The perfumery company J.FONT y Cia.
was born in Spain in the 19th century and became
one of the most important in Europe
The perfume in Europe
1700-1799
It was in the middle of the 18th century that the first perfumery and cosmetics establishments were established. In a short time their essences and ointments triumphed in the Royal Houses. It is the time of the reign of Louis XV of France (1715-1774) and in England of the reign of George II (1727-1760).
Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour (1721-1764) was the greatest exponent of Rococo glamour.
She was a lover of King Louis XV of France, an educated woman, sensitive to art and intelligent, she was very fond of perfumes.
In this painting by the artist François Boucher we see her portrayed in a moment of her “toilette”.
Title of the painting:
Madame de Pompadour in her Toilette
Oil on canvas, 1758
Height: 81 cm (31.8 ″)
Width: 63 cm (24.8 ″)
Fogg Museum
The main perfume manufacturers
of the period 1700-1799
The main manufacturers were: in France, ORIZA L. LEGRAND 1710, PIVER 1774, HOUBIGANT 1775, DORIN 1780 y LUBIN 1798 and, in England: GIBBS 1712, J. FLORIS 1730 y ATKINSONS 1799.
J. FLORIS in England
One of the most important perfume manufacturers in England is not English, he is a Spaniard from the island of Menorca.
Juan Femenías Florit emigrated with his wife Elizabeth to London and established his first shop in 1730, at 89 Jeremy Street in London’s elegant St James’ district.
He changed his name from FLORIT to FLORIS because it was easier to pronounce in English.
Today, almost 300 years after its creation, the soul of the company is still installed in the same building where the company was founded and is run by its descendants.
One of the oldest bottles of the firm
J. Floris. which are preserved in the Crivillé Collection.
This perfume baptized as Rose Mouth-Wash, belongs to the production of the year 1830.
The label already accredits the brand as a supplier to the Royal House, a title granted to J. Floris in 1820.
Fragrance: ROSE MOUTH-WASH
Glass Bottle
Crivillé Collection
Great brands of the time made artistic designs for their packaging
1890, powder box HÉLIOTROPE BLANC
E. COUDRAY. Length: 8 cm. Width: 8 cm. Height: 4,2 cm. Crivillé Collection
1890, PARME VIOLETTES powder box
L. T. PIVER. Length: 8 cm. Width: 8 cm. Height: 4,2 cm. Crivillé Collection
The perfume in Spain
1800-1899
The 19th century saw the birth of a new generation of perfumers
J. FONT y Cia.
In 1823, during the reign of Fernando VII is when José Font Pagés, is established as the first manufacturer of perfumes in Spain. Font who had lived in France and glimpsing the potential of perfumery and cosmetics began making soaps and later perfumes and facial powders.
Font quickly achieved commercial success with seductive combinations of flowers and fruits that delighted everyone who had access to them. It should be remembered that, in its early days, perfumery was only available to the more affluent classes.
Its factory acquired such importance that it occupied 53819.55 ft² in the district of Barcelona’s Ensanche, at the confluence of Mallorca and Urgell streets.
J. FONT y Cia. obtains accreditation as a supplier
of the Spanish Royal Household for its entire range of products
Selection of Perfumes and Cosmetics by J. FONT y Cia.
1870
Eau de Cologne
LA CARTUJA
J. FONT y Cia.
High: 23,5 cm
Width: 9 cm
Thickness: 4,2 cm
Contained: 200 ml
Crivillé Collection
1870, facial powder TESORO CUTÁNEO
J. FONT y Cia. Diameter: 8.2 cm. Height: 3.5 cm. Crivillé Collection
1880, NINETTE SOAP
J. FONT y Cia. Height: 3,5 cm. Width: 5 cm. Crivillé Collection
1890, SPRING SPRAY SOAPS box
J. FONT y Cia. Length: 20,4 cm. Width: 7,5 cm. Height: 3,5 cm. Crivillé Collection
1895, FONTAINE HYGIENIC SOAP box
J. FONT y Cia. manufactured another line of soaps called Perfumería Fontaine.
Length: 16 cm. Width: 8 cm. Height: 3 cm. Contents: 3 tablets. Crivillé Collection
1895, facial powder BEAUTY NATURAL
J. FONT y Cia. Diameter: 8,2 cm. Height: 3 cm. Crivillé Collection
1895, BEAUTY powder pack
J. FONT y Cia. Length: 7,8 cm. Width: 4,4 cm. Height: 2,6 cm. Crivillé Collection
BEAUTY powder package, back
1895, envelopes of POMPEA facial powder
J. FONT y Cia. Length: 12 cm. Width: 9,5 cm. Crivillé Collection
1895, XX CENTURY pack
J. FONT y Cia. Length: 16,5 cm. Width: 8 cm. Height: 3,4 cm. Crivillé Collection
Box lid
Interior of the box
Selection of Perfumes and Cosmetics of the XX century by J. FONT y Cia.
1900, facial powder SPAIN SKIN
J. FONT y Cia. Length: 7,8 cm. Width: 7,8 cm. Height: 3,5 cm. Crivillé Collection
Catalogues would become a strategic salesperson
Soon, as the number of establishments increased, manufacturers began to publish the first catalogues to promote their creations and facilitate their marketing. Detailed illustrations of the entire manufacturer’s range were presented in luxurious catalogues that included product descriptions and purchase rates for the store.
