Vintage view: perfume bottles

Kya deLongchamps decants the mysteries of the perfume bottle and decodes its ancient allure.

Beyond looks, the most arousing element of a woman’s physical arsenal is her scent. Where the mysterious work of natural pheromones end, the subtle addition of a man-made elixir of love takes over.

Since ancient times, perfume of quality has always been expensive, its ingredients difficult to procure, and the vessel holding it, fashioned to signal the magical, primal power to seduce.