Perfume Atomizer Bottle
Ornate containers that once held exotic perfumes have been found in the tombs of the ancient Egyptians. Made from delicate pottery, often encrusted with gems, they still hold the lingering aroma of their owners' favorite scent and are the oldest perfume bottles known to man. The Greeks and Romans also valued perfumed oils and created beautiful containers to hold them.
It wasn't until the 18th century that perfume and its beautiful containers became widely available to most people. In the 18th and 19th centuries crystal-type glass bottles with brass caps or glass stoppers were the typical container used for dispensing of perfume. Colored glass was used to minimize exposure to sunlight and the breakdown of the essential oils.
In the 20th century brand name recognition became important and each fragrance was known by the bottle it was marketed in. It was at this time the atomizer was invented by Dr. Allen Divilbiss in 1888 for dispensing throat spray in a sanitary fashion. The doctor's son Thomas Divilbiss adapted his father's original invention to accommodate perfume in 1905. The Perfume Atomizer Bottle assured even dispensing of the perfume and eliminated much waste. Thomas Divilbiss was able to expand the family business to include the perfume atomizer bottle and for 30 years the Divilbiss atomizer dominated the market.
Collectors now buy and sell early 20th century perfume atomizer bottles and some command a high price. Those manufactured by the Divilbiss Company can range sell for several thousand dollars. Those designed by Steuben for the Divilbiss Company command the highest price. The glass bottle portion was often manufactured in Germany, Czechoslovakia, France, Italy or Japan. The atomizer assembly was attached at the Divilbiss plant in the United States. Those companies within the United States providing glass bottles for the Divilbiss Company were Steuben, Imperial, Cambridge, Tiffin, Fry and Vineland Glass Works. These perfume atomizer bottles did not come with perfume and the customer would use them to dispense her favorite fragrance bought separately.
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