Blocki Perfumes

John Blocki was a 19th-century perfumer and creator of cosmetics. Born in Prussia but emigrating to America with his parents at a young age, John Blocki displayed an early talent for perfumes and scented concoctions. His products and business acumen would carry him from the pharmacies of Chicago to his own shop on the city's famed Michigan Avenue, specializing in perfumes. His innovations with perfume packaging helped him secure a patent in 1907 for his method of preserving a flower within a perfume bottle. A leader in his trade and an advocate for the burgeoning fragrance industry in the United States, Blocki's fragrances and cosmetics were top-sellers in the early 20th century. Blocki is remembered today as a pioneer in the history of U.S. fragrances.

In the 21st century, Blocki's great-great grandson and his wife began experimenting with essential oils and floral waters, which would eventually lead to the revival of the Blocki brand. In 2015, on the the 150th anniversary of the founding of the original Blocki perfumery, Blocki Perfumes was relaunched with a collection of three fragrances inspired by the writings of John S. Blocki's mother, Emma Blocki.