Grace Elizabeth Arnone Hummel
Independent Perfume Historian | Researcher | Writer | Antique Dealer & Collector
Welcome to My Schiaparelli Perfume Archive
Welcome, and thank you for visiting my Schiaparelli perfume website!
My name is Grace Elizabeth Arnone Hummel, although many in the fragrance community know me as Cleopatra, the founder of Cleopatra's Boudoir. I am an independent perfume historian, researcher, writer, antique dealer, and collector with more than 25 years of experience studying antique and vintage perfumes, historic fragrance houses, decorative bottles, cosmetics, and the history of the beauty industry.
Since establishing Cleopatra's Boudoir in 1999, I have dedicated myself to uncovering and preserving the often-forgotten history of perfumery. What began as a fascination with antique scent bottles has developed into an extensive historical archive documenting thousands of fragrances, manufacturers, advertisements, and surviving artifacts.
I created this website to explore the extraordinary perfume heritage of Elsa Schiaparelli, whose imaginative fragrances and artistic presentations represent a remarkable marriage of fashion, Surrealism, and perfumery. I am particularly fascinated by her iconic Shocking, with its sculptural torso-shaped bottle, along with Sleeping, Snuff, Le Roi Soleil, Zut!, and the lesser-known fragrances that deserve renewed attention.
As an antique dealer and collector, I especially appreciate Schiaparelli's unusual perfume bottles, imaginative packaging, and striking advertising. Her collaborations with artists and designers, including Leonor Fini and Salvador Dalí, make her perfume creations particularly rewarding subjects for my research.
Rather than repeating the company's history, which I have documented separately, this page introduces the person behind the research.
My Research and What I Do
I often describe myself as a perfume historian and detective, because much of my work involves reconstructing forgotten histories from scattered pieces of evidence.
I examine original newspaper and magazine advertisements, department-store catalogs, perfume trade journals, patents, trademarks, business directories, and surviving bottles and packaging. These primary sources help me establish fragrance introduction dates, identify original presentations, document historical scent descriptions, and distinguish early products from later reformulations.
My research also explores the contributions of perfumers, bottle designers, glassmakers, and artists whose work helped shape the visual identity of historic fragrance houses.
I particularly enjoy helping collectors identify and date vintage perfume bottles, recognize unusual packaging variations, and rediscover discontinued fragrances. With Schiaparelli, the relationship between fragrance and the decorative arts is especially important, as her perfume presentations were often conceived as miniature works of art.
Another aspect of my work involves restoring, enhancing, and colorizing historical perfume advertisements and photographs, helping modern readers appreciate their original artistry. Where historical colors cannot be verified, these restorations are artistic interpretations.
My goal is to make reliable historical perfume information freely accessible, especially when it concerns forgotten fragrances and products that are difficult to research elsewhere.
My Work in the Fragrance Community
Over the years, my research has been referenced and appreciated by perfume collectors, writers, journalists, and historians.
I have contributed writing to Fragrantica and The Perfume Magazine, previously served on Sniffapalooza's Fragrance Advisory Board, participated in Allure magazine's Beauty Panel, and have been associated with the International Perfume Bottle Association (IPBA).
I have also authored more than 200 educational eBay guides devoted to antique and vintage perfumes and collecting.
My research has been cited or acknowledged in publications including Lizzie Ostrom's Perfume: A Century of Scents, Gregory N. Daugherty's The Reception of Cleopatra in the Age of Mass Media, and Mary May Robertson's The Marriage between Perfume and the Lyric Stage.
Cleopatra's Boudoir has been described as a "Temple to Ancient Perfumes" by Beauty Bible and a "gold mine about dating vintage perfumery" by Scent Grail. Amelia of The Vintage Perfume Vault has also generously recognized my contributions to the free exchange of historical perfume information online.
These acknowledgments mean a great deal to me because my work has always been motivated by curiosity, a love of history, and the desire to share what I discover.
Preserving Our Perfume Heritage
Perfume is a fragile part of our cultural heritage. Fragrances evaporate, formulas change, bottles are discarded, and once-popular creations disappear from memory.
Yet an original advertisement, surviving perfume bottle, or forgotten catalog can reveal valuable details about the artistry, fashions, and social customs of its time.
Through this website, I hope to preserve the stories behind Schiaparelli's fragrances while documenting their original presentations, artistic collaborations, and historical significance.
My research is ongoing, and I welcome historical photographs, advertisements, catalogs, and information from fellow collectors.
Whether you are researching a discontinued fragrance, identifying an unusual perfume bottle, or exploring the fascinating intersection of fashion, art, and perfumery, I hope you find something here that inspires your curiosity.
Thank You for Visiting
I am sincerely grateful to the readers, collectors, and fellow fragrance enthusiasts who have supported my work throughout the years. Your questions, discoveries, and encouragement continue to inspire my research.
My greatest hope is that these archives will preserve the history and artistry of perfumery for today's enthusiasts and future generations of collectors and historians.
Thank you for visiting, and happy collecting!
Grace Elizabeth Arnone Hummel
Cleopatra
Founder of Cleopatra's Boudoir
Independent Perfume Historian, Researcher & Writer
Southern New Jersey, USA
Contact: reinedeparfum@gmail.com
Preserving the past, one perfume at a time.
This website is an independent historical and educational resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially associated with Schiaparelli, Parfums Schiaparelli, their current or former owners, trademark holders, or any affiliated companies. All trademarks and brand names remain the property of their respective owners.
No comments:
Post a Comment