Avon calling! Do you have 5 minutes to talk about our most valuable Avon bottles?
Yes, that’s right. Over the past century, Avon has been selling us perfume, cologne, and beauty products. Now, some of those products are actually quite valuable. The perfume and cologne bottles sold by Avon were particularly distinctive and sought after when they were sold, and now they are selling for larger amounts online.
If you have a few Avon bottles knocking around – or you think your grandparents might – then this guide will help you identify when they were made and how much they are worth.
But first, to show you just how valuable Avon bottles are, here are the 10 most valuable Avon bottles currently for sale online in April 2023.
The 10 Most Valuable Avon Bottles
The market is always changing and more Avon bottles may appear, so if you scroll down to our guide you can find a list of places to buy and sell them. But for now, here are 10 high-valued Avon bottles to gawk at.
1 – 1970s Queen Perfume Bottle
Image Credit: VintageSerendipityKH
Currently up for sale at $1,130, this is a 1970s Avon bottle with queen of hearts design top. It’s one of the less extravagant designs but it’s in mint condition and verified by an Etsy seller who deals in antiques.
In the 1970s, Avon was producing a vast number of bottles so you’ll find a range of designs from this era. The cars, bells, angels, and guns were mostly produced in this era, so finding a more unusual design (like this queen of hearts Avon bottle) is a good way to identify that it’s probably more valuable.
2 – 1981 Sweet Honesty Perfume Bottle
Image Credit: MilkThreadAndHoney
This is a bottle from the 1980s and a great example of a valuable Avon bottle that doesn’t have an overly extravagant design. In fact, it’s pretty simple! However, it is made of glass and has the original stopper with it. Furthermore, it’s in such mint condition that it still has the original sticker on the bottom and the original perfume inside it.
Your chances of finding an Avon vintage item like this are very low, which explains why it’s valuable. The seller has it priced at $166. This is a much more average price and it’s certainly what you should budget for if you want to buy a genuine vintage Avon bottle.
3 – 1950s Cranberry Perfume Bottle
Image Credit: Bharatkakhazana
This bottle is from the 1950s and is in good condition – but not amazing condition. That’s why it’s currently up for sale at around $126. The color is beautiful though, you’ve got to admit that!
The main feature that separates this Avon bottle to many of the others on this list is the top. It uses a metal flip opening rather than a glass stopper. This can be a good way to identify when a bottle was produced by Avon.
The seller indicates that this item has some scratches and may be chipped, which reduces the price. However, the fact that it is from the 1950s which is considerably earlier than most Avon bottles, it still has value regardless.
4 – 1970s Blue Lamp Bottle Collection
Image Credit: RusticRosesCA
Avon are well-known for creating perfume bottles in novelty shapes. For $175, you can get this set of three blue glass Avon bottles. They’re created to look like tiny lamps. This is a great example of how you can boost the price of your vintage Avon bottles by selling them as a set.
Avon also gave names to their scents and the bottles they came in, which is useful for identifying when they were produced if there’s no year printed on the bottom (see FAQs below for more info). These bottles are labeled as ‘Lamp of Paradise’.
5 – 1970s Snail Avon Bottle Collection
Image Credit: RusticRosesCA
They may be small – only 17cm tall each – but they sure are valuable! This is another set of three Avon bottles from the same Etsy seller. Perhaps they are selling their collection. Manufactured sometime in the 1970s, these snails are a prime example of the kind of animal-themed perfume bottles that Avon was producing at the time.
For the full set, this seller is requesting around $146 – this works out as just under $49 per bottle. For an uncommon shape that was made in the last 50 years or so, this is a reasonable price. You’d expect to pay over $100 per bottle if they were a rare shape or much older than this.
6 – 1970s Crane Vintage Avon Perfume Bottles
Image Credit: RusticRosesCA
This pair of cranes is in great condition. They’ve probably been stored away in an ex-Avon lady’s attic – we’ve actually seen several comments during our research of Avon representatives from the 70s and 80s storing away stock that never sold and forgetting all about it. So, if you know someone who used to be an Avon lady 30+ years ago, ask them if they have any Avon perfume and cologne bottles.
