Sleeping by Schiaparelli c1938

Sleeping by Schiaparelli: launched in 1938.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It was classified as a heavy, narcotic soft, green oriental perfume for women with spicy carnation over woodsy-mossy notes on sugary, sweet vanilla.

• Top notes: Calabrian bergamot, galbanum
• Middle notes: rose, Egyptian jasmine, magnolia, ylang ylang, carnation, orange blossom
• Base notes: Haitian vetiver, hévéa wood, Chinese patchouli, musk, Mysore sandalwood, Yugoslavian oakmoss, ambergris, vanilla

L'Amour de l'art, 1950:

"Sleeping by Schiaparelli: From a sparkling crystal and gold candlestick, a flame glows in the slow evaporation of magical scents. True Aladdin's lamp: this fragrance seems to fulfill all our wishes."

Ladies' Home Journal, 1944:

"To go back to Schiaparelli, on the ground floor there were corporals, colonels and Red Cross girls buying "Shocking" or "Sleeping" by the dozens! My. America's women are going to be bathing in perfume this Christmas."

Femme, 1946:

"As for Schiaparelli's "Sleeping", don't think it's sleepy: but rather imagine that it perfumes the berth of the blue train or the cabin of the plane. Perfume of a conquering grace, quite intense despite its distinction, latest brother of “Shocking,” “Salut,” “Schiap” and in the same lineage."

The New Yorker, 1946:

"Schiaparelli : A lot of people have tried to copy Shocking, that disturbing, alluring floral, but they haven't quite done it. Sleeping is a spicy carnation that is anything but soporific, and Salut is a light floral. Six vials of bath oil in any one of these scents. $5.40."

Newsweek, 1949:

"Thousands who would never aspire to a Schiaparelli dress can and do buy bottles of "Shocking," "Salut," "Sleeping," "Snuff," "Le Roi Soleil," and the newer "Zut." The perfume business, at 12 Place Vendome, legally separate from the couture house."

Town & Country, 1951:

"Schiaparelli's famous foursome: Shocking, Sleeping. Zut. and Snuff' for perfume mood magic. $12.50."

Fodor's France, 1951:

"Schiaparelli, 21, Place Vendome. "Salut" — for young girls ; "Shocking" — elegant, refined ; "Sleeping" ; "Snuff"-tweedy, masculine ; "Zut"

Harper's Bazaar, 1956:

 "A trio of party snappers by Schiaparelli. Their surprise: a dram each of "Shocking," "'Sleeping" and "Succes Fou"' Eau de Parfum. $4.50."

Bottles:

Sleeping's parfum was imprisoned inside of a candle stick made up of Baccarat crystal. This bottle was housed in a light blue presentation box that mimics a large candle snuffer. The bottle was designed by Fernand Gerycolas, who took his inspiration from one of Rene Magritte's works, The Key of Dreams. 

Guerycolas also designed bottles for other perfume companies such as Lanselle and Christian Dior.

Drug and Cosmetic Industry, 1940:

"SCHIAPARELLI Schiaparelli's newest perfume is "Sleeping." The four-ounce flacon is in Baccarat crystal, and the stopper is the flame and is flame color. The box is in the form of a cone-shaped snuffer with a handle in "Sleeping Blue" and gold. This new blue which the designer featured in her recent collection, is bright and luminous."

The candle stick flacon was available in various sizes, including miniature:

• 1/2 dram sized mini bottle with glass flame stopper stands 2.5" tall.
• 1 dram sized mini bottle with plastic screw cap stands 3" tall. (retailed for $2.50 in 1941)
• 1/2 oz bottle stands 4" tall. (retailed for $9.00 in 1949)
• 0.87 oz (26ml) bottle stands 5.5" tall. (retailed for $15 in 1941)
• 1 oz bottle stands 6.25" tall.
• 2 oz bottle stands (retailed for $32.50 in 1941)
• 4 oz bottle stands 8.25" tall (originally retailed for $55 in 1940)

Fashions of the Hour, 1940:

"Schiaparelli's Sleeping perfume — in a glass bottle shaped like a flame-tipped candle is an enchanting scent for candelabra hours. About 1/4 ounces in a Sleeping Blue lighted-candle box. $30."

Department Store Economist, Volume 13, 1950:

"In addition, Sleeping perfume will appear in a new 1/2 oz size to retail at $8. The same candlestick bottle will be used with the blue snuffer cover."

 

Eau de Cologne Candle Flacons:

• 2 oz bottle stands 6.5" tall
• 4 os bottle stands 8" tall.

Baccarat Cube Stoppered Bottles:

First presented in 1938 and used throughout the 1940s, this clear glass bottle was created to hold the pure parfum, and was not only used for Shocking, but served as a standard bottle for several other Schiaparelli perfumes such as So Sweet, Sleeping, Salut, Le Roy Soleil, Zut, etc. I believe that this sober bottle style was used in response to World War II restrictions on importations, especially glass bottles and supplies from Czechoslovakia and Italy.

This bottle is a domestic French product, Baccarat model #788, manufactured for Schiaparelli only. It is a tall, upright rectangular shape and features a faceted glass cube as the stopper. The smallest size features a stopper that has an attached dauber. The base of the bottle is usually molded with "Schiaparelli" and "French Bottle". 

 

Fate of the Fragrance:

Discontinued, date unknown. Sleeping was still being offered for sale in 1963.