History

"Train yourself to pronounce MYURGIA

(MEE-ROOR-GEE-AH)

it is difficult but important for your toilet"

Brief History

Established by Esteban Monegal Prat, Catalan sculptor (1888 to 1970) at 239 Calle de Cansejo Ciento, Spain in the early 1900's.


The company produced perfumes, cosmetic and toiletries. They won a Gold Medal in 1925 Paris Exhibition. Myrurgia was distributed in the USA by Vivaudou up until 1931 when they sold the line.


The company was later bought by Dr. Payot in c1980's and by Antonio Puig Parfumes in 2001.

Expanded History

Myrurgia is a perfumery company established in Barcelona, Spain in 1916, a family business founded by the Monegal family. The company's name Myrurgia was created from the Greek words for "essence" and "industry". With the combined efforts of wealthy chemical industrialist Raymon Monegal, his money, marketing skills, and the artistic talents of his son, the sculptor, Esteve Monegal Prat, their partnership helped to build the company into the successful name that we know today. Esteve earned university degrees in Paris and Barcelona. His perfumery training in Grasse, Paris and with Firmenich in Geneva helped to develop the exquisite fragrances, soaps and other products of the company which gained a major presence in the area surrounding Barcelona, and soon, the world would get a taste of what was so popular in the Catalonian region.

Denyse Beaulieu over at Grain de Musc explains that "Esteve Monegal himself, who apparently worked with François Coty before 1916, is said to have found the names and the notes : he bought his formulas from the Naef & Compagnie laboratory until 1921, when he hired Lucien Maisonier as the technical manager of his factory. We know that the great Jean Carles, of the Roure Laboratory, who worked a lot with Spanish companies (he authored Tabu and Canoë for Dana) composed some of the fragrances from 1927 onwards."

Drawing influences from the places where he was educated, Esteve found inspiration in the Ballets Russe and the exoticism of the Orient. These ideas spawned the names of the following perfumes: Maderas de Oriente, Hindustan, Morisca as well as the design of the presentation box for Besame.

Paying tribute to the beautiful women of his own land, he created Maja, the romantic fragrance reminiscent of black lace and flamenco, an exotic mossy chypre blend of spices with rose, orange blossom and jasmine undertones that truly captured the spirit of Spain. The poster for the Maja line is based on a drawing by artist Eduard Jenner which was inspired by the dancer Carmen Tortola Valencia and a photograph of her show La Tirana (based on the gypsy quarter of Seville).

Other perfumes were directly inspired by the romance of Spain. With names like "Your Window Grille" with Tu Reja, a breathy "Sigh of Granada" in Suspiro de Granada, casting a "Spell of Seville" with Embrujo de Sevilla, the bright sunny neighborhood of Seville famous for its flamenco with Sol de Triana, spicy flowers with "Spanish Carnation" in Clavel de Espana, and a tribute to one of Spain's greatest artists, Goya with Goyesca.

In the 1930s, Spanish produced products (Gal, Myrurgia, and Floralia) were gaining strength and popularity among South Americans, mainly Argentina & Brazil, among the upper and middle classes. Myrurgia started trademarking their brand "to cover perfumes" in South American and Central American countries around 1928 (I saw evidence of this in a Nicarauguan book). By 1974. Myrurgia had expanded from Barcelona to maintain plants in The Netherlands, 'West Germany', Switzerland, Brazil, etc. 

The New Yorker, 1931:

"perfumes, colognes, and such, has recently burst upon the town under the name of Myrurgia. The best of them give a moody and romantic feeling without having any of that musky quality the ha-cha-cha Latin countries like. One, for instance, is Maderas de Oriente, which has a little stick of rare wood in each bottle, to give a tang of incense, and is done up in a fantastic wooden case with gay wool braids in bright colors attached to its top. Then there are Maja, which has an amber base; and Suspiro de Granada, a sophisticated floral blend enclosed in a red lacquer case like a Spanish hat - tassels, pompons, and all. Flor de Blason is for those who like their perfumes heavy and exotic . These are only a few of the many scents; there are floral odors as well (among the, a most authentic carnation perfume, for those who like it). They have exceptionally amusing packages and, besides being decorative, are well worth a sniff -at Lord & Taylor, Bonwit Teller, and Franklin Simon."

