Mary Chess Explained

Mary Chess[1] (December 27, 1878 – January 12, 1964) was an American perfumer who made fragrances using all natural ingredients. Her company, the eponymous Mary Chess, was owned by Henri Garceau.

Biographical information

Mary Grace Chess was born in Louisville, Kentucky,[2] the daughter of William E. Chess, who owned a local cordage mill. In 1907 she married Avery Robinson, also from Louisville and son of another Louisville mill owner, who had worked for her father after graduating from MIT. In 1920 Chess and Robinson left for London where Robinson was employed as treasurer to the Royal Philharmonic Society.[3] In London she became famous for her sculpted metal flowers which she sold to the Queen Mother. She founded the Mary Chess Company in 1932.[4]

While in London Chess sent her daughter Carley to study with Nadia Boulanger, despite the composer's pessimistic assessment of the girl's aptitude for music.[5] In the end Carley did not pursue a musical career but instead became a writer of children's books.[6]

Chess died in Pittsfield, Massachusetts on January 12, 1964, at the age of 85.[7]

Perfumes

Mary Chess started making perfumes in New York in 1932 after she was disappointed by the insipid aroma of a bottle of toilet water.[8] "She created all her perfumes herself, using natural ingredients."[9] By 1934 the Mary Chess name was becoming a proxy for fine women's perfume.[10]

Mary created many perfumes, of which arguably the most famous is Tapestry. Probably incomplete perfume list:[11]

Just after World War II and continuing into the 1960s, a selection of Mary Chess perfumes was sold in glass bottles shaped like chess pieces.[12] Though expensive,[13] these sets proved popular.The Wheaton Glass Company of Millville, New Jersey produced the glass bottles and pressed figural stoppers for Mary Chess from 1946 to 1948.[12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Aromatic Women's History Guide (AWHG) . 2007-10-05 . 2021-02-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210211212801/http://www.aromastudio.com/womeninat.htm . dead .
  2. Web site: United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925 . FamilySearch . 3 February 2020.
  3. Web site: Schmidtt . Martin . Catalog of Manuscripts in the University of Oregon Library . [908] Robinson, Avery, 1878-1965 . University of Oregon . 2004 . 2009-11-12 . 2012-06-17 . https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20120617111745/http://purl.library.uoregon.edu/e-asia/ebooks/read/schmitt.pdf . dead .
  4. http://mummim.multiply.com/journal The Perfume Companion
  5. Book: Rosenstiel , Léonie . Nadia Boulanger: A Life in Music . W. W. Norton & Company . 1998 . New York . 209 . 0-393-31713-7 . 2009-11-12.
  6. Web site: Dawson . Carley . Headings List (Library of Congress Online Catalog) . . 2009-11-12.
  7. News: Mary Chess Robinson . 19 December 2023 . Daily News . 12 January 1964.
  8. Book: Lancaster , Marie-Jaqueline . Brian Howard: Portrait of a Failure . Timewell Press . 2005 . London . 218 . 978-1-85725-211-8 . 2009-11-12 .
  9. Book: Groom , Nigel . The new perfume handbook . Springer . 1997 . New York . 205 . 978-0-7514-0403-6 . 2009-11-12 .
  10. Book: Hughes , Babette . One egg: a farce in one act . Samuel French, Inc. . 1934 . New York . 89 . 0-573-62376-7.
  11. http://reviews.ebay.com/Vintage-Mary-Chess-Perfumes_W0QQugidZ10000000003838511 eBay Guide by cleopatra*s_boudoir
  12. Web site: For Show Not Play: Glass Chess Sets . 2002 . 2009-11-12 . WheatonArts and Cultural Center . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110719040809/http://www.wheatonarts.org/museumamericanglass/exhibitions/pastexhibitions/2002forshownotplay/index_html . 2011-07-19 .
  13. Chess Life . . 19 . 59 . . 1964 . 2009-11-12.

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