Vintages I Bought - 2023

[Andy the frenchy]

Christian Dior - Eau de Cologne Fraiche. Eau de Cologne, 4 Floz.

Dating wise I have no idea beyond that of an educated guess. There's no batch code, EMB code, e mark and the quantity isn't shown in ml only in fluid ounces on the bottom of the bottle. That all dates it to at least pre 1978 but given the box style and lettering I'd guess late 60's early 70's.

This was a purely speculative blind buy but having researched it I had a pretty good idea of what it was going to smell like. It easily surpassed whatever expectations I had! The clue of course is in the name, Eau de Cologne Fraiche but this is an Eau de Cologne in Chypre disguise! It may start out as a typical citrusy Eau de Cologne but it very much ends up as a Chypre so much so that the far drydown reminds me an awful lot of Chanel's Pour Monsieur albeit in a more delicate lighter way.

I didn't pay much for this and got lucky it's in really good condition for a fragrance pushing 50-60 years old. Beautiful, stylish, sophisticated and classy, this has to be considered one of the true bargains of vintage perfumery.

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I have the exact same bottle, also in 4oz. It's from the 1960s.

 

[PStoller]

Elvis Cologne




Magnum EdT




Christian Dior - Miss Dior Parfum

 

[Jean-Sté]

 

[RCavs]

View attachment 325948

Magnum EdT

Pstoller, I also have a bottle: what are your impressions about it? I thought It was from Jovan but my fellow basenoters told me It's a completely different fragrance. Is it?

 

[nosey74]

Pstoller, I also have a bottle: what are your impressions about it? I thought It was from Jovan but my fellow basenoters told me It's a completely different fragrance. Is it?

Who do they say it's from? Basenotes fragrance database says Jovan but it's not always correct. They styling reminds me of something from Morris possibly. It also sort of looks Quorum.

There's not much information on this fragrance. How does it smell?

Edit: found this post from @Ali AD regarding his Jovan Magnum which looks to be a completely different fragrance.

Edit #2: Found this:

https://parfumist.nl/en/products/magnum-eau-de-toilette-100ml-heren-fragrance-couture

"Top Notes: Artemisia, Caraway Seed, Lemon, Bergamot and Grapefruit

Heart notes: pine tree, sandalwood, patchouli, carnation, cyclamen and jasmine

Base Notes: Oakmoss, Tobacco, Leather and Amber.

Inspired by Quorum by Antonio Puig"

 

[RCavs]

Who do they say it's from? Basenotes fragrance database says Jovan but it's not always correct. They styling reminds me of something from Morris possibly. It also sort of looks Quorum.

There's not much information on this fragrance. How does it smell?

Edit #2: Found this:

https://parfumist.nl/en/products/magnum-eau-de-toilette-100ml-heren-fragrance-couture

"Top Notes: Artemisia, Caraway Seed, Lemon, Bergamot and Grapefruit

Heart notes: pine tree, sandalwood, patchouli, carnation, cyclamen and jasmine

Base Notes: Oakmoss, Tobacco, Leather and Amber.

Inspired by Quorum by Antonio Puig"

Nosey, Thanks for the info!
Wow, If their inspiration was Quorum, they failed miserably... It lacks the strong bitter green notes and goes wrong while mimicking Quorum's luxury soap side. It seems like a bunch of "stuffy carnation" without much character. Also too strong... I'll end get ridding of it soon.

 

[motorcade]

Brand spanking new, but vintage by launch year.

Blind buy - and an uncomfortably expensive one at that - but quick cursory sniffs from both seem to indicate the money was very well spent (only Nostalgia has so far failed to impress me from this great Italian house):

 

[nosey74]

Nosey, Thanks for the info!
Wow, If their inspiration was Quorum, they failed miserably... It lacks the strong bitter green notes and goes wrong while mimicking Quorum's luxury soap side. It seems like a bunch of "stuffy carnation" without much character. Also too strong... I'll end get ridding of it soon.

