Pyxis, Nenufar, Ankh by Scents Of Time: Towards An Archaeology of Perfume {New Fragrances}
David Pybus, the well-known co-author with Charles Sell of The Chemistry of Fragrances and also author of Kodo The Way of Incense as well as Transports of Delight launched a new brand of perfumes titled Scents of Time. It will be exclusively devoted to the archaeological reconstruction of ancient perfumes long lost to mankind. The project took off initially thanks to a popular TV show on BBC 2 called Dragon's Den whose focus is to match up budding entrepreneurs with investment finance specialists.
Three perfumes Pyxis, Nenúfar and Ankh, debuted recently at the British Museum in the context of an exhibition on Tuthankamen. The whole collection currently comprises Nenúfar, "Cleopatra's sacred scent", Ankh, "Tuthankamen's aroma of intrigue", and Pyxis "The lost perfume of Pompeii". More fragrances are to follow, reportedly about twenty, as foreseen at the moment. According to the press release,......
"A British Company (mine!) have rediscovered and recreated perfumes which were lost due to volcanic explosion, earthquakes, shipwrecks and the like. Or read from formulae on temple walls and historic alchemical grimoires by the Indiana Jones of the Scent business.
The first three launched this week at the British Museum (but also available direct off the website) are
Tutankhamen's aroma of intrigue
Cleopatra's sacred scent
The Lost perfume of Pompeii
In early 2008 the perfume found in the debris field of Titanic is also being launched"
Apparently information is still filtered a bit at the moment but Pybus graciously accepted to send us more details about Nenúfar in particular to give us a flavor of things to come. All three perfumes are available through the Scents of Time website although please note that there is currently a dysfunction on the "buy online" page, for Firefox users at least.
Nenúfar and Pyxis are both eaux de parfum for women and priced at 60 £ = $122.50 and Ankh is a unisex eau de toilette at 55 £ = $112.35. A detailed explanatory booklet is included with each recreation. All three scents were reconstituted with the help of perfumers from Givaudan (2) and CPL Aromas.
Nenúfar was composed with the help of perfumer Montserrat Moline. It is based on a re-creation of the Blue Lotus flower or blue water lily dear to the ancient Egyptians using a "head-spaced aroma print". Head notes are a green watery accord, nutmeg, angelica; heart notes floral muguet with a sweet watery floral accord; "Soul Notes" are sandalwood, musks, orris, heliotrope, almond, patchouli. The booklet is choke-full of historical and scientific details.
David Pybus stressed that the pictures do not do justice to the beautiful artwork seen on the perfume flacons.
Previous Posts in New Perfumes:
Night Show by Joaquín Cortés (2007)
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Comments
I am trying to purchase Ankh eau de toilette through your website; however, I keep getting redirected to a stationery store. Please advise how I might be able to purchase Ankh. Thank you.
Posted by: Tom Scurrah | May 29, 2008
Just click on the link "scents of time" and I think that you can buy them online there.
Posted by: Marie-Helene | May 29, 2008
I would like to buy the Nenufar and Pyxis fragrances. I clicked on the Scents of Time link but it throws me to the official Scents of Time website which does not ship their products to countries outside the United Kingdom. Please advise how I may purchase these perfumes. Thank you!
Posted by: Trish | February 2, 2009