Need help dating vintage guerlain shalimar

[Winterfrost]

Hi, I thought my bottle was from the 50s or 60s but ever since I've read more about the subject, I am wondering if my bottle is a fake.

This Shalimar doesn't have any etchings on the bottle, its label has been lost to history, the purple box it came in does not have a logo sadly, perhaps that got lost too, and it seems to be 10cm, or 4 inches. The box does say "Guerlain 68 champs elysees" so it's sometime after 1939, but I am now wondering if it's a fake. If it isn't, and turns out to be somehow from an earlier age I would be very overjoyed but I'm currently a bit nervous.

I've included photos so that you could judge!

 

[PStoller]

I don’t think it’s fake, it just might be more recent than you thought.

 

[Winterfrost]

I don’t think it’s fake, it just might be more recent than you thought.

Thank you! How recent would that be, if you had to guess?

 

[PStoller]

Thank you! How recent would that be, if you had to guess?

Monday?

No, seriously, I don’t know, because clues that might’ve been on the box are missing. There are some Guerlain/Shalimar gurus who’d know better. I’m just thinking it could be 1980s or 1990s rather than 2–3 decades earlier.

Paging @saminlondon!

 

[Scent_Insensibility]

Like the previous reply, I can't see anything that says it's a fake ( the box is the usual one and shows genuine age, for instance ).

The problem with aging it is that the bottle and box and bottle were both in use for such a long time but there were minor changes that might help.

If you look at this from Cleopatra's Boudoir Blogspot it may helps. Scroll down to the section on the Flacon Chauve Souris ( "The Bat" 🦇 😁 ) there's lots of info. She also gives the exact dimensions of each size which might help verify.

If you also read this immensely detailed article by Kafkaesque just on Shalimar she covers the bottle you have with LOTS of pics and information. I'm sure you're be able to find reference to your's.

Maybe you're get lucky and a particular detail with narrow it down but you should definitely be able to be certain it's genuine. Tbh I'd put money on it being kosher as there isn't many would go to the trouble of faking these older ones. Most likely is that the the age has been over estimated. ( but I think it's earlier than 1980's , 1970's or early is my best guess ).

 

[Winterfrost]

Much thanks to you both

 

[N.CAL Fragrance Reviewer]

The Guerlan perfumes blogspot might be helpful for generically identifying the bottle as well.

Guerlain Flacon List

This is the list of perfume bottles and bath & body products that Guerlain used. Most information gleaned from the book Guerlain, Perfume B...

guerlainperfumes.blogspot.com

What are the dimensions of the bottle?

I think identifying the box might be helpful as well.

 

[saminlondon]

It looks genuine, but in the absence of further clues (especially a sticker on the bottom) it's difficult to date precisely, as others have said. I'd guess 1970s or 60s but probably not earlier.

The only thing I would say is that the colour of the juice seems a little light for an extrait of this age. How does it smell?

 

[Winterfrost]

@N.CAL Fragrance Reviewer it's about 4 inches, or 10cms tall. So probably not a baccarat bottle.​

​

@saminlondon I noticed that! It smells lovely though, but in comparison with an older bottle that had the monocolor sticker it does smell not quite as heavy. ​

 

[saminlondon]

it's about 4 inches, or 10cms tall. So probably not a baccarat bottle.​

​

It's made of pressed glass rather than crystal, so definitely not Baccarat. Plus of course it's missing the etched Baccarat logo.

 

[N.CAL Fragrance Reviewer]

It's made of pressed glass rather than crystal, so definitely not Baccarat. Plus of course it's missing the etched Baccarat logo.

Would you know anything of the box presentation? I sense the logo wording could give a clue on the approximate date. To me it gives an earlier dating. I definitely don't think it's from the 1980s or even the 1970s.

 

[grayspoole]

I don’t know about that very worn box…perhaps the bottle and box did not originally go together?…but the size of the word “Shalimar” on the bottle’s label suggests 1970’s-80’s to me, or even more recent.

And I assume the stopper has a plastic liner?

In the end, if it smells like good Shalimar, I wouldn’t worry overmuch about the date.

 

[saminlondon]

I don’t know about that very worn box…perhaps the bottle and box did not originally go together?…but the size of the word “Shalimar” on the bottle’s label suggests 1970’s-80’s to me, or even more recent.

And I assume the stopper has a plastic liner?

In the end, if it smells like good Shalimar, I wouldn’t worry overmuch about the date.

I think the mid-80s is when the label changed to include the mention 'parfum/extrait' so it would definitely pre-date that. The stopper is ground glass, by the looks of it.

Impossible to know for sure and, as you say - it's the smell that counts!

 

[Winterfrost]

Thank you everyone for helping me out!! You've all been v kind and I appreciate how informative everyone has been

 

[qwendy]

I think it could be 80's, especially with the color and your description of the scent …. my 60's spray is much heavier smelling.

 

[perfumer86]

Hi, I thought my bottle was from the 50s or 60s but ever since I've read more about the subject, I am wondering if my bottle is a fake.

This Shalimar doesn't have any etchings on the bottle, its label has been lost to history, the purple box it came in does not have a logo sadly, perhaps that got lost too, and it seems to be 10cm, or 4 inches. The box does say "Guerlain 68 champs elysees" so it's sometime after 1939, but I am now wondering if it's a fake. If it isn't, and turns out to be somehow from an earlier age I would be very overjoyed but I'm currently a bit nervous.

I've included photos so that you could judge!

there werent alot of copycats those days like today. so , my guess that its original but there are surprises. u know a cool try, smell the perfume. do you know the smell of the original? if not then it will be tought to know.

 

[Winterfrost]

@qwendy oh okay, so I'm putting it at around the 70s~80s.
@perfumer86 It does smell like the shalimar I have thankfully! Was just worried haha

 

[N.CAL Fragrance Reviewer]

@qwendy oh okay, so I'm putting it at around the 70s~80s.
@perfumer86 It does smell like the shalimar I have thankfully! Was just worried haha

Glad it turned out. If you're looking at other concentrations the Shalimar PDT bottles from the 1980s are great too. I think it's just as good as the perfume extrait.