Object of the Day: A Trade Card for Florida Water

Florida Water, an American Eau de Cologne, was introduced in 1808 by the New York City perfumer I. Murray who marketed the cologne as a light fragrance appropriate for use by both men and young ladies. The scent is citrus base with a dominant sweet orange aroma with added notes of lavender and clove. 

The bottle today.

In 1835, Mr. Murray was joined by David Trumbull Lanman and the Florida Water concern became known as “Murray & Lanman.” The company contends that their product still is made using the original 1808 formula, and that the current label is essentially the same artwork used in 1808 with only slight modifications.

Here’s a trade card from 1886 for Florida Water which I recently acquired with a large job lot of antique ephemera. It’s quite attractive, yes? The front shows a bottle of Florida Water being cooled in a clear lake. Upon its neck sits a handsome cockatoo who is framed by a luxurious background of palms, roses and exotic plants. All of this effectively puts one in mind of a cooling, fragrant product. Having recently seen a new bottle of Florida water for sale, I can attest that the marketing is essentially the same to this day. 

The reverse of the card reads:

MURRAY & LANMAN’S 

FLORIDA WATER 

The Universal Perfume

FOR THE TOILET, THE BATH and THE HANDKERCHIEF 

                   REPORT 

Professor Alexander Wassiliewitsch Poehl 

Analyzing Chemist for the Russian Gov- 

ernment, St. Petersburg: 

“Murray & Lanman’s FLORIDA WATER 

does not contain any integral parts 

which could be pernicious to health.” 

“The comparative investigation has 

shown that Murray & Lanman’s FLORIDA 

WATER possesses in a volatilized state 

a greater ability and power to purify 

the air than ‘Eau de Cologne;’ and in 

this respect Murray and Lanman’s FLORIDA 

WATER is far preferable to the well- 

Known Cologne Waters.” 

No. 6404 – Sept. 30th, 1886