Je Reviens by Worth c1932

Je Reviens by Worth: launched in 1932. Created by Maurice Blanchet.

Worth was clever in crafting a series of perfumes with evocative names that told a love story, making each fragrance feel like a chapter in a romantic narrative. The titles of this series included "Dans la Nuit" ("In the Night"), "Vers le Jour" ("Towards the Day"), "Sans Adieu" ("Without Goodbye"), "Je Reviens" ("I Will Return"), "Vers Toi" ("Towards You"), "Projets" ("Plans" or "Projects"), "Imprudence" ("Recklessness"), and "Requête" ("Request"). Together, these names reflect the emotional stages of a love affair: the mystery and intimacy of the night, the promise of a new day, the bittersweet parting without farewells, the pledge of return, and the eventual reunification. These titles conjure up a romantic progression, from the initial allure of love to the challenges and uncertainties that arise, and finally, the enduring nature of affection.

Original Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It is classified as an aldehydic floral woody fragrance for women. It begins with a spicy fresh top, followed by a spicy floral heart, resting on a powdery, woody base. Oregano, clove and iris weave the fabric on which the exhalations of neroli, ylang ylang from Nossi-Bé, heliotrope, rose, sweet peas and syringa wander, mixed with essences reminiscent of the fruity sapidities of peach, greengage plum and pear, resulting in a heady bouquet that develops and warms green amber, Mysore sandalwood and moss.

• Top notes: wallflower, acacia, aldehydes, neroli, lemon, Algerian jasmine, French jasmine, Italian jasmine, bergamot, orange blossom, pear, hyacinth, greengage plum, peach, and Nossi-Be ylang ylang
• Middle notes: clove, reseda, seringa, oregano, sweet pea, heliotrope, jonquil, lavender, rose, violet, tuberose, lilac, wild narcissus, wild iris, carnation and Nossi-Be ylang ylang
• Base notes: vanilla, patchouli, incense, ambergris, oakmoss, tonka bean, benzoin, musk, Bourbon vetiver and Mysore sandalwood

Je Reviens included an overdose of the flowery-sweet, green scent of amyl salicylate, a tenacious aroma chemical with an earthy dry out.

L'Amour de l'art, 1950:

"Je Reviens by Worth: Allegro of the return, harmony of expected happiness. A whole range of essences with precious names: neroli, green amber, Nossi-Bé ylang ylang subtly mixed to form a gently persistent perfume enclosed in a glass colonette from Lalique."

Combat, 1953:

"Neroli and Nossi-Bé ylang ylang create, with scented peas and essences evoking peach, greengage pum and especially pear, a heady bouquet that develops and warms green amber. A basket of ripe fruit, a large bouquet of freshly picked flowers, in an aristocratic country house where floats the amber wake of a hostess who is grace itself; is luxury more delicate and rarer, when, moreover, through the open window, between the sun, dense and powdery as if it were raining tufts of mimosa?"

Combat, 1955:

"Je Reviens (I'm Coming Back)- Monticelli would have painted this park lit with a honey lantern, where tulle princesses swoon on the arms of red cavaliers. A table is overflowing with pyramids of fruit: musk pears, peaches and greengage plums. Their sapid scent mingles with an odor of ylang and green amber, melted with that of heliotropes and Farnese acacia. And swirl words so tender that, naked on his pedestal, little Eros has nothing else to do in the enamored park, but to shoot useless arrows skyward. Such is the picture evoked in me by this blue perfume. The special one."

Je Reviens was available in the following scented products:

• Parfum
• Parfum de Toilette
• Eau de Toilette
• Eau de Cologne
• Bath and Body Oil
• Body Cream
• Talc
• Dusting Powder
• Hand Soap

Bottles: (info will be updated periodically as it becomes available)

Je Reviens was presented in various bottles over the years including some Lalique signed examples.

The "skyscraper" bottle (in blue or clear glass), the disk bottle (in blue, green or clear glass), and the boule (ball) flacon were originally designed and made by Lalique.

