French Roger & Gallet Œillet-Mignardise Soap Presentation Box Art Deco 1920s-30s

Vintage French Roger & Gallet Œillet-Mignardise Soap Presentation Box – Art Deco c.1920s–1930s

A wonderfully decorative original French soap presentation box from Roger & Gallet of Paris, produced for their celebrated Savon Œillet-Mignardise carnation-scented soaps.

Originally designed to hold three bars of soap, the box is beautifully decorated throughout with sprays of colourful carnations in red, pink, white and green, framed by striking black, gold and jade-green geometric borders. The combination of stylised florals and strong geometric detailing gives the packaging a particularly attractive Art Deco appearance.

The front panel reads:

“Savon Œillet-Mignardise – Carnation – Roger & Gallet – Paris – France”

while the end is marked:

“3 Savons Œillet-Mignardise – Cod. 2004 – Printed in France.”

Roger & Gallet's Œillet-Mignardise fragrance has an interesting history, having first been created in 1897 for the famous Parisian department store Le Bon Marché. Its popularity saw it become part of the firm's established range, making surviving period packaging such as this a charming piece of French cosmetic and advertising history.

We believe this particular box dates to approximately the 1920s–1930s, although an exact production date has not been confirmed.

The box is constructed from card with printed decoration and is now empty. It retains wonderfully strong colour and detail despite its age.

Condition:

Good original vintage condition with plenty of authentic age-related character. There is rubbing, surface wear and losses around the edges and corners, together with some discolouration and marking to the plain interior. The printed decoration remains remarkably vibrant and attractive. Please study the photographs carefully as they form an important part of the description.

Dimensions:

Length: approx. 20.3 cm

Width: approx. 7 cm

Height: approx. 3.7 cm

A fabulous piece of vintage French advertising ephemera, ideal for collectors of Roger & Gallet, antique perfume and soap packaging, Art Deco design, French pharmacy items or simply as a colourful decorative curiosity.

Why we love it:

It is the graphics that make this one special. The carnations, rich green panels and gold detailing are unapologetically decorative, and even with its century-old knocks and scrapes it still looks rather fabulous.

Vintage and antique items will naturally show signs of age and previous use. Photographs are not digitally enhanced, although colours may vary slightly between screens. Description given to the best of our knowledge.