Antique Victorian late 19th or early 20th century leather Rimmel perfume case in the shape of a casket, with a stunning silk and velvet interior. Both bottles are hand blown. There is a pontil mark on the base. They have the original labels and crystal stoppers, with very rare, original working key. These are very collectable and rare in this condition. Some age related wear
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Box 12 wide 10 cm tall 7 cm depth
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Bottles 8 cm tall 5 cm square
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Antique Double Perfume Casket with Original Cut-Glass Bottles
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Likely French or English — Late Victorian / Edwardian period (c.1880–1910)
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This charming miniature “perfume casket” presents as a tiny trunk-shaped chest, beautifully covered in dark textured leatherette with fine gilt lines giving it a smart, tailored look. The domed lid opens to reveal a vibrant royal-purple silk interior and fitted base lined in emerald green, housing two original squat cut-glass perfume bottles with faceted stoppers.
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Each bottle still retains its tiny gilt label — one reading “Ess Bouquet” and the other “Duchesse.” These names were common for luxury blended floral perfumes in the late 19th and early 20th century:
🌸 Essence Bouquet — usually a soft floral or mixed flower scent
🌸 Duchesse — often a refined violet, rose, or powdery blend
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The bottles are beautifully made, with polished pontil bases and ground stoppers. Both bottles sit snugly in their compartmented interior, suggesting this set has stayed together since new — something increasingly rare.
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A lovely detail is the working lock and key on the front of the casket, emphasising how perfume at the time was precious — something to be guarded and cherished.
 
 
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Likely Maker & History
 
Perfume caskets like this were popular luxury goods from around 1860–1915, made mainly in France and England for fashionable ladies to travel with small quantities of scent. The square bottle form with faceted stoppers and gilt scent labels is particularly associated with French manufacturers supplying perfumers in Paris and London.
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Many were retailed by high-end perfumers such as:
 
Rimmel (London & Paris)
 
L.T. Piver (Paris)
 
Guerlain (Paris)
 
Coudray (Paris)
 
 
However, the style of gilt scent medallions here — round and coin-like — is strongly reminiscent of late-Victorian French perfume labelling, when scent names such as Bouquet and Duchesse were widely sold by luxury houses.
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The outer case itself would have been produced by a specialist leather-covered box maker, then fitted with bottles supplied by a glasshouse — a typical collaborative craft tradition of the period.
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Sets like this were often purchased as romantic or wedding gifts, or as refined travelling accessories for wealthy women. Because perfumes were alcohol-based and expensive to import, bottles were rarely discarded — many became cherished keepsakes.
 
 
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Condition
 
Leatherette-covered casket shows light age wear, scuffing to edges — exactly what you’d expect from a well-loved antique.
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Original silk lining remains beautiful and vivid.
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Both cut-glass bottles present very well, with stoppers fitting correctly.
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Labels intact but timeworn, adding to the authenticity.
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Lock and key still present — a rare and desirable feature.
 
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This is a wonderfully evocative piece — the type that instantly conjures images of an elegant lady’s dressing table or a Grand Tour travelling trunk.
 
 
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Why We Love It 💜
 
Because it feels like a little time capsule. Everything about it — the jewel-bright lining, the faceted glass, the whisper-soft perfume names — radiates refinement and old-world romance. It’s the perfect decorative accent for a vintage dressing table, and a dream piece for collectors of perfume history, Victorian vanity items, or travel antiques.