The rediscovery and world fame of benzoin
The Papier d’Arménie as it is still bought and used today, dates from the end of the 19th century. About that time the French chemist Auguste Ponsot came back from a journey to Armenia, where he did a remarkable discovery. He had noticed that Armenians have an alternative method to freshen and perfume their houses: they burn benzoin (also called storax), an aromatic type of resin that originates from Malesia, where it is extracted from the styrax plant.
On his return to France, Ponsot decided to refine and take advantage of this discovery. To do so, he called on the pharmacist Henri Rivière. Together, after a few experiments, they developed a new and more practical consumption method for the benzoin: first of all, they dissolved the resin in ethanol, to which they added a few drops of perfume. Thereafter, they put blotting paper in salted water (in order to slow down the burning process), whereafter they let the paper dry, afterwards soaked it in the ethanol solution, and finally let it harden in the oven. Thus was born the Papier d’Arménie, and up to this day the original production method has not been altered.
The new invention of Ponsot and Rivière was rapidly a resounding success: they won several international prices with it, and le Papier d’Arménie was even exposed at the World Fair of 1889 in Paris, where it was brought to the attention of the whole world. From the early beginning, the world fame of their invention was assured.
Method of use and advantages of Papier d'Arménie
In order to use the Papier d’Arménie correctly, you first have to take a strip from a sheet in the booklet, fold it like an ‘accordion’ and heat it carefully: the Papier d’Arménie will gently burn (without a flame), and gradually spread its aromatic and purifying fragrance.
Today the Papier d’Arménie is again used as an alternative air freshener, as a replacement for incense or chemical air fresheners. Because Papier d’Arménie has, above its vanilla-like fragrance, a few interesting qualities: it repels insects, and its fragrance is strong enough to repulse penetrating bad smells, like tobacco or oil. Moreover, some healing and pain-relieving effects are usually assigned to benzoin: it is said to be effective against, for example, asthma and severe cough, and it fosters the healing of wounds.
By the way, the Papier d’Arménie knows a very interesting use for the bibliophiles amongst us: old books often develop an unpleasing musty smell. To prevent this, you can place a strip of Papier d’Arménie between your books, so that its vanilla-like fragrance can spread through the pages of the whole book. Your lecture will never have been so comfortable!
Although the Papier d’Arménie contains substantially fewer toxic elements than incense and chemical air fresheners, you have to be careful while using it: because when the benzoin is burnt, it also spreads carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. For this reason, we recommended to use it with moderation (maximum 3 or 4 strips per week), and always in well ventilated rooms.