Toujours Moi by Corday c1923

Toujours Moi by Corday: launched in 1923 in France, in USA by 1924. Toujours Moi (Always Me) started life as the favored incense used in the Notre Dame cathedral of France. Burned only during Easter, this precious mixture was quite distinctive, containing frankincense, myrrh, resins, balm and cinnamon rolled in genuine gold dust. Hundreds of years later in 1923, the great House of Corday translated that incense into a classic perfume which would be known as their signature fragrance.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? Toujours Moi is classified as an oriental fragrance for women, described as an exotic and woodsy. Classical oriental theme, rich, warm and sophisticated based on a combination of exotic sandalwood, musk, cistus labdanum, and vetiver combined with orange blossom and jasmine. The color of Toujours Moi was originally a lovely shade of apple green.

• Top notes: aldehydes, cognac, bergamot, peach, plum, petitgrain, lemon, raspberry, orange blossom, jasmine, almond, thyme
• Middle notes: geranium, cinnamon, clove, ylang-ylang, nutmeg, lavender, lily of the valley, lilac, heliotrope, rose, frankincense, myrrh, honey, carnation, hay
• Base notes: balm, cistus labdanum, patchouli, amber, sandalwood, musk, vetiver, benzoin, leather, camphor, tobacco, Tolu balsam, tonka bean, vanilla, oakmoss, castoreum

L'Atlantique, 1952:

"Thirty years as a top-selling perfume is the record behind Corday's 'Toujours Moi'; to celebrate such fame a sister perfume was brought out last summer, 'Toujours Toi'. The row of Corday bottles on the dressing table must also include 'Fame', a light perfume, if one is blond, or 'Tzigane', a spicy scent for brunettes. 'Jet' is discreet enough for all complexions."

In 1973, Toujours Moi was available in the following products:

• 1/8 oz Purse Perfume
• 1/4 oz Perfume
• 1/2 oz Perfume
• 3 oz Perfume Spray
• 2 oz Eau de Toilette
• 4 oz Eau de Toilette
• 2.5 oz Spraygrance Cologne
• 2.5 oz Pure Spray Cologne
• 4 oz Bath Powder
• 2 oz Oil for the Bath

Bottles:

 

During the first quarter of the 20th century, designers such as Rene Lalique and Julien Viard were designing exquisite perfume bottles for clients. 

Toujours Moi's bottle and its packaging designs were originally designed by Lucien Gaillard, a jeweler from Paris who was a close friend of Rene Lalique. They both shared similar styles of design and after seeing some of Gaillard’s work, Lalique urged his friend to get back into the jewelry business.

The classic Toujours Moi bottle features simple money plants cascading down the bottle in a sinuous Art Nouveau fashion. This area is found gilded with thick enamel in later bottles. Corday used this flacon design continuously for Toujours Moi and later on for Toujours Toi perfume in the 1950s.

The first incarnation of the classic Toujours Moi bottle had an unusual stopper, with four tall lobes, with molded geometric designs. The bottles did not have the distinctive gilding over the money plant motifs as on later bottles. The labels are embossed gold paper. These bottles may be found with the R. Lalique mark on the base, but I believe these to be counterfeit signatures added much later by unscrupulous dealers. The bottle was filed for a patent by Charles J Oppenheim Jr. in 1925. Design Patent # D68, 340.The bottles are housed in beautiful presentation boxes covered in embossed reptile patterned paper, lined with beige velveteen.

Bottles: 

• bottle stands 3.5" tall

In about 1925, the bottle was given an update. The stopper was changed to an eight sided stopper with four frosted and circle molded glass panels. The paper labels are gilded metallic foiled paper. Both the money plant motif and the stoppers have applied orange-red patina. Some of the cologne bottles have glass stoppers and others have off white plastic screw caps, probably made of galalith. The bottle was used for both the parfum and the eau de cologne. This bottle was used until the 1950s.

Parfum Bottles:

• 1/8 oz (1 dram) - mini size bottle stands 1.75" tall.
• 1/4 oz bottle stands 2" tall (with plastic screw cap)
• 1/4 oz bottle stands 2.25" tall.
• 1/2 oz bottle stands 2.87" tall.
• 1 oz bottle stands 3.5" tall.
• 1 1/3 oz bottle stands 4" tall.
• 1 2/3 oz bottle stands 4.25" tall.
• 2 oz bottle stands 

glass stoppers:

• bottle stands 2.5" tall
• bottle stands 3.37

Eau de Toilette:

• 2 oz
• 4 oz
• 8 oz

Eau de Cologne Bottles:

• 2.5 oz bottle stands 4.5" tall.
• 4 oz bottle stands 5.5" tall.
• 8 oz bottle stands 6.25" tall.

Drug and Cosmetics Industry, 1938:

"Corday is introducing new sizes in Toujours Moi Eau de Cologne. Three sizes are now available, 2 ½ oz, 4 oz, and 8 oz. The flask is a lovely duplicate of the perfume bottle and the Cologne has a delightfully refreshing fragrance."

c1942 ad

In the 1950s, the classic Toujours Moi bottle was given a slight makeover. The money plant motifs are now heavily gilded with thick enamel. The glass stopper has now been transformed into a graceful flared design with a gilded money plant design to match that of the bottle. The Eau de Parfum & Eau de Toilette bottles have plastic screw caps. The bottles were manufactured by Pochet et du Courval in France.

Parfum Bottles:

• 1/4 oz bottle with screw cap stands 2.25" tall
• 1/4 oz bottle with glass stopper stands 2.37" tall.
• 1/2 oz bottle stands 3" tall.
• 1 oz bottle stands 3.5" tall
• 1 oz bottle with plastic screw cap stands 3.75" tall.
• 2 oz bottle with plastic screw cap stands 4.25" tall.
• stands 5.12" tall
• stands 6.5' tall
• Factice bottle stands 8.5" tall

Cologne Bottles:

• 2.5 oz bottle (with screwcap).
• 4 oz bottle stands 5" tall (with screwcap).
• 8 oz bottle stands 6.5" tall.

Eau de Toilette Bottles:

• 1 oz bottle stands 2.5" tall (with screwcap).
• 8 oz bottle stands 6.5" tall.

Fate of the Fragrance:

Sometime in the early 1960s, Max Factor bought out Corday (who was later bought out by Dana), and relaunched some of their well known perfumes such as Toujours Moi and Toujours Toi, along with Fame, and some others. The original Corday version of the perfume was discontinued in 1961.

In 1961, Max Factor relaunched the Corday greats. I found a newspaper advertisement from 1967 that showed the Max Factor perfumes & Corday scents together, they let the Corday name stand on its own merit as it was so well known and respected. They described Toujours Moi as a "mossy blend, subtly unforgettable", and Fame as a "captivating floral".

The Toujours Moi that Max Factor released after buying up Corday was close to the original that Corday made. This version was more uplifting, deeper, spicier, rich and smooth, and the color was lighter.

The one that Dana put out in 1995 was completely different, with a noticeably cheap and synthetic scent, harsh and acidic and murky in color and disappointed many buyers. Though after the first initial spray of the top notes disappears, the drydown of the perfume settles into a spicy, deep woodsiness.

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