About Vintage Czech Perfume Bottles

There are several noted authorities and many experts on Czechoslovakian glass and perfume bottles, some of whom are listed below. Their writings contain wonderful descriptions and photos of Czech perfume bottles with important historical information for the collector. Below is our very humble synopsis of some key points about these lovely perfume bottles.

Many people collect vintage Czech perfume bottles. What's the appeal? For almost a century, Czechslovakian artisans have been known for their skillful and creative work with high quality glass, crystal and metal filigree. Simply put, these bottles are beautiful works of art. Some are very Art Deco with stylized lines, cutouts, and stars. Others have intricate stoppers with figures of nudes, flappers, classical Greek figures, and animals. Some have metal work with glass jewels and filigree. And some are classic, with gleaming high quality crystal and simple lines.

These superbly crafted and now highly sought-after vintage perfume bottles were mainly produced between the two World Wars, from about 1918-1938. During this time, many bottles were exported to the United States. When the Germans invaded Czechslovakia during World War II, many of the factories were shut down, artisans left Czechoslovakia and bottle molds were destroyed. Fortunately, we can still find these pre-WWII bottles in the United States, thanks to hefty exporting, or in Europe, thanks to safekeeping during the war. Lovely reproductions are being made today in the Czech Republic from original molds.

As a general rule of thumb, here are some characteristics that add to the value, quality and authenticity of any bottle:

Match: The bottle and its stopper or cap should clearly be a matched set and fit snugly together. Many glass bottles had interchangeable stoppers, though their basic style and size should complement each other and appear balanced.

Mark: The bottles should be marked "Made in Czechoslovakia." On crystal bottles, this is usually an oval or round acid mark on its bottom. Pressed bottles will have a raised "Made in Czechoslovakia" on the bottom. You may not find an acid etch if the bottle was part of a set or if it would have been difficult putting the mark on its bottom (as in the case of a footed or cut bottom.) On purse size bottles with metal filigree caps and charms, look for a very small metal tag on the cap that reads "Made in Czechslovakia (or one of the various spellings.)

Import Label: An adhesive paper label from the importer who brought the bottle from Czechoslovakia adds to the bottle's value and helps to date it. A key importer was Irving Rice whose company Irice put many bottles on American women's vanities or in their purses. You will see "Irice" pressed in the bottom of many purse size bottles or in labels affixed to the bottom of crystal bottles. During and after the war, Irice turned to non-Czech sources to continue providing perfume bottles, so just because it's marked "Irice" does not mean it's Czech. Others imported these bottles as well - you can find labels from Morlee, Aristo, Premier, etc. In addition to the import label, the bottle should also have an acid etch mark that says "Made in Czechoslovakia." Sometimes, the paper label is stuck over the acid mark. However, because the import label adds to the value of the bottle, don't remove it!

Dauber: It's great if the stopper or cap has an intact dauber or "dopper"-- the delicate, thin glass rod that goes down into the perfume. Most of the purse size bottles have managed to retain their daubers -- check to make sure it's not loose. With the larger glass bottles, it's common to find them with their daubers broken or missing. Some stoppers have had their bottoms with the missing daubers ground smooth. Some stoppers have had their daubers replaced. Naturally, most collectors want the original dauber in place, but won't turn down a gorgeous bottle that's missing one. An intact dauber will add to the bottle's value.

Color: The crystal bottles and stoppers were made in many different colors. The clear ones were most numerous, followed by blue and pink, though matched bottles and stoppers in even these colors with intact daubers are getting hard to find. Other colors were green, yellow and purple (or amethyst). The rarest are amber, red and opaque black. The daubers were almost always clear, but occasionally a dauber was the same color as its stopper, which increases its value.

Condition: Obviously, the better condition a vintage piece is in, the more valuable. However, these bottles are likely over 60 years old so expect some nicks and flea bites here and there. Bottles with filigree are likely to have some discoloration on them, and some of the filigree might be a bit loose. There might even be some perfume remaining inside. Any reputable dealer should tell you upfront (without you asking first!) about any problems with the bottle.

References: For definitive information and photos on vintage Czech perfume bottles, you can't go wrong with these books:

"Perfume Bottles for Purse and Dresser: From Czechoslovakia 1920s-1930s" by Verna Kocken, Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 2006.

"Czechoslovakian Perfume Bottles and Boudoir Accessories" by Jacquelyne Y. Jones-North, The Glass Press, Inc., 1999.

"Made in Czechoslovakia" by Ruth A. Forsythe, 1982.

We'll be happy to answer questions about vintage Czech perfume bottles - if we can't answer your question, we'll find someone who can!

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