The sweet smell of success
John Scott deciphers a fascinating missive that sheds a light on the history of perfumery in the 19th century
Eau de Cologne is recognised the world over as a fragrance to keep bad odours at bay – an even more important requirement in previous centuries when bathing was a luxury that few could afford. But where did it come from? That question, and many others, can be answered by postal historians from letters in their collections that may have lain unread for generations.
A letter is often valued in the philatelic market by reference to the postage stamps and postmarks impressed upon it, with little importance being attached to the contents, especially if the manuscript is at all difficult to decipher.
One such letter is illustrated here. It was posted from London to Cologne in 1829 with a red London paid datestamp of 11 December and then received the Foreign Office stamp in black reading ‘F 244 29’. Despite the efforts of generations of collectors the meaning of the number, in this case 244, has never been clarified. So, this letter has minimal value in the philatelic market for its postmarks.
It is not until the content is read that a story begins to emerge. The letter was written by CA Peirce of 57 New Bond Street, London, and a quick glance at a contemporary directory reveals that Clement Peirce was a wholesale perfumer. He has just returned from visiting the well-known firm of perfumers in Paris, Gervaischardin,
where he had arranged for an outstanding bill of 3,072 francs to be paid to Jean Marie Farina in Cologne, to whom he is now writing to order 200 dozen bottles of Eau de Cologne, specifying the finest quality.
Eau de Cologne was created by an Italian immigrant to Germany, Johann Maria Farina, whose family arrived there from Santa Maria Maggiore in 1709. The secret was to create a fragrance that remained constant even when produced in large quantities, with the main ingredients being bergamot, lemon and orange. Johann wrote to his brother that ‘my fragrance is like an Italian spring coming after the rain’. Initially called Aqua Mirabilis or Miracle Water, the name of
Eau de Cologne was adopted in part as an expression of the family’s gratitude for being granted citizenship. Napoleon had a special bottle made to fit inside his boots, while Queen Victoria ordered 600 bottles, and the perfume has been patronised since by Bill Clinton, Mozart, Princess Diana, Beethoven and Oscar Wilde, to name but a few. Eight generations later Eau de Cologne is still being made by the Farina family in Cologne.
The latest buzzword in the philatelic community is ‘context’ and the purpose for which a letter was written is fundamental to understanding its history. There is no catalogue for ‘context’, but a vital ingredient is the ability to conjure up a story, either from the stamp itself, the postmark or the letter. As this example proves, there is no need even to lavish large sums of money on the project and the internet will do much of the donkey work for the curious collector. But what the story does is to engage with a much wider audience and that is indeed the very essence of postal history.