Vogue, 1931:

"Suspiro de Granada is a flower perfume of sophisticated blend from the Spanish house, Myrurgia,  encased in these gay red lacquer cases with amusing pompons; Maja, who like a flower odour, but one with sophistication. Maderas de Oriente (Woods of the Orient) is an extract derived from the heart of a rare wood, a splinter of of which is to be found in every bottle to prove its authenticity. Fantasio is a fresh, light fragrance, its bottle encased in a most amusing wooden cylinder. The special cologne in the Myrurgia group is Joya, and its fragrance is as penetrating that is can serve as a perfume as well as a cologne. As for the Myrurgia soaps, they are a joy to use, since every fragrant cake seems to last practically forever, and retains its full perfume during all the time it is used. The Myrurgia products can be purchased at the toilet goods counters in the New York department shops and in some shops in other cities."

Harper's Bazaar, 

"Maderas de Oriente...the containing a tiny bundle of fagots and held in a tall box of natural wood, accenting the woody idea. I wish I could make you visualize the Myrurgia containers. They are absolutely unspoiled, with all the old- world quaintness and charm of their Spanish flavour left intact. There are boxes made of hollow bamboo stalks, holding chubby bottles of Fantasio, a scent redolent of tangoes and Spanish magic. Flor de Blason, with the strength and authority of iron, comes in a medieval looking bottle embossed in blue, suggesting armor. With many of these fragrances there is soap to match. And this very fine soap is worth more than a mere word of commendation. Its solidity, lasting qualities, and the permanency of the scent, raise it quite above ordinary soaps, and make it one of the most ingratiating bathroom accessories of my acquaintance. .of Myrurgia enjoys is that of being Purveyor to the Royal Family. Suspiro de Granada with all the background of the Alhambra was created especially for the Prince of the Asturias, and includes not only a distinguished perfume, but soap, lotion and powder. A quaint red lacquer box, hat-shaped, with dangling pompons, holds the perfume. Too Spanish. All these de luxe products may be had at several of the New York department stores."

 

Harper's Bazaar, 1935"

.."of Myrurgia's seven enchanting new perfumes: "Goyesca" in a gunmetal case, "Yanhia" in a black and white box, "Hawaii" has straw caught in the box covering, "Faisa" in a round black bottle is held in a gold base.  

The New Yorker, 1935:

"Myrurgia, the Spanish perfumer, is offering many scents with that tropic-flower lure - voluptuous without being obvious. I am especially fond of the one called Hawaii, because it could turn Jones Beach into Waikiki if necessary."

The American Perfumer and Essential Oil Review - Volume 32, 1936:

"MYRURGIA: Three more perfumes from this Spanish house, each totally different and yet equally delightful. The containers share honors with the elegance of the odors, being very handsome and quite unusual. The "Hawaii".."

 

 Drug & Cosmetic Industry - Volume 38, 1936:

"MYRURGIA has added two new colognes to the line, one in the Maja odor and the other Maderas de Oriente."

In 2000 the company was acquired by the fashion and fragrance company Puig.

Myrurgia Perfumes Overview

Maderas de Oriente - A Fascinating Spanish Fragrance from Myrurgia. One of delightful woodsy fragrance touched by the mystery of the Orient. It has floral notes of jasmine, ylang-ylang and bergamot, layered on spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg, over a base of sandalwood and other precious woods.

Maja - the romantic fragrance reminiscent of black lace and flamenco, an exotic mossy chypre blend of spices with rose, orange blossom and jasmine undertones the preference of well-bred women that has truly captured the spirit of Spain.

Joya, means jewel and is a subtle, exciting scent that grows more beautiful as you wear it you find that you respond to its indefinable charms more and more as you wear it too, a fragrance that catches the flavor the glamour of Spain, cherished by the most distinguished women of Spain.


Flor de Blason, a dusky garden scent filled with citrus and floral scents of the Alhambra.


Si Senor, a vigorous masculine cologne from Spain, features a mixture of Mediterranean rare spices and zestful wild herbs. Si Senor cologne is liked by virtually every man and admired by every woman.


Myrurgia's Orgia, pronounced "orheeah", the Spanish word that signifies a profusion of things in the case of this perfume means many flowers many lights many loves..

Spain by Myrurgia, crisp but lingering. Bold yet suave. A naturally pleasant scent to carry you through the day.

In American and Canadian advertisements, the names of the perfumes were sometimes spelled incorrectly, such as the case with "A Moi?", "Principe de Asturas", "Suspiro de Granada" and others.