The following table provides the most-researched compilation of first/original-issue and production-end dates for the many fragrances offered by the California Perfume Company and early- Avon Products, Inc. from 1886 through 1939. These dates are defined using catalogs, representative's order sheets, customer flyers, advertising, as well as CPC Bulletins and CPC and Avon Outlooks.
Of note, the annotation of the Orange and Oriental fragrances (1890-1895) originate from the Avon 8 Collector's Encyclopedia. An excellent point to keep in mind: the first CPC catalog was issued in 1896 -- text only. The 1897 through 1899 catalogs contained a few hand-drawn illustrations. Furthermore, there is very little extant documentation from the earliest years of the California Perfume Company...but the search continues.
If you have particular questions regarding this table or the methodology of dating, please contact me at russell (at) caiforniaperfumecompany.net.
| Fragrance | Dates | Notes/See Footnotes |
|---|---|---|
| Heliotrope | 1886-1927 | |
| Hyacinth | 1886-1922 | |
| Lily of the Valley | 1886-Avon | |
| Violet | 1886-1928 | |
| White Rose | 1886-Avon | |
| Orange Blossoms | 1890-1895 | 2B - Uncertain |
| Oriental | 1890-1895 | 2B - Uncertain |
| Bay Rum | 1890-Avon | 2A |
| Carnation | 1890-1932 | 2A |
| Crab Apple Blossom | 1890-1930 | 2A |
| Eau de Cologne | 1890-1924 | 2A |
| Florida Water | 1890-1924 | 2A |
| Lavender | 1890-1924 | 2A |
| Lou Lillie | 1890-1908 | 2A |
| Sweet Cologne | 1890-1916 | 2A |
| Sweet Pea | 1890-1925 | 2A, Reissue: 1934-1939 |
| White Heliotrope | 1890-1920 | 2A |
| Musk | 1896-1924 | 2A |
| White Lilac | 1896-1930 | 2A |
| L'Odeur de Violette | 1898-1921 | |
| Le Parfum des Roses | 1898-1921 | |
| Peau d' Espagne | 1898-1921 | |
| Bouquet Marie | 1900-1908 | |
| Frangipani | 1900-1908 | |
| Golf Club | 1900-1908 | |
| Golf Violet | 1900-1922 | |
| Jack Rose | 1900-1922 | |
| Jockey Club | 1900-1924 | |
| Marie Stuart | 1900-1908 | (also Marie Stewart) |
| May Blossom | 1900-1908 | |
| New Mown Hay | 1900-1922 | |
| Rose Geranium | 1900-1924 | |
| Stephanotis | 1900-1908 | |
| Trailing Arbutus | 1900-Avon | |
| Tube Rose | 1900-1913 | |
| Venetian Carnation | 1900-1924 | |
| Ylang, Ylang | 1900-1908 | |
| California Bouquet | 1902-1922 | |
| Treffle | 1902-1920 | |
| Roses | 1906-1925 | |
| American Ideal | 1907-1934 | Reissue: 1941 Only |
| Honey Suckle | 1909-1924 | |
| Natoma Rose | 1912-1924 | |
| Daphne | 1916-Avon | |
| Mission Garden | 1922-1928 | |
| Vernafleur | 1923-Avon | |
| Lilac Vegetable | 1925-1936 | |
| Narcissus | 1925-Avon | |
| Jardin d' Amour | 1926-Avon | |
| Ariel | 1929-1939 | |
| 391 Perfume | 1930-1934 | |
| Bolero | 1934-1939 | |
| Cotillion | 1934-Avon | |
| Gardenia | 1934-Avon | |
| Jasmine | 1934-Avon | |
| Rose | 1934-1939 | |
| Pine | 1935-Avon | |
| Topaze | 1935-Avon | |
| Lucy Hays | 1936-1939 | |
| Courtship | 1937-1939 | |
| Lilac | 1937-Avon | |
| Marionette | 1938-Avon | |
| Ballad | 1939-Avon | Issued post-Avon changeover,
November 1939 |
Footnotes:
1) Reissues: When a fragrance, after having been discontinued, is brought back into production - normally for a short period of time. For example, the American Ideal fragrance had a normal production run from 1907 through 1934, after which the fragrance was reintroduced in 1941, only for a four month period.
2) Dating Difficulties (research continues and the chart will be updated as new information is available):
A) Year of
First Issue could not be verified.
B)
Years of Issue could not be verified - current thinking is that these
two fragrances may have never sold on a massive scale. The only examples
discovered thus far were small labeled vials somewhat similar to the
1922 Daphne
perfume -- a quarter ounce perfume gift to customers meeting a $5.00
purchase quota..
