Johann Maria Farina gegenüber dem Jülichs-Platz
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| Privately held company | |
| Industry | Perfume industry |
| Founded | 1709 |
| Founder | Johann Baptist Farina |
| Headquarters | Cologne, Germany |
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Key people
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Johann Maria Farina XIX (CEO) |
| Products | Eau de Cologne |
| Website | www.farina1709.com |
Johann Maria Farina gegenüber dem Jülichs-Platz (English: John Maria Farina opposite Jülich's Square) is the world's oldest eau de Cologne and perfume factory. It was founded at the beginning of the 18th century by Giovanni Maria Farina (German: Johann Maria Farina), an Italian perfume maker who started his business in 1709. The company's logo is a red tulip. The French name "Jean Marie Farina vis à vis de la place Juliers" and the short form "Farina gegenüber" were also commonly used over a long period of time.
The company is still run by the founder’s descendants, who are the eighth generation of family members. The company has held royal warrants as purveyors of perfume to the German, French, Italian and British Royal Families. The company headquarters and birthplace of eau de Cologne are both to be found in Farina House in Cologne, Germany, where the Farina Fragrance Museum is also located.
The founding of Farina House dates back to the early 18th century. In June 1709, Johann Baptist Farina travelled to Cologne, where his younger brother Johann Maria Farina had been working for his uncle since 1708. On 13 July, Johann Baptist Farina (Italian: Giovanni Battista Farina) founded the company G.B.Farina and, from that point on, started his book-keeping, which has never been interrupted since.
On 17 July 1709, Johann Baptist Farina registered as a new resident at Cologne town hall and on the 24th was granted free citizenship. In those days, this procedure was necessary for a settler to set up a private business. With the support of his uncle, who was a member of the Maastricht government, and the salesman Johann Maria Farina (real name Giovanni Maria Farina), Johann Baptist Farina (II) signed on 1 August 1709 a twelve-year contract to rent a building at the junction of the streets Großen Bottengassen and Goldschmidts, now known as Unter Goldschmidt. Johann Baptist and his brother-in-law, Franz Balthasar Borgnis, then founded 'Farina & Compagnie', which later developed into 'Gebrüder Farina & Comp.' (English: Farina Brothers and Co.) after Johann Maria Farina (I) and Carl Hieronymus Farina joined in 1714 and 1716. The Farina company sold a wide range of luxury items, such as lace, handkerchiefs, silk stockings, wigs, feathers, tobacco boxes, sealing wax and face powder that one would have expected to find in a shop run by Italians.
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Wikipedia