I have grown the rose Vintage Gardens sells under this name for about five years and I have never discerned any difference between its bloom and that of RdV. It is at best a slightly more robust selection of RdV.
Vintage Gardens Book of Roses, 2006. p. 75, the entry for Pius IX describes finding a reversion to this rose on a bush of Reine des Violets. From that it was concluded that "This is the sport parent of Reine des Violettes".
There is a difference in colouring to RdV. Please also see "Reine des Violettes - Helle Variante" which is sold in Germany. Possibly also a reversion to Pius IX, which was propagated as RdV.
There is a bristly rose sold in Australia as Reine des Violettes, and also turning up in old cemeteries. We guessed it was Pope Pius IX. Photos taken late summer, South Australia, zone 9b. Both roses are in the Blakiston Schoolhouse garden. If only many roses would sport to thornless forms!
