Ma Griffe 1946 Eau de Toilette

Version from 1946
Ma Griffe (1946) (Eau de Toilette) by Carven
Bottle Design Jacques Bocquet (1946)
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7.6 / 10 169 Ratings
A popular perfume by Carven for women, released in 1946. The scent is chypreartig-floral. The production was apparently discontinued.
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Main accords

Chypre
Floral
Green
Spicy
Fresh

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
AldehydesAldehydes Citrus fruitsCitrus fruits Clary sageClary sage GardeniaGardenia Green notesGreen notes AsafoetidaAsafoetida
Heart Notes Heart Notes
IrisIris JasmineJasmine Lily of the valleyLily of the valley Orange blossomOrange blossom Orris rootOrris root RoseRose SandalwoodSandalwood Ylang-ylangYlang-ylang
Base Notes Base Notes
OakmossOakmoss BenzoinBenzoin CinnamonCinnamon LabdanumLabdanum MuskMusk StyraxStyrax Tonka beanTonka bean VetiverVetiver

Perfumer

Ratings
Scent
7.6169 Ratings
Longevity
7.7115 Ratings
Sillage
6.8107 Ratings
Bottle
6.9109 Ratings
Value for money
8.411 Ratings
Submitted by Kankuro, last update on 21.04.2024.
Interesting Facts
The scent was re-released in 2013.

The perfumer Jean Carles lost his sense of smell while he was still actively producing fragrances. It appears he hid the fact that he was completely anosmic in order to continue working, multiple sources report this due to personal conversations with him. His odour memory and imagination were good enough to continue to create great perfumes - like Beethoven who continued to compose music despite deafness. Ma Griffe is the fragrance most notably affected by Jean Carles' anosmia, though in 1947 he went on to work with Serge Heftler Louiche and Paul Vacher on the original Miss Dior.
Furthermore rumour has it that Ma Griffe was introduced to Parisians in 1946 by hundreds or even thousands of tiny, white and green parachutes, each containing a sample of the scent, that were dropped all over Paris. As a result, for the next few days the smell of Ma Griffe lingered through the entire city.

Reviews

7 in-depth fragrance descriptions
8
Pricing
6
Bottle
7
Sillage
7
Longevity
7.5
Scent
Greenfan1701

63 Reviews
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Greenfan1701
Greenfan1701
Very helpful Review 20  
HERB ELEGANT
And yet another fragrance has reached me that I didn't know before, that I'm very excited about and that also fits my taste. MA GRIFFE is recognizable as a green fragrance in the base, but I have more fragrances that, in my opinion, are much greener.
Nevertheless (WHAT a word) it is similar to the dry, unsweet perfumes, it comes across as quite harsh, once again I can't smell any flowers. Sometimes that's a shame, because there are already many beautiful ones listed in the heart note that I like. Like jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, but I can't smell them.

I can't say whether this is an 80s or 90s fragrance (it's certainly not from the 40s), the bottle looks exactly like the photo here. I never used to have it, so I can't say whether it's vintage, but I assume it is, because the fragrance lasts a very long time. - Unfortunately, that's not often the case these days -

It's really strange, I've been wearing it for a while now and suddenly I have a slight floral hint in my nose, that's not possible. Initially just tart and now floral, a very interesting observation that I already had with "Indian Summer".

The fragrance is pleasant to wear if you like this tartness, but after a while it turns and becomes more of a soft focus with a small floral note.
It's not too expensive either, so you could save the more precious chypre for a special occasion. I say could, because that's not my style, I also wear it in "normal" everyday life. :-)
16 Comments
8
Bottle
7
Sillage
7
Longevity
6.5
Scent
Ignika

26 Reviews
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Ignika
Ignika
Helpful Review 5  
Kraut classic
Ma Griffe, like so many other bottles before her, came to me from my grandmother. For years, one bottle stood in the cellar. I took the Sleeping Beauty with me to Berlin
From start to finish, Ma Griffin is herbaceous, due to the interplay of aldehydes and green notes. I would identify the latter as ivy, but only for lack of a better idea. In the beginning there are still lemon, asant(reminiscent of onion) and clary sage. Flowery hints are provided by gardenia and orange blossom, maybe some iris root is still hiding in the background. Sandalwood smoothes some edges without being too necessary, gives a creamy touch. The base of oak moss and vetiver is relatively early visible, but never superficial. Not mentioned notes never showed up in several tests. No sweet incense. No rose. No cinnamon.