You will find some examples that are not marked with the Lalique name, which means they were made by a different glass company. Only the bottle marked with the Lalique name are Lalique made bottles.

The Skyscraper Bottle:

First introduced by Rene Lalique in 1929, this Art Deco bottle is in the shape of a tall column with fluted sides and a stepped top which reminds one of a skyscraper. The deluxe presentation was originally a chrome plated metal two part case in which the bottle rested on the base. This bottle came in two colors: clear glass and a beautiful shade of cobalt blue and can be found with either a turquoise blue opaline button shaped glass stopper or gold tone cap. The bottle came in various sizes including giant factice size. Post-1945 bottles have blue glass stepped stoppers matching the bottle's design.

Blue Glass with Blue Stoppers:

• Giant factice stands 10.25" tall
• 2.25 oz stands 5.5" tall.
• 1 oz stands
• 0.5 oz stands 3" tall

The Boule Flacon:

This is known as the Boule Flacon, the "ball" bottle so called because of it's shape. The parfum, eau de toilette and the eau de cologne was available in the boule. 

Eau de Toilette Boule Flacons:

• 1.25 oz
• 12.5 oz bottle stands 6" tall.
• Factice bottle stands 10.5" tall.

Eau de Cologne Boule Flacons:

• 5.5 oz (clear glass) bottle stands 4.5" tall.
• 12.5 oz (frosted glass) bottle stands 6" tall

Cube Bottles:

The mini cube bottles were only used for a short period of time, and usually only as part of special presentations such as the "Silver Bells" shown below. These little bottles are of clear glass, square shape and have little glass stoppers with slightly domed tops and faceted sides. These were used during the 1930s and 1940s for the perfume Je Reviens, Imprudence, and Dans la Nuit.

Disk Bottles:

The disk bottles were produced in both clear glass, cobalt blue glass, and for the smaller purse bottles, emerald green glass, these can be found with either the turquoise blue stoppers or gold tone caps. The earlier bottles are molded with the Lalique name on the base, later examples were not produced by Lalique so they will NOT have the Lalique signature on base.

The glass bottles were available in various sizes and colors:

Blue Glass:

• 2 oz bottle stands 4" tall (Parfum)
• 1 oz stands 3" tall.
• 1 oz (gold screwcap)
• 0.25 oz (gold screw cap) stands 2.25" tall
• 0.23 oz Le Medaillon Purse Bottle with Gold Cap stands 1.9" tall

Green Glass:

• 0.13 oz Purse Bottle with Gold Cap stands 

Clear Glass:

• 1.125 oz
• 2 oz (eau de toilette & eau de cologne)
• 4 oz (eau de toilette & eau de cologne)
• 9 oz (eau de toilette & eau de cologne)
• 18 oz bottle stands 7 3/7" tall (eau de cologne)

Sprays:

Je Reviens was housed in various spray bottles throughout the years. The bottles held parfum, eau de toilette, eau de cologne and parfum de toilette.

Special Editions:

Some special editions were introduced including some nice little miniature bottles. One boule bottle was entirely gilded and could be worn as a pendant. 

Another limited edition was a miniature Lalique cobalt blue glass disk bottle with a goldtone figural cherub cap, other editions can be found in clear glass with plastic cherubs.

 

Fate of the Fragrance:

Reformulated and repackaged in electric blue boxes (originally packaged in powder blue boxes) in 1985 to appeal to a younger audience.

So what does it smell like? It is classified as a soft floral fragrance for women.

• Top notes: bergamot, lemon, jasmine, orange blossom, aldehydes and ylang-ylang
• Middle notes: rose, narcissus, orris root, hyacinth, jonquil, lilac, ylang-ylang, cloves and violet 
• Base notes: amber, sandalwood, violet leaf, vetiver, tonka bean, incense and musk

In 1998, it was described as "A classic floral scent with fresh green top notes touches of orange and lemon, mellowing to warm, smoky undertones. An aldehydic floral containing violet leaf, orange blossom, rose, jasmine, ylang ylang, narcissus, vetiver, tonka bean and musk."