About Me

 

Grace Elizabeth Arnone Hummel

Independent Perfume Historian | Researcher | Writer | Antique Dealer & Collector

Welcome to My Paul Poiret & Rosine Perfume Archive

Welcome, and thank you for visiting my Paul Poiret & Rosine perfume website!

My name is Grace Elizabeth Arnone Hummel, although many in the fragrance community know me as Cleopatra, the founder of Cleopatra's Boudoir. I am an independent perfume historian, researcher, writer, antique dealer, and collector with more than twenty-five years of experience studying antique and vintage perfumes, historic fragrance houses, decorative bottles, cosmetics, and the history of the beauty industry.

Since establishing Cleopatra's Boudoir in 1999, I have devoted myself to uncovering and preserving the often-forgotten history of perfumery. What began as a fascination with antique scent bottles developed into an extensive historical archive documenting thousands of fragrances, manufacturers, advertisements, and surviving artifacts.

I created this website as an extension of my original research on Paul Poiret and Les Parfums de Rosine, the extraordinary perfume house established by the celebrated Parisian couturier and named in honor of his daughter. Poiret's imaginative fragrances, extravagant presentations, and collaborations with artists and craftsmen make Rosine one of my favorite subjects to investigate.

I am particularly fascinated by the artistry of Rosine's perfume bottles and packaging, from richly decorated glass flacons and colorful textile-covered boxes to elaborate tassels, gilded details, and hand-painted designs. Fragrances such as Nuit de Chine, Borgia, Le Fruit Défendu, Arlequinade, and Toute la Forêt offer wonderful examples of the relationship between perfumery, haute couture, and the decorative arts.

Rather than repeating the company's history, which I have documented separately, this page introduces the person behind the research.

My Research and What I Do

I often describe myself as a perfume historian and detective, because much of my work involves reconstructing forgotten histories from scattered pieces of evidence.

I study original newspaper and magazine advertisements, department-store catalogs, perfume trade journals, patents, trademarks, business directories, and surviving bottles and packaging. These primary sources help me establish fragrance introduction dates, identify original presentations, document historical scent descriptions, and distinguish early products from later reformulations.

As an antique dealer and collector, I am especially interested in the relationship between perfume and the decorative arts. Rosine's unusual bottles, luxurious packaging, and artistic collaborations provide a fascinating opportunity to study the craftsmanship and creativity of early twentieth-century French perfumery.

I also restore, enhance, and colorize historical perfume advertisements and photographs to help modern readers appreciate their original beauty. Where colors cannot be established with certainty, these restorations are artistic interpretations rather than exact historical reproductions.

I enjoy helping collectors identify rare bottles, understand packaging variations, and rediscover forgotten fragrances, cosmetics, and toiletries.

My goal is to make reliable historical perfume information freely accessible, particularly when it concerns discontinued fragrances and products that are poorly documented elsewhere.

My Work in the Fragrance Community

Over the years, my research has been referenced and appreciated by perfume collectors, writers, journalists, and historians.

I have contributed writing to Fragrantica and The Perfume Magazine, previously served on Sniffapalooza's Fragrance Advisory Board, participated in Allure magazine's Beauty Panel, and have been associated with the International Perfume Bottle Association (IPBA).

I have also authored more than 200 educational eBay guides on antique and vintage perfumes and collecting.

My research has been cited or acknowledged in publications including Lizzie Ostrom's Perfume: A Century of Scents, Gregory N. Daugherty's The Reception of Cleopatra in the Age of Mass Media, and Mary May Robertson's The Marriage between Perfume and the Lyric Stage.

Cleopatra's Boudoir has been affectionately described as a "Temple to Ancient Perfumes" by Beauty Bible, while Scent Grail has called it a "gold mine about dating vintage perfumery." Amelia of The Vintage Perfume Vault has also generously recognized my contributions to the free exchange of historical perfume information online.

These acknowledgments are especially meaningful to me because my work has always been driven by curiosity, a love of history, and the desire to share what I discover.

Preserving the Art of Perfumery

Perfume is a fragile part of our cultural heritage. Fragrances evaporate, formulas change, bottles are discarded, and once-celebrated creations disappear from memory.

Yet a surviving advertisement, original box, or antique perfume bottle can reveal remarkable details about the fashions, craftsmanship, and artistic movements of its time.

Through this website, I hope to preserve the extraordinary legacy of Paul Poiret's Rosine perfumes while documenting the artists, perfumers, glassmakers, and craftspeople whose talents brought these creations to life.

My research is ongoing, and I welcome historical photographs, advertisements, catalogs, and information from fellow collectors.

Whether you are researching a forgotten Rosine fragrance, identifying an antique bottle, or exploring the beautiful intersection of fashion and perfumery, I hope you find something here that inspires your curiosity.

Thank You for Visiting

I am sincerely grateful to the readers, collectors, and fellow fragrance enthusiasts who have supported my work throughout the years. Your questions, discoveries, and encouragement continue to inspire my research.

My greatest hope is that these archives will help preserve the history and artistry of perfumery for today's enthusiasts and future generations of collectors and historians.

Thank you for visiting, and happy collecting!

Grace Elizabeth Arnone Hummel
Cleopatra
Founder of Cleopatra's Boudoir
Independent Perfume Historian, Researcher & Writer
Southern New Jersey, USA

Contact: reinedeparfum@gmail.com

Preserving the past, one perfume at a time.

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This website is an independent historical and educational resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially associated with Paul Poiret, Les Parfums de Rosine, their current or former owners, trademark holders, or any affiliated companies. All trademarks and brand names remain the property of their respective owners.