author
G. W. Septimus (George William Septimus) Piesse
1820–1882
A pioneering Victorian perfumer and chemist, he helped shape the language of scent by linking perfumes to musical notes. His classic writings open a lively window onto the science, craft, and imagination behind 19th-century perfumery.
1 Audiobook
The Art of Perfumery, and Methods of Obtaining the Odors of Plants With Instructions for the Manufacture of Perfumes for the Handkerchief, Scented Powders, Odorous Vinegars, Dentifrices, Pomatums, Cosmetics, Perfumed Soap, Etc., to which is Added an Appendix on Preparing Artificial Fruit-Essences, Etc.
by G. W. Septimus (George William Septimus) Piesse
About the author
Best known as Septimus Piesse, George William Septimus Piesse was an English chemist and perfumer born in 1820 and died in 1882. He became one of the most influential writers on perfume in the 19th century and is widely associated with the idea of describing scents in terms of "notes," a way of thinking that still shapes perfumery today.
Piesse was also connected with the London perfume house Piesse & Lubin, whose fragrances were popular in its day. His best-known book, The Art of Perfumery, blends practical instruction with curiosity about botany, chemistry, and everyday taste, making it more than a manual: it is also a record of how Victorians understood smell, luxury, and modern science.
What makes his work especially engaging now is the mix of precision and play in it. He wrote about fragrance as something that could be studied carefully but also enjoyed creatively, helping turn perfumery into a subject readers could think about, discuss, and learn from.