author
G. W. Septimus (George William Septimus) Piesse
1820–1882
A Victorian perfumer and chemist who helped shape the language of scent, he is best remembered for linking fragrance to musical notes in a way that still feels familiar today. His writing opens a lively window onto the craft, science, and everyday glamour of nineteenth-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
George William Septimus Piesse was an English chemist, perfumer, and writer born in 1820 and died in 1882. He became one of the best-known perfume authors of the Victorian period and was closely associated with the firm Piesse and Lubin.
His most famous book, The Art of Perfumery, brought together practical instruction, chemical curiosity, and a real delight in fragrance. He is often credited with popularizing the idea of describing perfumes in "notes," drawing an analogy between smells and music that has had a long afterlife in the world of scent.
What makes Piesse interesting as an author is that he wrote not only for specialists, but for curious readers who wanted to understand how perfumes were made and used. His work captures a moment when perfumery was becoming both a modern science and a refined commercial art.