Glass scent bottle covered in gold filigree work. Made by a family in Athens, Greece.

A very fine example of the best of modern Greek craftsmanship reproducing precise examples of Byzantine masterpieces. Though some towns were home to glass-maker guilds, most Byzantine glassmakers were independent entrepreneurs. Glassworkers could be either male or female. An extant glass-making contract from Armenia mentions a woman glass manufacturer. For centuries, perfumers and fragrance enthusiasts have housed their scented oils and perfumes in ornate bottles, porcelain cups, terracotta bowls and crystal flacons. Unlike fashion and jewellery which is tangible and visible to the eye, fragrance is literally invisible and is experienced through our sense of smell. In order to celebrate the glory of these scents and the joy they offered, artists crafted, moulded and embellished bottles of all shapes and designs to give this art form a visual splendour. Tracing the history of perfume bottles over six thousand years, you see that this is an authentic art form – always evolving with new technology and constantly reflecting the culture shifts around the globe. Scent Lodge has surveyed this rich history to give you a brief history of perfume bottles. The earliest known examples of small perfume containers date back to the fifteenth century B.C. Byzantium produced some of the best examples of the exceptional art.