Topic: Elizabeth Arden Perfume Bottle - is it Bimini?

[SusanRArthur]

Hi Anne and all,

I have just gotten the Waltraud Neuwirth book on Bimini in hoping to identify this bottle that was made for the Elizabeth Arden (EA)fragrance called "Blue Grass" (see photo). The bottle presentation has all the characteristics of Bimini - it is a simple clear glass bottle with a blue horse blown inside of it which is attached to the bottom. The horse in the EA bottle reminds me of the Pegasus horse that is listed in the WN book on Bimini. The bottle with the horse inside reminds me of the "Bimini Scent Bottles with Glass flowers and figures cast inside" listed on pages 316-19 in WF's book, the style is called Viennese Blown Glass and these pages appear to be out of the Bimini catalog. The stopper on the EA bottle looks very much like the stopper on the item #408 and 409 (pages 319 and 320, respectively). I considered writing WF but considering this book was published in 1992 and I could not find any contact info on her, I figured she is likely deceased. Hoping that you Anne or your glass community could help me.
Thank you, Susan

PS I have used your website several times in researching and writing about glass, specifically in reference to perfume bottles. I am a member of the International Perfume Bottle Association, and often write indepth article on glass as it pertains to perfume bottles.

[Anne]

Hello Susan and welcome to the board.  I had a quick look and found that Waltraud Neuwirth has a website with an email address contact on it, so it would be worth dropping her an email anyhow: http://waltraudneuwirth.at/ - the site is in German, but if you struggle with it I recommend using Google Translate - but if you have her book I'm guessing you'll be OK anyhow.

Your knowledge re perfume bottles will be much welcome here, especially as we have a number of outstanding queries about bottles on the board - the search function at the top menu bar should pick them up if you fancy taking a look. 

[SusanRArthur]

Thanks so much, Anne. That was an extraordinarily quick reply!! Appreciate it.

You are lady after my own heart, re:Google Translate. Use it often. I struggle with German, can pick out a few words. Dated a 2nd generation German guy for years, spent many weeks in Germany, and just as I was sorta beginning to get the jist of it, had to come back home. He is long gone, and now I live with a 4th generation Hungarian/Czech/Polish guy who only knows Polish curse words! Ugh.

I have just written Dr. Neuwirth, hope she is online still!!

I dig sneak a peek at the two perfume bottle questions, as they were several years old, didn't know if they were still viable questions. I certainly have an opinion about one of them, and will request a photo of the hallmark on the other - it had a silver top (am also a silver dabbler) and it was uranium glass, which I love. Planning on doing a presentation on same at our next IPBA convention next spring. I have a cabinet of glass that my boyfriend designed and fitted with black lights so I can enjoy its glow!!

Again, thank you so much. And if anyone else has an opinion about Bimini, I am all ears.

An especially difficult research topic in parallel to Bimini, is the name/distributor HETRA. Many fragile novelty perfume bottles are listed in catalog pages from a company called HETRA. We in the perfume bottle collecting world can not find an iota of info on this mysterious HETRA.

Cheers,
Susan

[Fuhrman Glass]

Rago auctions auctioned off a Hetra perfume some years ago and described it as German. They had a photocopy of the Hetra catalog page that went with the bottle so I would presume that it was printed in German and that gave them the cause to identify it as such. Most list Hetra as being Czech from the 20's. and the search continues.

[Anne]

Hi Susan, I shall keep hoping you get a response from Dr. Neuwirth soon, please do let us know what she says.   We are fortunate to have some German-speaking members on the board who are always willing to help with tricky bits that Google gets in a muddle with - I find their assistance invaluable in deciphering German catalogues!    (If I ever need a Polish curse I shall know where to come though!  )

Re the Bimini connection, Angela - the board owner (Dr Angela Bowey), is writing a trilogy of books about lampworkers, and would - I am sure - be interested to hear from you also. She has a topic in our Books forum here about the series:
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,51531.0.html - its publication has been delayed due to the sudden sad death of her husband at the end of 2014, but she assures me the trilogy is still in hand.  The introductory booklet is already available - details are in the linked topic.

Please do wade into any topic regardless of how old it is - we say that we never give up looking for an answer here so all topics are still viable. I think the current record is around 7 years to find a maker, but hey, records are made to be broken aren't they? 

[SusanRArthur]

To Mr Fuhrman,

Yes you are most observant. And that auction was run by Ken Leach a good friend of mine. I have pages from the same catalog from him. I have friends that own Hetra pieces. We think Hetra was a glass distributor, not sure if German or Czech - the boundaries were pretty muddied for awhile, as I am sure you know. It appears that there was a distributor on that side of the pond (Hetra) who distributed to another distributor on this side of the pond (Rochambeau in NYC), then Rochambeau sold to other distributors in different regions of the US that sold to drug stores and 5&dimes -- its a wonder of these folks made any money. Had to be volumes and volumes sold! I think Hetra purchased items directly from the glass-blowing cottage industry in Lauscha area in eastern Germany. That is my theory.

The wonderful thing about the internet is always the worst thing. Once something gets posted it get passed around and around. May be the truth, may be partial truth, or may be far-fetched. I have had that experience researching family tree too. Not saying that Hetra is German or Czech, and the mouth blown quality of the pieces, and the fact that they also distributed porcelain Crowntop (also character type of novelty perfume bottles) from various known German manufacturers leads one to believe German. Just would like to have that big, juicy, bothery-obvious acknowledgement!!

To Ms. Anne -- thanks for the suggestion. That is how I found this site, I looked up Angela after downloading that book on my Kindle. I was hoping she would see this inquiry. Not so sure how to contact her directly?

Again, thanks to all that have written. This is so awesome. Cheers!
Susan

[Anne]

I'll give her a nudge for you Susan.