Thanks for your response. I love vintage Quorum and was hoping this would be similar. I was just about to buy it but canceled after you confirmed it smells nothing like Quorum.

 

[RCavs]

Thanks for your response. I love vintage Quorum and was hoping this would be similar. I was just about to buy it but canceled after you confirmed it smells nothing like Quorum.

Nosey, if I were you, I'd do the same. Unless you buy it for the sake of studying how bad an "inspiration" can be.

 

[PStoller]

Pstoller, I also have a bottle: what are your impressions about it? I thought It was from Jovan but my fellow basenoters told me It's a completely different fragrance. Is it?

I think there were several “Magnum” fragrances beyond this and the Jovan. I have no impressions yet, as I only just ordered it, but I’ll let you know.

Found this:

https://parfumist.nl/en/products/magnum-eau-de-toilette-100ml-heren-fragrance-couture

"Top Notes: Artemisia, Caraway Seed, Lemon, Bergamot and Grapefruit

Heart notes: pine tree, sandalwood, patchouli, carnation, cyclamen and jasmine

Base Notes: Oakmoss, Tobacco, Leather and Amber.

Inspired by Quorum by Antonio Puig"

Worrisome, as I don’t like Quorum, but the subsequent comment that Magnum fails to replicate it accurately gives me hope.

Anyway, it was dirt cheap, so if I don’t like it, keep your eyes on Free to a Good Home.

 

[Avecesar]

Rouge de Lubin (1981). The resemblance with Derby by Guerlain is amazing.

 

[hednic]

Don't recall ever having seen this masculine Lubin before even with all the time I've spent in France! What a find! This is a Lubin I wish I had in my collection! Where did you find it?

 

[N.CAL Fragrance Reviewer]

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Elvis Cologne


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Magnum EdT


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Christian Dior - Miss Dior Parfum

I'm of what the Elvis scent smells like.

 

[Avecesar]

Don't recall ever having seen this masculine Lubin before even with all the time I've spent in France! What a find! This is a Lubin I wish I had in my collection! Where did you find it?

I didn't know it either, hednic, until I saw it for sale on french ebay. Little information available on this perfume, apart from an interesting review on Parfumo which helped me decide to buy it.

 

[CookBot]

Elvis Cologne

Get ready to smell like a professor in a corduroy jacket with leather elbow patches who's eating Christmas mincemeat pies.

Christian Dior - Miss Dior Parfum

I'll bet this is going to be REALLY nice. Looks like it might be late 1970s, since the house name appears above the scent name. I generally find that Miss D suffers the least age deterioration of all the old Diors.

 

[PStoller]

Get ready to smell like a professor in a corduroy jacket with leather elbow patches who's eating Christmas mincemeat pies.

Nothing says “Elvis” like a corduroy jacket. I may not wear it, but you know I had to have it.

I'll bet this is going to be REALLY nice. Looks like it might be late 1970s, since the house name appears above the scent name. I generally find that Miss D suffers the least age deterioration of all the old Diors.

Yeah, I figured a one-ounce bottle like that was worth $30.

 

[PStoller]

Grossmith - Old Cottage Lavender

 

[CookBot]

Nothing says “Elvis” like a corduroy jacket. I may not wear it, but you know I had to have it.

It's actually surprisingly good. You might be more inclined to wear it than you'd think.

Yeah, I figured a one-ounce bottle like that [of Miss Dior] was worth $30.

GET OUT! Please tell me you didn't stumble across that deal on eBay. I might cry.

 

[PStoller]

GET OUT! Please tell me you didn't stumble across that deal on eBay. I might cry.

I did. A lovely seller who isn’t inclined to gouge for the sake of gouging.

 

[Redfish365]

View attachment 325948

Magnum EdT

I bought that Magnum awhile ago hoping it might resemble Quorum. The bottle sure does!
Ultimately it's vanilla vanilla vanilla. Makes a great paperweight!
Hopefully you'll like it more than I do!!