When I read all this I see: Ma Griffe is my first experience with the chypre family. Interesting, yes, but on the other hand this perfume has given a lot of wearability. I was urged to dispose of the bottle...
I don't care, I'll keep testing from time to time. Maybe I can revise my rating soon. Let's hope so.
0 Comments
9
Bottle
7
Sillage
7
Longevity
7
Scent
Ninahagen

3 Reviews
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Ninahagen
Ninahagen
9  
Second division
It is heavily overestimated, as much for its quality as for its 'historical importance'. My mother used it in her 70s, only for church or work, she says, to save her 'real' ones (dior, ysl )
Too old-fashioned (grandmother wore it) and ' cheap' priced, given to her many a meal (like Tabu and Maja), never bought by herself, because 'wasserchen'.
I 'inherited' her old EDC and Extrait, and I'm all yours.

J. Carles has made only one masterpiece, eternal best animal floreal chypre, and my top favorite with Diorella, namely Shocking.

No green chypre, otherwise typical (white) flower-soap-pure, in the way White Linnen (much better) is too sweet and sticky for me. Absolutely no animal basis (only tropical white muscle), too floreal and medium size
Cabochard : with quite trendsetter.

MaHandles : only today with superlative cast, fate all old chypres, even for the former second class playable.

I'm sorry to fans, for my negativity. ( and bad German
7 Comments
5
Bottle
7.5
Sillage
7.5
Longevity
8
Scent
Sherapop

1239 Reviews
Sherapop
Sherapop
Top Review 4  
Freshly Cut Grass Clippings Under a Bright Blue Sky
Carven MA GRIFFE is an exciting perfume. I am grateful to all of the perfumistas who praised this worthy creation to the high heavens, since on their recommendation I bought a gift set online and was thoroughly delighted!

MA GRIFFE is totally green and utterly unique. MA GRIFFE is a huge pile of freshly cut grass clippings under a bright blue sky. MA GRIFFE is a vast expanse of glistening green rice paddies in rural Japan with not another soul anywhere in sight.

This may be what I wanted CABOTINE to be, though unfortunately it never measured up to my dream: clean, green, briskly aldehydic, white floral pristine perfection...and also chypre!

MA GRIFFE effects an immediate change in perspective but without numbing the mind. To spritz on MA GRIFFE is to step outside of Plato's Cave and stare directly at the incandescent sun. I may sound like some sort of religious zealot, but MA GRIFFE simply further confirms my longstanding belief in survival of the fittest when it comes to matters of value.

There's a reason why this extraordinary creation still exists and has no even close competitors. In the perfume jungle red in tooth and claw, MA GRIFFE has managed to hold her own, to retain the claim she staked so long ago.
2 Comments
5
Bottle
5
Sillage
7.5
Longevity
9
Scent
Callas

54 Reviews
Callas
Callas
Helpful Review 4  
Sun, grass and flowers
Ma Griffe and I have immediately got on.
Aldehydes with a splash lemon introduce themselves. The flatteries then begin. It gets gentle, powdered and quite soft.
The flower notes greet and swirl about me breezily but not sweetishly. The spell is broken.
The base with oakmoss, musk and sandelwood rounds off wonderfully.
Ma Griffe is holding back and relaxing.
A close friendship has begun. This green dream easily and breezily walks into my shopping basket.
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