The great condition of these bottles and the fact that they’re mostly still full of the original perfume, is why they are selling for this high price.
7 – Canadian Goose Valuable Avon Cologne Bottle
Image Credit: Blessed Patriot
We’ve seen a lot of perfume so far, but here’s an example of a decent-priced cologne bottle. Currently selling on eBay for around $44, this Avon bottle is in a like-new condition which is why the price is set this high. If you look at the majority of Avon bottles sold on eBay, $10-$20 is the norm.
Interestingly, this bottle comes with the original box – likely because it was never sold or used. Although a little rough around the edges, there’s no doubt that having the original packaging adds to the collectability of the item (and therefore the price too).
8 – Avon Bird of Paradise Swan Bottle
Image Credit: LittleRedHenVINTAGE
This is a lovely example of an Avon bottle that’s not made from opaque glass nor garish plastic. So, if you have a small perfume bottle like this, it could still be a mildly valuable Avon perfume bottle! Named ‘Bird of Paradise’ this cologne bottle doesn’t have a date on it.
However, it does have the original Avon sticker on the base which indicates that it is genuine. The seller hasn’t made an effort to track down when it was first manufactured, but you have a partial code on the bottom which could help you decipher what year it dates to.
9 – 1960s Vintage Stanley Steamer Avon After Shave Bottle
Image Credit: jacar4067
The Avon car bottles are some of the most sought after by collectors, however they were produced en-masse, so their price is never too high. Although you can buy one of these 1960s Avon after shave bottles for around $10, we are still including them in our list because they are so iconic!
The Stanley Steamer style is just one of many vehicles. Motorbikes, trains, locomotives, fire engines, and all manner of cars were also produced. This is very distinctive Avon! The scent that was used in these after shave bottles was known as ‘Wild Country’.
10 – 1973 Pass Play Football Avon Bottle
Image Credit: tatumcat
Last on our list is this glass bottle produced in 1973 – it’s still mostly full of the original product! Even if your discovered Avon bottle isn’t a car or classic perfume bottle shape, that doesn’t mean it’s worthless. Avon have created some unusual bottles over the years, from inanimate objects like boots, to figurines like this football player.
Again, this is an aftershave bottle containing Avon’s signature ‘Wild Country’ scent. It also comes with the original packaging which looks to be in very decent shape. That could be why it’s being sold for around $22 at the time of writing.
Complete Guide to Old Avon Bottles
There are hundreds of different Avon bottles, so don’t feel disheartened if you didn’t spot yours above. Getting a value for your Avon bottle is fairly simple using our guide!
What Are Avon Collectible Bottles?
Avon collectible bottles are perfume, cologne, and aftershave bottles produced by Avon during the 20th century. Early bottles produced before the 1960s were elegant and beautiful but very simple. They just looked like ordinary perfume bottles. If you find one of these, the age alone is what gives it value.
However, toward the end of the 1960s and running up to the mid-1990s, Avon produced novelty bottles in all manner of shapes and styles. The car-shaped bottles are among the most well-known. It’s these bottles that are collectible today.
All Avon bottles should have a mark or logo somewhere on the bottle to indicate that it was made by the company – this is how you tell if a bottle is authentic.
Avon Collectible Perfume Bottles Price Guide
Avon bottles aren’t going to make you rich, but they will give you a little pocket money.
The most obscure designs fetch hundreds of dollars (occasionally breaching $1,000) while most rare Avon bottles fall between $100 and $200. If you have a common Avon bottle, you can expect to sell it for $10 to $20.
Factors that impact the price of your Avon bottle include:
- Rarity of the design,
- Condition of the bottle,
- Age of the bottle (older is more valuable),
- Whether it contains the original product and has the original Avon sticker still on the base,
- Whether it comes with the original box packaging it was sold in.
People who collect Avon bottles rarely do so to make a fortune. They are collectible items and may be worth more money in a set. There’s also the promise that they may rise in value in the future. But for now, they are simply nice trinkets to own.
