Lightyears Collection
Colgate Perfume Sample Vials
Colgate
(c.1910's, 1920's)


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Vintage sample vials of Colgate perfumes

Sample bottles of Colgate perfumes.

Colgate was one of the first perfumers to undertake an aggressive sampling campaign. One of their giveaways was small perfume vials like these. Each contained just enough of the fragrance for one or possibly two uses. Then the bottle was discarded. These little bottles were the equivalent of today's sampling cards inserted into magazines. If you liked what you smelled, you went back to the store and bought a full size bottle.

These small vials were stopped by a tiny cork.


Colgate perfume samples shown here include La France Rose in a large and smaller size, Lilly of the Valley, and Dactylis. Click on image to enlarge
Detail of labels on sample bottles of Colgate perfumes

Detail of labels on sample bottles of Colgate perfumes.
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Detail of trademark seal on sample vials of Colgate perfume

Detail of gold Colgate trademark seal on vials of Colgate perfume.
 

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  • joan gardebled, 03/18/2019. Found an older lily of the valley By Colgate & Co with a ground glass stopper. would you like me to send a pic prior to my listing on ebay

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Philip Goutell
Lightyears, Inc.