Although perfume bottles have been a hot collectible for some time, not much information was previously available about German porcelain figurine bottles from the early 20th century that are favored by many collectors. “The Crown Top Book - German Porcelain Perfume Bottles, 1920-1939” by Pauline E. Turco is now in print and skillfully covers this subject.
The book represents over fifteen years of research and is the first book devoted solely to collecting German porcelain perfume bottles of the Golden Era. In addition to bottles with traditional “crown-top” stoppers that have given the genre its name, this comprehensive work includes bottles with stoppers made of cork, porcelain and mercury glass, as well as atomizers.
A journey to the Golden Era sets the scene in history, while a guided tour of the production process gives the collector a new appreciation for the time, talent and skills involved in the making of these delightful figural perfume bottles. The reader is also introduced to the manufacturers of Crown Tops and can view photographs of vintage catalog pages.
An entire chapter is devoted to Crown Top reissues, reproductions, fantasies and imposters, with detailed information and comparative photos to assist in distinguishing the old from the new and the authentic from the shams. Finally, The Picture Gallery section is a virtual museum of over 1,200 German porcelain perfume bottles conveniently organized into ten categories, each displayed as a separate gallery. All of the bottles in the galleries are assigned a value level in the Value Guide that collectors and dealers will find helpful.
From the information that accompanies selected bottles in the Picture Gallery to the colorful category designations of “Kinder Kids,” “Heinz Brothers,” “Mirror Ladies,” and more, the book presents an informative and lighthearted approach to the subject of Crown Top bottle collecting with a well-organized format and easy-to-read style.
Pauline Turco is well known to perfume bottle enthusiasts for her knowledge on this subject. She has given numerous talks to perfume bottle collectors and to other organizations.
“The Crown Top Book - German Porcelain Perfume Bottles, 1920-1939” may be purchased for $68, plus shipping. Interested individuals may contact the author at pollyperf39@yahoo.com for additional details.