Odor in the Court! Trivia Quiz

Answer: France

Perfume was a popular commodity at a time when personal hygiene was considered an indulgence only to be undertaken a few times a year. Perfume was a substitute for soap and water. King Louis XV helped make perfume a necessity as opposed to a desire. The King's court was known as "The Perfumed Court" (le cour parfumee). Perfume was applied to the persons, the furniture, and the clothing worn at this court. So great was the desire for perfume that certain regions of France took to growing the natural ingredients used in perfume so that it did not have to be imported. Since that time, France has continued to be the foremost center of the modern perfume industry.

Answer: Imperial Majesty

A bottle of Imperial Majesty will set you back at least $215,000 per bottle. The fragrance is described as a mixture of carnation, jasmine, and cardamom. The diamond encrusted crystal bottle adds greatly to the cost. Only twenty bottles were made by the creator Clive Christian. The other three options are lovely perfumes made by Avon.

Answer: Coty

Founded in 1904, Coty quickly grew as their perfumes were became popular around the world. Their first fragrance was named La Rose Jacqueminot, just one of the many perfumes to use this lovely scented flower. Coty has been a pioneer in new fragrances, careful packaging, and interesting perfume bottles. They were the first company to sell a range of products in the same fragrance.

Answer: Cyprus

The Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus has been inhabited for at least 10,000 years. The excavation of ruins found on the island yielded a perfumery that was dated to be at least 4,000 years. Funnels, bowls, and stills, as well as numerous perfume bottles were found at the location. Old perfume recipes found at other locations indicate that the people of this island used myrtle, almond, coriander and local flowers in their perfumes.

Answer: Coco Chanel

This is a quote from Coco Chanel, who was known for her classy clothing designs as well as for her perfume. Chanel No.5 was one of the most popular perfumes in the 20th century. Chanel received free publicity when, during an interview, Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe had this interaction with her interviewer:
Q. What do you wear to bed?
A. A few drops of Chanel No.5
At the time, in 1954, this risque comment was big news.

Answer: Jasmine and Rose

Rose and Jasmine have been used for centuries. This is because of their pleasing scent as well as the ease with which their essence can be extracted. Almost every perfume made contains one or the other...or both!

Answer: Sperm Whale

Ambergris is a gray, waxy substance found in the digestive tract of the sperm whale. It was a very important part of the perfume making industry for many years. It was used as a stabilizing agent and was considered vitally important. The sperm whale population was decimated in the hunt for this valuable substance. Today, synthetic fixatives are usually used to provide this balance and longevity to modern perfumes.

Answer: Sachet

Sachets have been used in various parts of the world for centuries. These small cloth bags contained the same dry ingredients that went into liquid perfume. They were worn on the person or were put in dressers to make both smell good. They were sometimes sewn into clothing and some clothing had small pockets that would hold these hidden scent bags.

Answer: True

"Hungary Water" was made for Queen Elisabeth of Hungary at her request. Local Hungarian monks created this perfume exclusively for her and the ingredients were a tightly guarded secret. Consuming the perfume was believed to make normal perspiration smell like the perfume. After the Queen's death, various recipes popped up claiming to be the formula used to make "Hungary Water".

Answer: True

The fragrance of all perfumes are affected by the natural body chemistry of the wearer. The oiliness of the wearers skin can also affect perfume. Medication, pregnancy, hormone changes, as well as humidity all affect the fragrance and potency of a fragrance.