Mühlens was born in Troisdorf, the sixth of eleven children of Jakob Mülhens and his wife Anna, née Volberg.^[1] His life prior to 1796 is not well known.

Thumb — 3rd Cologne Address Book 1797, Page 179: Wilhelm Mülhens in Klöckergasse

In 1803 Carlo Farina, who was not part of the famous cologne-producing family, fraudulently sold Mülhens that family's naming rights.^[2]

In 1805 Mülhens was first recorded as a cologne manufacturer, later sold under the product name 4711 from 1881. After the Napoleonic wars his company also exported the cologne abroad, including Paris and Stralsund.

Thumb — 5th Cologne Address Book 1822, Page 228: Wilhelm Mülhens (Mühlens) listed under the company Franz Maria Farina

Thumb — Letter from Wilhelm Mülhens on 21 October 1826

Thumb — 7th Cologne Address Book 1831, Page 261: Wilhelm Mülhens Glockengasse No.12

In 1832 Mülhens was found guilty of abusing the name "Farina", and the 1803 contract was found to be void.^[3] To continue operating under the name "Farina" in 1832 Mühlens's son, Peter Joseph Mülhens, took on a Farina from Mortara as a partner in the company for "office work and supervision of fabrication."

Mülhens died in Köln.

Life and work

References