L'Ardente Nuit
Corday (1930)

CORDAY – L'Ardente Nuit (1930)

Released in 1930, Corday's L'Ardente Nuit (“The Fiery Night”), is classified as an oriental fragrance for women. It was intended to be worn with rich fabrics and furs.

It was released in a beautiful tapered bottle with a fan-shaped stopper. One ounce of parfum sold for $18 in a 1936 advertisement.

Top: Neroli, Bergmot, Muguet
Heart: Cinnamon, Clove, Orange Blossom, Rose, Jasmine
Base: Tonka, Musk, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Vanilla, Civet, Ambergris

With its emphasis on orange, cinnamon and clove, I was expecting something like a medieval pomander ball, but no, the cleverest of balances keeps these notes, extreme on their own, well in check.

This is a fragrant floral mélange with a very subtle spicy, warm base, at times recalling a soft leather glove effect. Not an “oriental” in today's perfume nomenclature, as the spice notes are not center stage, but certainly worthy of being called so at the time of its release, as it does invoke a deep, exotic impression. Hardly ardent in any sense of the word, though.

Timing of release just following the stock market crash may have been beneficial for those still able to afford perfume as L'Ardente Nuit has a reassuring, safe haven feel about it. Still available from private sellers on line and worth seeking out.