Esperys (1903)
by Piver

I have a vintage sample of Esperys EDT by Piver, although I am not sure of the date of manufacture. I have done some online research and have discovered that the perfumer is husband of Piver heiress Berta Piver, M. Jacques Rouché along with chemist Georges Darzens.

Jacques Rouché besides being the head of Piver, and the creator of several perfumes was also the director and major donor to the legendary Paris Opera in the early 20th century. He was also elected to the Legion of Honor at the young age of 27 according to French Wikipedia. Quite impressive!

Now on to the perfume. It is surprisingly soft and lovely, especially after my experience with Floramye. I can tell that there are perfectly proportioned aldehydes, it "sparkles." Overall, it is a powdery aldehydic floral. The main floral note seems to be heliotrope (well, there is some rose too), which seems to be a favorite of Piver since it also figures prominently in Heliotrope Blanc and Reve D'Or. This scent is not as sweet as Heliotrope Blanc, it doesn't have the vanilla and almond notes. The jasmine and ylang ylang are also missing or else greatly reduced in this scent. The rather more sophisticated base of Esperys is Orris and a bit of Sandalwood.

It is really beautiful perfume, feminine and delicate just like the lovely Edwardian "Gibson Girls" that it originally adorned. It is really a shame that it is discontinued.

21st October, 2010.