Marquis (1928)
by Anglia Perfumery

This fragrance seems to have been years ahead of its time. To my nose, the lavender stands out prominently from first sniff; it dominates the accord and the citrus and conifer take on a supporting role. I’ve smelled pretty much this same accord in dozens of those late 80s – early 90s fragrances, and as often as not, I do not enjoy them. In the 90s fragrances the opening is often followed by a combination accord that is chock full of every green and herb (in this case) under the sun. I think this one is much better than most of the ‘90s reincarnations, but I still am not a major fan of the opening accord or the conglomeration that follows. Okay…this is a pleasant fragrance with high quality ingredients and a very nice progression. The olfactory combinations that Marquis presents just do not enchant me…it’s an “ehh.”

Originally submitted 12 April 2008

5th December, 2010.

My comments are based on the current, Anglia version. I suspect that this is a pale rendition of a once-good scent. Gary Cooper may have said that this was the best green fragrance ever, but I don’t find it to be particularly green and it certainly is far from the best. Knowing and owning several vintage Crown scents, I characterize the house as offering substantial (at times powerful) classic style scents at what was then good value.
This is a somewhat faint, fresh sort of scent. Very wispy green notes of mint and herbs can be detected, if you look hard for them. Mostly the scent seems shallow, generic, and somewhat irritatingly ozonic.
A parallel might be drawn between the original Casswell-Massy Greenbrier, and the reformulated version which sacrifices greenness for ozonic freshness (to its deteriment).
Eventually some of the somewhat cheap fresh notes burn off, and a few more herbal notes emerge. Still nothing to commend here.

24th September, 2010.

This is a review of the Anglia version. Starts off similar to GIT/Cool Water/Floris JF, et al. Becomes more herbal/green as it progresses, but the similarity to those others remains, and I can't say it's better than any of those. These types of fresh fougeres just don't do it for me. They're pleasant enough, but something about them feels too rigid for my tastes. I will say that if this is actually what the Crown version of Marquis smelled like, then it's pretty remarkable for something coming from the 1920's (that is, if the Basenotes date above is to be believed). Somehow I doubt that the formula is the same, as I smell something aquatic in Anglia's Marquis that leads me to believe the formula was altered, at least somewhat. Or, perhaps my nose is just being fooled into smelling an aquatic note where there is none by some combination of other notes. At any rate...it doesn't smell bad, it doesn't smell great, and it doesn't really impress with any sort of originality, hence the neutral rating.

16th July, 2010.

Nothing remarkable. More of a clone of Floris JF, Cool Water, and even Acqua di Gio. I would go with any of the former before coughing up the cash for this one.

14th November, 2009.

I really like this scent (the original from Crown Perfumery).

I have asked for a sample from Anglia Perfumery, and was wondering whether it's just me thinking that this smells quite different. So I got a fresh "sample vial" of Crown Perfumery Marquis and a fresh "sample vial" of Anglia Perfumery Marquis, put some drops of one on the left, and some of the other on the right hand. I tested this with a number of people and, invariably, everyone notices a difference, and everyone prefers the Crown Perfumery version.
To me, the Anglia version seems lighter as well as sweeter while being less warm. Generally, it gives a cheaper impression, with somehow unpleasant undertones. I find that hard to describe but while the Crown version has some form of mellow peppery undertone on the dry down the Anglia version is more rubber-powdery.
So, does anyone know, is this just due to ageing, or do they use a different formula?

Can anyone recommend a perfume similar to the Crown Perfumery Marquis that is still on the market (and at reasonable prices)?

11th September, 2009.

To my nose, this is very reminiscent of Floris JF. Looking at the published pyramids, there is only a superficial resemblance, but I feel haunted by the similarity in overall impression. The biggest difference is in the opening, where the neroli note in this gives a much sweeter impression than JF. The wormwood (artemisia) note makes the JF a little more "medicinal" also. In Marquis, juniper, neroil, and galbanum join citrus notes to add complexity in the top notes. Lavender and herbal notes are the chief components of the heart, with clary sage, rosemary, basil and mint featured there; spicy coriander and green angelica add depth in the heart as well. "Exotic spices" make the interest in the base note, supported by the usual suspects: amber, moss, and woody notes. Overall impressions of Marquis include: an opening that is fresh, but also a bit sharp and definitely sweet at the same time; good projection and sillage with a decent longevity; and a markedly mellower drydown, for which one must wait a good hour or more. Not for the timid, but if you like green, herbal, a little sweet, lavender, and hints of spice, this could be for you. As for me, I'm quite happy to wear this bit of nostalgia from 1928.

4th December, 2008.