Perfume safe

Object/Artifact

Goulbourn Museum

Name/Title

Perfume safe

Entry/Object ID

004.8.4

Description

Metal rectangular perfume safe engraved with an oval shape on front. Right side engraved "Perfumizer [italic] delan MADE IN CAN U.S. & CAN PATT'S PENDING." Left side and top have beveled edges. Comes in burgundy plastic case stamped with design and "delan PERFUMER." Associated paper instruction booklet in case.

Context

This is a perfume atomizer also known as a perfume safe. The purpose of an atomizer was to allow liquid (the perfume “oil”) to come into contact with high air pressure, turning the liquid into small droplets and becoming a spray. The design of the delan “Perfumizer” also prevented perfume from leaking and evaporating. This model was invented by Charles A. Fortin and owned by Institution Catholique Des Sourds-Muets pour la Province de Québec (the Catholic Institution for the Deaf-Mute). Patent applications for this design were submitted in Canada in 1946 and the United States in 1948. Online references to delan products suggest that in the 1940s there was an “Industrial School for the Deaf” in Montreal, which employed 300 deaf staff members in a factory that produced perfume atomizers and lighters.

Made/Created

Place

Street

65 De Castelneau Street, W.

City

Montreal

County

Quebec

Country

Canada

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

ins type

Transcription

Perfumizer [italic] delan MADE IN CAN U.S. & CAN PATT PEND, delan PERFUMER, MADE IN CANADA PATENT 323834

Language

English

Material/Technique

Engraved

Notes

Position Notes: Located on right side of metal perfume safe, top of plastic case, bottom interior of plastic case. Inscriptions on plastic case are stamped as opposed to engraved. delan and PERFUMER is stamped in gold, other inscriptions are stamped blind. Inscription on bottom interior of plastic case features two Ms surrounded by an O and P shape.

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Tertiary Object Term

Atomizer, Perfume

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Bottle, Perfume

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Bottle, Toilet

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Hygiene Objects

Nomenclature Class

Toilet Articles

Nomenclature Category

Category 03: Personal Objects

Dimensions

Height

4.5 cm

Width

3.5 cm

Diameter

1.3 cm

Dimension Notes

2016-01-10 Case is 1.9 cm high, 5.1 cm wide. Pamphlet is approximately 7 cm long unfolded, 4.5 cm high.

Parts

Count

Material

plastic - plastique, metal - métal, paper - papier