TJ Holmes

In the history of atomizers, the firm of the TJ Holmes has been producing them since 1870. This company from Massachusetts was founded by Thomas Jefferson Holmes, who patented his first atomizer in 1876. His medical atomizer was his first and most successful product during the late Victorian era.

On early Holmes atomizers, you will find the trademark “Favorite”. Later on, starting in the 1920s and onward you will find the pieces marked with “Holmspray” on the metal fittings or on paper labels. These 1920s atomizers had unique little metal knobs attached to the collars in which TJ Holmes trademarked the name "Sealknob", and make Holmes pieces easy to identify even without any tags or hallmarks.

1920s-1930s Holmes pieces tend to be single color glass, with little decoration except for gilding on the perfume well or foot. Vaseline glass was a popular color for Holmes. Much akin to the other successful atomizer companies, TJ Holmes imported their perfume bottles and added their own hardware in which they designed and manufactured.

Interestingly enough, the company took an active interest in the bottle’s designs as numerous patents were granted to them for their hardware mounts. During the 1930s and 1940s, American glass companies like Duncan & Miller supplied the bottles. Later in the 1950’s the glass was imported from Eastern Europe as it was easier to purchase short production runs of fancy bottles. Later glass was imported from West Germany, Italy, France, Austria, Japan & Taiwan.