Info on Chanel Perfume Bottles

Chanel perfume bottles...

• All Chanel perfumes appear in the signature Chanel bottle based on the original Sem design. 
• All Chanel bottles have been made by Verreries Brosse and usually the bases will be embossed with a VB or BR logo. 
• From the 1920s until 1951, the small O used in any perfume beginning with No. (number), will have a dot underneath it, after 1951, the dot disappears. 
• From 1970-1987, all Chanel's pure parfums will be marked with the word Perfume underneath the fragrance's name. Starting in 1988, we see the word Parfum used instead.
• Starting in 1987, the words Paris/New York are added to Eau de Parfums.
• Black striped boxes used up until 1958.
• The words "New York Distributor" was used from the late 1940s and into the 1950s.
• The familiar black and gold cologne sprays were introduced in 1958, they were metered to expel 800 sprays in each bottle. Light and sturdy, designed by Chanel for the age of air travel.
• Cologne and talc was used from 1939 - onwards

Decipher the numbers found on the extrait boxes:

• No. 203 = 3 oz 
• No. 202 = 2 oz
• No. 201 = 1 oz
• No. 200 = 1/2 oz
• No. 210 = 1/4 oz
• No. 375 = 1 1/2 oz (Eau de Cologne, not extrait)

Decipher the letters on the boxes to determine size of bottles:

• T.T.P.M = 1/4 oz (Tres Tres Petit Modele/Very Very or Extra Extra Small)
• T.P.M. = 1/2 oz (Tres Petit Modele/Very or Extra Small)
• P.M. (Petit Modele/Small) = 1 oz 
• M.M. (Moyen Modele/Medium) = 2 oz
• G.M. (Grand Modele/Large) = 3 oz
• T.G.M. (Tres Grand Modele/Very or Extra Large) = 4 oz

To open the classic Chanel crystal parfum flacon, use the following tip provided by Parfums Chanel in 1963:

Remove cord and paper; with index finger as cushion, tap underneath sides of stopper lightly with glass object (glass on glass being the scientific method) while turning the bottle steadily between fingers, so that the stopper will be loosened evenly.