Scent of Mystery conservation project

In collaboration with Jas Brooks, Carmen Laube, Susan Todd and Olivia Jezler, working to conserve and honour the history of Smell-O-Vision! and ground breaking feature film, Scent of Mystery circa 1960.

photo Art Shay

We feel that this slice of history that has been much maligned, deserves to be recognised…

… and celebrated as an important part of the future of scent in science and in the arts.

An old Smell-O-Vision machine in a lab at Crerar Library May 16, 2022. (photo by John Zich)

The last remaining ‘Smell Brain’ -donated by daughter of inventor Hans Laube – is now with Jas Brooks at the University of Chicago where it is being documented and revived.

The last remaining sample of Elizabeth Taylor’s signature scent the ‘Scent of Mystery’, kindly donated by Susan Todd (pictured) is currently being analysed, with a view to re-creating this beautifully fragrant identity clue.

Please get in contact if you would like to know more.

Mike Todd Jr. and Hans Laube. Photo by Art Shay