsbusiness) https://t.co/sXJcxxYlHW,

Recent reviews

Atelier Cologne Love Osmanthus
Moschino Toy Boy
Arquiste Misfit
Diptyque Eau Capitale
Zoologist Bee
Parfum d’Empire Immortelle Corse
Comme des Garcons Series 10 Clash
Frédéric Malle Rose & Cuir
L’Artisan Parfumeur Le Chant de Camargue
Yves Saint Laurent Grain de Poudre
Régime des Fleurs Chloë Sevigny Little Flower
Chanel 1957
Gallivant Los Angeles
Amouage Portrayal Woman

Blogroll

Bois de Jasmin
Grain de Musc
Perfume Posse
The Non-Blonde
More blogs...

Perfumista lists

100 fragrances every perfumista should try
And 25 more fragrances every perfumista should smell
50 masculine fragrances every perfumista should try
26 vintage fragrances every perfumista should try
25 rose fragrances every perfumista should try
11 Cheap Perfumes Beauty Outsiders Love

Favorite posts

The Great Perfume Reduction Plan
Why I Love Old School Chypres
New to perfume and want to learn more?
How to make fragrance last through the day
Fragrance concentrations: sorting it all out
On reformulations, or why your favorite perfume doesn’t smell like it used to
How to get fragrance samples
Perfume for Life: How Long Will Your Fragrance Collection Last?

Upcoming

List of upcoming Friday projects

24 April ~ swapmeet

Back to Top

Home
About Now Smell This :: Privacy Policy

Shop for Perfume Online
Perfume Shopping in New York
Perfume Shopping in London
Perfume Reviews
New Perfumes
General Perfume Articles
The Monday Mail

Glossary of Perfume Terms
Perfume FAQ
Perfume Links
Perfume Books
Fragrance Awards

Noses ~ Perfumers A-E :: F-K :: L-S :: T-Z

Perfume Houses A-B :: C :: D-E :: F-G
H-J :: K-L :: M :: N-O :: P :: Q-R :: S
T :: U-Z

Copyright © 2005-2021 Now Smell This. All rights reserved.