Accomplice by Coty c1954

?, also known as Question Mark by Coty was launched in 1954, renamed Accomplice.

The unusual name was based on Le Point d'Interrogation (the Question Mark), one of the Breguet Bidon airplanes that Francois Coty owned. Other planes had weird names like the Dewoitine, Trait d'Union (The Hyphen), The Hyphen 2 and Period.

Coty was fascinated by the success of Charles Lindbergh's transatlantic flight in just seven days when he landed at Le Bourget airport and noticed how the excitement spread over France. Coty was determined to see the French surpass the American's success and had decided to finance a transatlantic flight in the more difficult westward direction with the help of two French aviators, Capt. Dieudonne Costes and Lt. Maurice Bellonte.

Coty was the richest man in Europe having built up a fortune of $50,000,000. He owned several newspaper such as Le Figaro and had become a financial and political power. Coty could certainly afford the special flight and while advancing the glory of France, would also help strengthen his public image.

Coty celebrated his immense wealth by donating his plane, Le Point d'Interrogation, to the two pilots for usage on the flight. They took from Paris and headed to new York on Sept. 1, 1930. Though Coty had continued to finance the project anonymously, I figured he did this, in case the project was a failure, and he didn't want to be seen as a failure as well. However, the flight was a success and the pilots were decorated by the president of the republic.

Coty had designed, conceived and anonymously paid for a sterling silver replica of the plane executed by Cartier, internationally known jewelers in Paris, to be presented to President Hoover when the pilots visited America as a gift of the government of the Republic of France to Rockefeller Center. It was officially presented to Rockefeller Center by his Excellency, Andre Lefevre de Laboulaye, French Ambassador to the United States. The conclusion of a message to American president Herbert Hoover from French President Gaston Doumergue read, “…in forming one more tie between France and the United States, will contribute greatly to the development of their friendship of centuries.” The replica then was on display in the lobby of La Maison Francaise.

There is a plaque with an inscription which reads:

REPRODUCTION IN STERLING SILVER OF THE

“QUESTION MARK”

WHICH MADE THE FIRST NON-STOP FLIGHT FROM PARIS TO NEW YORK

IN SEPTEMBER 1930, PILOTED BY THE FRENCH AVIATORS

COSTES AND BELLONTE

THIS GOOD-WILL FLIGHT WAS THE RETURN VISIT OF

LINDBERGH’S HISTORIC FLIGHT TO PARIS IN 1927

THIS REPRODUCTION, WHICH IS SCIENTIFICALLY CORRECT IN

EVERY DETAIL, IS THE GIFT OF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT TO

ROCKEFELLER CENTER FOR LA MAISON FRANCAISE

PRESENTED ON NOVEMBER 8, 1933

BY THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES.

HIS EXCELLENCY MONSIEUR ANDRÉ LEFEVRE DE LABOULAYE

EXECUTED BY CARTIER

In 1954, Coty came out with a special perfume, of which had no actual name, other than simply ? (Question Mark) in no doubt a reference to his early airplane.

 A unique promotional contest was launched in accordance with the perfume. The advertisement reads:

"Anyone could win this fabulous Paris Vacation for Two! Just name this new Coty fragrance! here is another exhilarating fragrance from Coty. A fragrance so unique and stimulating , it can't help but stir your emotions - set you thinking of all the fascinating words that might describe it. The very first time you wear it, this thrilling new fragrance wil conjure up a dozen names. And when people comment on it, as their bound to, even more suggestions will occur to you. Get this new fragrance in the "Passport to Paris" package, along with your choice of seven beloved Coty Toilet Waters. (An outstanding fragrance value in itself of $2.50). Choose your favorite fragrances: Emeraude, A'Suma, Paris, L'Aimant, LOrigan, Styx and Muse. 

Then just give Coty a name that describes the character of the "question-mark" fragrance, and you may be the winner of an all expense vacation for two in the world's most romantic city - Paris! Anyone can win. There's no special talent required, no lengthy writing. Be sure to get your "Passport to Paris" while the limited supply lasts. 

Over $12,500 in prizes! Over 500 Chances to Win!

• Grand Prize: Vacation in Paris for Two (or $2,500 in Cash)

• Second Prize: Vacation in Paris for One (or $1,250 in Cash)

• 2 Third Prizes: Round Trip to Paris for One (or $500 in Cash)

• 4 Fourth Prizes: $250 (Paid in cash to each winner)

• 100 Extra Prizes: $25 (Paid in cash to each winner)

• 395 Extra Prizes: $13.50 of New Perfume and Toilet Water (each)

Complete Contest Rules and Entry Blank in each package. Your contest entry must be postmarked no later than Sept 27, 1954."

The Question Mark fragrance was named Accomplice and was launched under that name in 1954. The label is exactly the same on the Question Mark bottle and the Accomplice bottle. 

At the press party to launch Accomplice in 1956, a psychologist, explaining how and why women collect their perfumes said, "Whenever a woman changes her perfume, you can be sure that she is creating a new direction for herself with a definite motivation toward either a new man, a new career or something she wants that she hasn't yet got..."

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? There are no published notes but I have sampled the bottle I had. It has a very unusual smell, to me it smells exactly like that strange medicinal and disinfectant smell of a hospital or dentist office. 

• Top notes: aldehydes, clove, Bulgarian rose
• Middle notes: carnation, jasmine, orris, labdanum, opoponax, camphor
• Base notes: Siamese benzoin, ambergris, Indian musk, Mysore sandalwood, oakmoss, leather

Other companies had their own version of "?" perfume, Fragonard, Vibert Freres, Delettrez and Alexa.

Fate of the Fragrance:

Accomplice was sold up until around 1960-1961 or so. Despite the similar sounding name, the 1973 fragrance Complice by Francois Coty is not the same perfume as Accomplice.