Dana Tabu Parfum 0.50 oz (15cc/ml) Art Deco Splash w Box Vintage 1930s 1940s

A remarkably elegant survivor from the golden age of Art Deco perfumery, this vintage Dana Tabu parfum exemplifies the dramatic presentation style associated with luxury prewar fragrance design. The architectural stepped display plinth, textured fitted box, geometric black stopper, and intact original cord combine to create an exceptionally displayable vanity piece rarely encountered in such complete condition today.

Available today is this rare, likely late 1930s to early 1940s vintage, original and authentic Dana Tabu parfum splash in an approximately 0.50 oz (15cc/ml) size by Dana, marked “Paris-France” and “Made in France” on the bottle base. The bottle retains its original fitted stepped display base, matching textured presentation box, and original black-and-white neck cord. The back of the box also retains what appears to be an original gray ink-stamped factory batch or production control marking (“A” or possibly “4”), consistent with primitive inventory coding commonly found on earlier pre-1950s perfume packaging.

The bottle's base features a circular vacuum-style molded glass marking associated with earlier semi-automatic perfume bottle manufacturing techniques commonly observed on luxury perfume bottles produced during the late prewar and immediate wartime era. Photos were taken at high magnification to best highlight overall item condition. The buyer will receive the exact item pictured.

This bottle can be attributed to approximately the late 1930s through early 1940s based upon the “Dana Paris-France” labeling, molded “Made in France” base embossing, circular vacuum-style molded glass base marking, Art Deco geometric styling, primitive single-character ink-stamped batch marking, textured box construction, and early corded parfum format. The dramatic stepped plinth and Bakelite-style stopper profile are especially characteristic of upscale vanity presentations produced during the late Art Deco perfume period.

Condition is excellent for its age. The bottle retains a strong fill level with beautifully matured deep amber parfum coloration consistent with vintage natural perfume materials. The original black-and-white cord remains intact around the stopper assembly, and the bottle lettering remains well preserved overall. There is minor age-related residue beneath the stopper area along with light wear consistent with careful handling over many decades. The textured presentation box shows mild edge and corner wear together with normal age patina expected from an approximately 85-year-old luxury perfume presentation. The original fitted stepped display base remains present, which is increasingly uncommon among surviving examples. Collector Notes Complete early Tabu parfum presentations with their original fitted display plinths are substantially more difficult to locate than standard standalone bottles. Many surviving bottles lost their fitted base or outer box decades ago. This item possesses unusually strong visual presence due to the combination of the geometric black stopper, intact original neck cord, textured neutral-toned presentation box, and dramatic stepped Art Deco display platform.

The “Dana Paris-France” labeling, molded French base embossing, primitive batch marking, and vacuum-style molded base characteristic further distinguish this as a significantly earlier and more desirable production period compared to the simplified commercial Tabu bottles introduced during the postwar decades. Why This Bottle Stands Out vs. Later Versions Later Tabu bottles gradually transitioned into simpler mass-market packaging and lost much of the architectural Art Deco styling present in earlier productions such as this one. This bottle retains the fitted stepped display plinth, geometric stopper profile, corded neck presentation, textured luxury box construction, and earlier circular vacuum-style molded base associated with prewar Dana manufacture.

The “Paris-France” attribution, molded “Made in France” embossing, and primitive single-character factory batch coding are especially desirable details among collectors seeking earlier French-associated Tabu presentations. Fragrance History

1932: Tabu was launched by Dana and created by legendary perfumer Jean Carles, who was reportedly instructed to create “a perfume for a woman of mystery and passion.”

Late 1930s–1940s: Tabu became one of the defining oriental fragrances of the Art Deco era and achieved enormous international popularity through its rich spicy amber composition and dramatic luxury presentations.

1950s–1960s: The fragrance expanded into broader international distribution while retaining its signature oriental character.

1970s–1990s: Packaging and formulations gradually evolved through multiple ownership and manufacturing transitions.

Present Day: Original early parfum presentations from the French-associated production era remain highly collectible among vintage perfume, vanity, and Art Deco collectors worldwide.

Originally launched in 1932, Tabu is classified as an oriental floral fragrance featuring notes of bergamot, neroli, orange, clove, coriander, jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, amber, benzoin, civet, musk, sandalwood, patchouli, and vetiver. Vintage parfum concentrations from this era are especially admired for their darker spice, resin, amber, and animalic complexity compared to many later reformulations.