Description
Original Antique 1898 magazine Ad for Quentin’s Perfumed Wafers, produced by Chapman & Rodgers, Perfumers, located at 510 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This 1.5 x 2.5 inch print features an elegant Victorian illustration of a woman preparing for her bath, promoting the wafers as a way to make a bath “brimful of fragrance.”
The wafers were offered in scents such as Roman Bouquet, Rose, and Violet, sold at ten wafers per bottle for 25 cents. The ad also offered a sample by mail for two 2-cent stamps — a classic Victorian mail-order cosmetic promotion.
Written text from the ad includes:
“One little wafer will make a bath brimful of fragrance.”
“Ten wafers in bottle, 25 cents.”
“If your druggist does not have them, we will send, postpaid, on receipt of price.”
“Sample for two 2 ct. stamps.”
This is an authentic 1898 magazine clipping — not a reproduction.
Fun Fact
Bath tablets and “perfumed wafers” were an early forerunner to modern bath bombs. Chapman & Rodgers was a well-known late-19th-century perfumery in Philadelphia, producing soaps, colognes, and toiletries marketed to middle- and upper-class Victorian households. Products like Quentin’s Perfumed Wafers were especially popular because indoor plumbing and dedicated bathrooms were becoming widespread in urban homes during the 1890s.
Collector Appeal
Highly collectible for:
Antique perfume & toiletry advertising
Victorian bath and fragrance products
1890s cosmetics history
Philadelphia perfumery memorabilia
Illustrated Victorian home & lifestyle ads
Features
Brand: Quentin’s / Chapman & Rodgers
Type: Magazine Ad
Year: 1898
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Subject: Perfumed bath wafers
Size: Approx. 1.5 x 2.5 inches
Original: Yes
Condition
Strong printing and clean detail. Light natural toning consistent with 1890s magazine stock. No major damage. See photos.
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