This book gives a good sense of what perfumes were like in the 19th century. There were few if any synthetics and most perfumes were infusions of flowers in various substances (usually alcohol). Musk, ambergris, civet and other such goodies were used abundantly. The recipes provided are for enormous amounts—a pint of ambergris, that kind of thing. The book is basically like new.
This book gives a good sense of what perfumes were like in the 19th century. There were few if any synthetics and most perfumes were infusions of flowers in various substances (usually alcohol). Musk, ambergris, civet and other such goodies were used abundantly. The recipes provided are for enormous amounts—a pint of ambergris, that kind of thing. The book is basically like new.