Where to Sell Old Avon Bottles
As Avon bottles are vintage items, selling them at flea markets or selling them directly to vintage antique collectors is certainly possible. This would also give you a chance to get the bottle valued professionally.
If you think you’ve got a good idea of the price from researching the rarity and year your bottle was produced, then selling online is the way to go. Check out:
- Etsy – a marketplace for second-hand and handmade products that many collectors visit.
- eBay – a good second-hand marketplace for less valuable bottles.
- Ruby Lane – a vintage marketplace that’s best for serious sellers (you need to list a minimum of 10 products at once).
Where to Buy Avon Bottles for Sale
As a buyer, purchasing bottles in-person is best because it enables you to assess a product for damage and authenticity. But that’s not always possible, so instead you can buy collectible Avon bottles online.
The three sites linked above – Etsy, eBay, and Ruby Lane – are the best places to shop vintage Avon bottles online. Just make sure you follow these simple rules:
- Only shop from verified sellers with a good track record.
- Carefully assess all images. If the seller doesn’t show the product from a particular angle, message them and ask for it.
- If the seller is asking for a high price (a few hundred dollars or more) then check the description for a reason why. If they can’t justify the price, be wary.
- Only buy products that have been dated by the seller, so you know just how vintage the item is.
- Factor in the shipping costs!
Avon bottles are not going to make you rich, but they are great novelty items to collect. Like stamps! They also make brilliant gifts, as they come in so many different colors and novelty shapes. Who knows, maybe in 100 years’ time they will be worth a lot more…
FAQs
Who buys old Avon bottles?
Collectors buy old Avon bottles, often through Etsy and eBay. Most bottles are considered vintage rather than antique, so most antiques dealers won’t be overly interested in buying them off you. You’ll get a better price if you sell them to private buyers on the internet.
Are Avon bottles worth money?
The most collectible Avon bottles sell for $500, while most vintage bottles sell for $99 to $200 and more common ones sell for up to $50. As time goes by, these prices may increase. It could be worth hanging onto your collectible Avon bottles!
What are Avon vintage perfume bottles?
Avon vintage perfume and cologne bottles are simply bottles made over the past century by beauty company Avon. Originally, the bottles were just elegant containers, but over the decades they were released in novelty shapes that have become quite collectible.
Are car Avon bottles worth anything?
Yes! Some of the car (and vehicle) shaped Avon bottles are very rare, and therefore worth as much money as some of the very old un-shaped Avon perfume bottles.
When were Avon cologne bottles made?
Avon has been producing perfume and cologne since it was founded, over 122 years ago. Some of the early perfume bottles fetch the highest prices. The sculptured bottles, including cars, animals and figurines, were produced from the 1960s onwards.
Are Avon bottles from the 70s worth much?
Avon bottles produced during the 70s were mainly angels and cars, with some animals (although animal-shaped bottles were also produced in the decades before). The average prices we have seen are around $50 to $100, although a few very rare designs have sold for more than that. It also depends on the size and material of the Avon bottle.
How many Avon car bottles have been produced?
Tens of thousands of Avon car bottles were produced over the years, along with other unique Avon shapes. The cars are one of the most well-known Avon styles, but some other (older) styles fetch higher prices at sale.
What do the numbers mean on the bottom of Avon bottles?
Not all Avon bottles have numbers, but those that do are usually a reference to the volume of the bottle or the year it was produced. This can be helpful with identifying when the bottle was made, but it’s typically an indication of value.
Why did Avon stop making collectible bottles?
Avon changed its bottle design over the years, which has resulted in numerous styles that are vintage and collectible. The Avon Company, as they are now known, have gone through some tough times over the years. More recently, they’ve shut down production companies across the world and have entered agreements with other beauty companies around the world to sell their products. This shift in business and tough times for the company has meant no collectible items have been produced since the late 1990s.
hello, thank you for sharing, I enjoyed looking at the photos you offered us as well as the different explanations, I would like to add your blog to my favorites, thank you again
hello, this is the first time I have come across such a nice collection of Avon objects, I took great pleasure in zooming in on the photos to look at the smallest details, a real pleasure.
Thank you for sharing.