Vintage Perfume: Zenobia Lily of the Valley

Zenobia Lily of the Valley 1908

This bottle of Zenobia Lily of the Valley with original box looks unused and well preserved for an old timer that dates back to 1908. The Art Nouveau style graphic design of the label and box are typical of the era and remind me of the presentation of the vintage Grossmith perfumes we looked at previously. This Zenobia bottle is still sealed as new but the contents appear to have completely evaporated. However the scent of Lily of the Valley is still apparent and deliciously pleasant.

Zenobia laboratories advertisement for their Lily of the Valley and Sweet Pea Blossom perfumes from 1909.
llustrated London News, Volume 56, 1911
Zenobia Lily of the Valley Emerald glass bottle and stopper
Zenobia Trade Mark

Zenobia Lily of the Valley was released in 1908. The Zenobia firm was established in Loughborough, England in 1888 by William Frederick Charles, M.P.S., a chemist and perfumer. He named the company Zenobia after the third century A.D. Queen of Palmyra, an area located in present day Syria. It is rare to see an intact unused bottle. Under the white seal is a glass bottle stopper so it is not surprising that the scent evaporated over time. Below are more examples from the Zenobia True Flower Perfumes range  as described in the 1911 edition of The Sketch, Volume 75 P. 127:     " Nature's odours from her flowers are distilled into the celebrated Zenobia perfumes which are prepared by Mr. W. F. Charles, of the Laboratories at Loughborough.".

Zenobia Night Scented Stock
Zenobia Sweet Pea Perfume
Zenobia Ad presents the True Flower Perfume Range

The Zenobia Sweet Pea bottle is currently on eBay Click Here for details