Grace Elizabeth Arnone Hummel
Independent Perfume Historian | Researcher | Writer | Antique Dealer & Collector
Welcome to My Prince Matchabelli Perfume Archive
Welcome, and thank you for visiting my Prince Matchabelli perfume website!
My name is Grace Elizabeth Arnone Hummel, although many in the fragrance community know me as Cleopatra, the founder of Cleopatra's Boudoir. I am an independent perfume historian, researcher, writer, antique dealer, and collector with more than 25 years of experience studying antique and vintage perfumes, decorative bottles, historic fragrance houses, cosmetics, advertising, and the beauty industry.
Since founding Cleopatra's Boudoir in 1999, I have dedicated myself to researching and preserving the forgotten history of perfumery. What began as a fascination with antique perfume bottles has grown into an extensive collection of historical articles documenting thousands of fragrances, manufacturers, and beauty products.
I created this website to share my research into Prince Matchabelli, whose extraordinary journey from Georgian aristocrat to American perfumer is one of the most fascinating stories in fragrance history. I am particularly drawn to his early handmade perfumes, distinctive crown-shaped bottles, elegant advertising, and the transformation of his original New York antique shop into a successful perfume business.
As an antique dealer myself, I find the origins of his perfumery especially intriguing. My interests also extend to the company's later fragrances, cosmetics, toiletries, and the changes in packaging and ownership that shaped its development.
Rather than repeating the company's history, which I have documented separately, this page introduces the person behind the research.
My Research and What I Do
I often describe myself as a perfume historian and detective, because much of my work involves reconstructing forgotten histories from scattered pieces of evidence.
I examine original newspaper and magazine advertisements, department-store catalogs, perfume trade journals, patents, trademarks, business directories, and surviving bottles and packaging. These sources help me establish fragrance introduction dates, identify original presentations, document historical scent descriptions, and distinguish early products from later versions.
I am particularly interested in identifying rare perfume bottles, researching their manufacturers and designers, and helping collectors recognize authentic vintage presentations. Prince Matchabelli's crown-shaped bottles, personalized fragrances, and elaborate merchandising provide especially interesting subjects for this work.
I also research discontinued cosmetics, powders, soaps, and other toiletries, recognizing that these products are an important but frequently overlooked part of perfume-house history.
Another aspect of my work involves restoring and colorizing historical perfume advertisements and photographs, allowing modern readers to better appreciate their artistry. When original colors cannot be established, these restorations are presented as artistic interpretations.
My goal is to make reliable historical perfume information freely accessible, particularly when it concerns forgotten fragrances and products that are difficult to research elsewhere.
My Work in the Fragrance Community
Over the years, my research has been recognized and appreciated by perfume collectors, writers, journalists, and historians.
I have contributed writing to Fragrantica and The Perfume Magazine, previously served on Sniffapalooza's Fragrance Advisory Board, participated in Allure magazine's Beauty Panel, and have been associated with the International Perfume Bottle Association (IPBA).
I have also authored more than 200 educational eBay guides devoted to antique and vintage perfumes and collecting.
My research has been cited or acknowledged in publications including Lizzie Ostrom's Perfume: A Century of Scents, Gregory N. Daugherty's The Reception of Cleopatra in the Age of Mass Media, and Mary May Robertson's The Marriage between Perfume and the Lyric Stage.
Cleopatra's Boudoir has been described as a "Temple to Ancient Perfumes" by Beauty Bible and a "gold mine about dating vintage perfumery" by Scent Grail. Amelia of The Vintage Perfume Vault has also generously recognized my contributions to the free exchange of historical perfume information online.
These acknowledgments are especially meaningful because my work has always been motivated by curiosity, a love of history, and the desire to share what I discover.
Preserving Our Perfume Heritage
Perfume is a fragile part of our cultural heritage. Fragrances evaporate, formulas change, bottles are discarded, and once-popular creations disappear from memory.
Yet an original advertisement, surviving perfume bottle, or forgotten catalog can reveal valuable details about the artistry, fashions, and social customs of its time.
Through this website, I hope to preserve the stories behind Prince Matchabelli's fragrances and the people who created, marketed, and enjoyed them. My research is ongoing, and I welcome historical photographs, advertisements, catalogs, and information from fellow collectors.
Whether you are researching a discontinued fragrance, identifying an inherited crown-shaped bottle, or exploring the glamorous world of vintage American perfumery, I hope you find something here that inspires your curiosity.
Thank You for Visiting
I am sincerely grateful to the readers, collectors, and fellow fragrance enthusiasts who have supported my work throughout the years. Your questions, discoveries, and encouragement continue to inspire my research.
My greatest hope is that these archives will preserve the history and artistry of perfumery for today's enthusiasts and future generations of collectors and historians.
Thank you for visiting, and happy collecting!
Grace Elizabeth Arnone Hummel
Cleopatra
Founder of Cleopatra's Boudoir
Independent Perfume Historian, Researcher & Writer
Southern New Jersey, USA
Contact: reinedeparfum@gmail.com
Preserving the past, one perfume at a time.
This website is an independent historical and educational resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially associated with Prince Matchabelli, its current or former owners, trademark holders, or any affiliated companies. All trademarks and brand names remain the property of their respective owners.
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