CATALOGUE OF THE YEAR 1902. J. FONT y Cia.
Measurements: 30 x 22 cm. 113 pages. Crivillé Collection
1905, NILUS perfume
J. FONT y Cia. Height: 15,5 cm. Width: 7,5 cm. Thickness: 4 cm. Contents: 100 ml. Crivillé Collection
1905, facial powder NILUS
J. FONT y Cia. Diameter: 7 cm. Height: 3,5 cm. Crivillé Collection
1905, facial powder BEAUTY MALVA
J. FONT y Cia. Diameter: 7,8 cm. Height: 3,3 cm. Crivillé Collection
1905, facial powder BEAUTY ROSE
J. FONT y Cia. Diameter: 7,8 cm. Height: 3,3 cm. Crivillé Collection
1905, facial powder GATITA
J. FONT y Cia. Diameter: 6,2 cm. Height: 2,1 cm. Crivillé Collection
1905, facial powder CELIA
J. FONT y Cia. Diameter: 8 cm. Height: 3,2 cm. Crivillé Collection
1905, facial powder TESORO
J. FONT y Cia. Diameter: 6 cm. Height: 2 cm. Crivillé Collection
1905, MANDARIN BLUSH
J. FONT y Cia. Diameter: 4,7 cm. Height: 1,7 cm. Crivillé Collection
1905, SOAP 1823
J. FONT y Cia. Length: 16,5 cm. Width: 8,2 cm. Height: 3 cm. Crivillé Collection
CATALOGUE 1910
J. FONT y Cia. Crivillé Collection
1910, perfume FLOR ROJA
J. FONT y Cia. Height: 11,5 cm. Width: 6 cm. Thickness: 2,5 cm. Crivillé Collection
1910, facial powder SILVER FLOWER
J. FONT y Cia. Diameter: 9 cm. Height: 3 cm. Crivillé Collection
1923, GLYCERIN SOAP box
J. FONT y Cia. Length: 16,5 cm. Width: 8 cm. Height: 3,4 cm. Crivillé Collection
Box lid
Interior of the box
Transparent Glycerin Soap Box
1935, facial powder ACACIA
J. FONT y Cia. Length: 7,5 cm. Width: 7,5 cm. Height: 3,2 cm. Crivillé Collection
Luxury perfume windows
At the beginning of the 19th century, there were only a few commercial establishments in Spain where foreign perfumes were sold. In Madrid, the Perfumería Casa FORTIS, located in the central Puerta del Sol, was the first establishment to open in 1823.
Perfumery Casa FORTIS. Madrid
Mechanical reproduction, 120 x 170 mm.
Illustration in: Madrid in hand. Madrid, sn.,s.s. ER/6425/5 (p. 26)
Other establishments of the time
1905, IDEAL Perfumery, Madrid
1905, PERFUMERÍA FRANCESA. Madrid
EL SIGLO Department stores. Barcelona
In the last quarter of the 19th century, the Department Stores were established in the main European capitals, where perfumery was assigned an outstanding space as a specialised section, and in the pavilions of the Universal Exhibition, luxurious showcases were made to present perfumery.
Left image: Poster of the Department Stores El Siglo in the city of Barcelona.
Right image: detail of the border of the poster highlighting the perfumery section.
1889, Universal Exhibition. Paris
In the rest of Europe, 19th century perfumers also set up establishments decorated with the utmost luxury. In London, the brand’s founder, William Henry Penhaligon’s, arrived in the city in the 1860s to make a fortune and so began his illustrious career. Creative and ambitious, William was inspired by the scents of the Turkish baths of nearby Jeremy Street and created his first perfume, Hammam Bouquet, in 1874.
Ads, Press and Merchandising
The communication strategies of brands and perfumeries developed strongly from the last third of the 19th century onwards.
Example of a publicity report in the press of the city of Barcelona
Crivillé Collection
Examples of merchandising actions of brands and perfumeries
Postcards promoting the products of a perfumery and hairdressing establishment.
Crivillé Collection
Small historical literature presented by the brand J. FONT y Cia. Crivillé Collection
ADS
1908. Advertisement of the brand J. FONT y Cia. Height: 15 cm. Width: 10 cm.
Font hired the most outstanding artists of the time to illustrate his advertisements. Crivillé Collection
!935, DISPLAY TALC DA-DA. J. FONT y Cia. Carton Die-cut.
Height: 24 cm. Width: 31,5 cm. Crivillé Collection
1940. Advertisement of the brand J. FONT y Cia. Height: 16,7 cm. Width: 23,3 cm. Crivillé Collection
A unique 19th century cosmetic treatment
BEAR FAT
By the middle of the century, Bear Fat was popularized as a treatment for alopecia and a solution for growing hair. All major brands offered this product in their catalog.
1860, OAK GREASE J. FONT y Cia.
J. FONT y Cia. Height: 4,8 cm. Diameter: 3,7 cm. Crivillé Collection
1823, JAMES ATKINSON’S BEARS GREASE
Height: 5,5 cm. Diameter: 8 cm. Crivillé Collection
1840, GRAISSE D’OURS GUERLAIN
Reproductions of the book LA HISTORIA DE GUERLAIN
