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Bambus 1930 Eau de Cologne

7.8 / 10 20 Ratings
A popular perfume by J. G. Mouson & Co. for men, released in 1930. The scent is spicy-floral. The production was apparently discontinued.
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Main accords

Spicy
Floral
Fresh
Woody
Green
Ratings
Scent
7.820 Ratings
Longevity
7.116 Ratings
Sillage
5.816 Ratings
Bottle
6.820 Ratings
Submitted by Hasi · last update on 07/25/2025.
Source-backed & verified

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Bambus (Parfüm) by J. G. Mouson & Co.
Bambus (Parfüm)
Bambus (After Shave) by J. G. Mouson & Co.
Bambus After Shave

Reviews

3 in-depth fragrance descriptions
Schrippe

11 Reviews
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Schrippe
Schrippe
Top Review 14  
More of a Small Panda than a Big Bamboo Bear
Bamboo is from my grandmother's vintage box. Many bottles have come into my possession this way.
It is astonishing how opulent and radiant these fragrances were in the past and still are today, even though they were very affordable compared to the wage conditions of that time.
I only remember Mouson soap, for me the epitome of luxury, which was always intended to be kept in a special box for special days.
For us, Kaloderma in the green-white packaging was sufficient, according to the packaging with glycerin, rice powder, and honey jelly.
Bamboo opens on the skin not at all like an aftershave, but with an ambratic spice that lasts about two hours. After that, the scent shifts and a subtle sweetness rises, which never becomes intrusive or annoying.
Why this fragrance is preferred as masculine is not entirely clear to me; it could be due to the year it was released, when the assignment of male/female was still customary.
I share the assessment of Ergoproxy, who notes in his review that a certain affinity for vintage fragrances is beneficial for the acceptance of this cologne.
Later, a certain animalistic note joins the minimal sweetness, which unexpectedly fits wonderfully into the scent progression.
Due to this unpredictable animal nuance, the Bamboo Cologne is more of a small panda than a big panda bear. The "real" bamboo bear feeds 99% on plants, while the small panda, on the other hand, also enjoys animal-based food more often and thus emits accordingly.
In my close circle, there are men who, in work-typical dirty clothes, with beads of sweat on their foreheads and a Hackepeterschrippe loaded with plenty of onion, a pickle as a garnish in hand, take a break and smell just like the Bamboo Cologne that I have tested and described here.
If you have the opportunity to test this cologne, which has good longevity: always go for the meatballs!
9 Comments
Serenissima

1247 Reviews
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Serenissima
Serenissima
Top Review 19  
we never even suspected that back then, ...
... "Bamboo" is a men's fragrance. I am still amazed!
As teenagers, we tried hard to be "grown-up." I believe that hasn't changed to this day.
The Beatles disturbed the youth, the miniskirt outraged - and we very young girls were right in the middle of it!
Our "trend awareness" was reflected in dark blue pleated skirts that were rolled at the waist, and in being shorter. And - oh, I almost feel ashamed to write this - in dark blue knee socks worn with white "high-heeled shoes" (as we called them back then).
That must have looked quite terrible; it was probably very close to a kind of school uniform, which we all wanted to oppose.
And our mothers clapped their hands together when they saw the black, bar-like eyeliner that more or less successfully "adorned" our young, mostly still childish faces.

Now, during this time, the selection of ladies' and men's fragrances was not very large. There were the classics, most of which we had not even heard of. And some companies, like 4711 and Mouson-Lavender, satisfied the majority of "perfume users." (Not to forget Tabac Original for men!)
The vast assortment that now launches almost more new releases every year than there were back then was simply unimaginable!

For us girls, "Bamboo" was all the rage. A fresh, herbal scent with great clarity. I remember it lasting relatively long. Perhaps that was only related to our childishness.
In any case, it distinguished us from the "Eau de Cologne faction." Ha! That was something!
Just the name evoked the feeling of "the scent of the great, wide world!" "Bamboo," it sounded like unknown distances; a departure to foreign shores...
The smallest of the bottles went into the school bag (with the "beloved" stuffed animal), a larger one stood at home on the makeshift first "vanity table."
We felt "very grown-up" with this scent - even if it sounds so proper and prim today.
We were really still proper!

Thus, the fragrances of "Mouson" are firmly anchored in my youth. They are a dear memory that I would love to revive. I seem to be currently on the "road of memories" - who knows!

Maybe I will be lucky and find a collector's piece that is looking for a new home.
I will set out on the search.
Updated on 04/23/2017
6 Comments
Ergoproxy

1131 Reviews
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Ergoproxy
Ergoproxy
Top Review 20  
With a Touch of Panda Bear
Cream Mouson with deep effect.

This advertising slogan is probably only known to a few today. The name Mouson is familiar to the people of Frankfurt through the tower of the same name and the theater located within it.

I knew that there were soaps and creams from this brand, but that there was also perfume made in Frankfurt was new to me.

Why this men's fragrance was named Bamboo is beyond my understanding. Since the first men's fragrance from Kenzo, I associate, and probably others do too, a rather fresh scent with the sweet grass.

The scent of Mouson takes a completely different direction.

Well, at the beginning, the fragrance is more than fresh, and I was already afraid that this might be a classic Fougère. Herbal, sour, and quite alcoholic, the first few minutes give off something like a barbershop feeling.

Once the alcohol evaporates, Bamboo increasingly changes its scent direction. In the heart, it then moves towards a floral-spicy direction, and Bamboo loses, in my perception, its masculinity.

With the base, a bit more sweetness, wood, and a distinct animal note develop, or in the case of Bamboo, rather a hint of panda bear.

The longevity is top-notch and thus atypical for a Cologne. I can clearly perceive the scent for over 12 hours. However, the sillage is rather restrained, although I can imagine that it becomes stronger when the fragrance is sprayed on.

In terms of scent character, I would have placed Bamboo more in the late 60s to early 70s, and the bottle design would also fit well in that era, in my opinion.

It is unnecessary to mention that one should have a certain open attitude towards classic perfumery for this type of perfume; otherwise, certain associations with the gerontological field could arise again. ;)

For those who want to learn more about the brand Mouson: http://www.stadtgeschichte-ffm.de/download/mouson.pdf

Speaking of the gerontological field: Dear Ms. Mümmelmann, thank you very much for the decanting of this rarity; I almost forgot that.
Updated on 06/24/2022
17 Comments

Statements

4 short views on the fragrance
3
2
Searched for a long time - Dad's scent. Associations with sweet Japanese soy sauce and flowers. Very 70s even though it’s from the 30s. Leather jacket animalic.
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2 Comments
13
14
I don't really find it masculine, aside from the top note. The rest is herbaceous floral with an animalic musk note. For vintage fans.
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14 Comments
20
18
Cologne? No!
A honey scent with delicate flowers and a subtle yet noticeable animal note.
Warm
Attractive
Well done
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18 Comments
4 years ago
21
15
Unusual cologne,
with a fine,
classically scented
blossom honey powder fragrance.
Elegant & warm, nice.
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15 Comments

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