Timelessness

Princess Grace of Monaco and her daughter Caroline, 1958

One of the most striking items in this photo is the Hermès bag Princess Grace is carrying.  Ironically, it became known as the 'Kelly bag' because Grace Kelly carried a similar one during her engagement to Prince Rainier.  Her preference for all things Hermès is still well known today.

Older Hermès bags are some of the most sought after in a thriving market for vintage handbags. But the only way that a Hermès product can be authenticated is by the Hermès company.  Every item that they manufacture is imprinted with a unique identification number;  the company can quickly determine the year in which a specific bag was manufactured and where it was sold. 

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Hermès vintage Eben Porosus Crocodile Kelly satchel;  $30,000

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Hermès Parchemin Togo Retourne Kelly Travel Satchel;  $13,500

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This Hermès Diamond Birkin bag set the record as the most expensive handbag

ever sold at public auction.  The winning bid?  $203,150.00.  Not only is it an

unusual bag - dyed red crocodile - but it was originally sold as a limited edition.

What is the difference between a Kelly bag and a Birkin bag?

The Kelly bag only has one handle; the Birkin bag has two.

As with all collector and specialty sales, remember:  caveat emptor (buyer beware.)  Many online auction sites allow listings which claim that their items are authentic but upon close inspection the fakes are usually easy to spot:

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I'm guessing that this 'authentic 1998 Hermès Orange Beach

bag' isn't actually authentic because 1) the price - $375; and

2) the 'certificate of authenticity' is printed in Chinese.

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The bag, above, is listed on the same site as the orange beach bag but this bag might actually be authentic.  Why?  The SKU identification number is listed and can be easily authenticated; the seller has sold almost 5,000 items on this site and has had almost 99% positive feedback (satisfaction rate) with previous buyers.

Soooooooooo, you might be asking yourself, "If I were interested in

investing in a new Hermès bag, what am I likely to pay?"   The official

Hermès USA site has a tan cotton beach bag for $960.00 with a new

limited edition crocodile bag running almost $30,000. 

Why are Hermès bags so expensive?  The demand, of course.  Hermès has a

buying restriction in Paris - one person may only buy two bags a year.

The company's reasoning?  They insist that because every bag is made by

hand there isn't enough supply to satisfy demand.  Currently there is
a 3 month waiting list for a new Kelly bag.

No Hermès bag for me but I'll definitely be on the lookout for vintage designer bags at the non-profit thrift shops I frequent.   

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I might get lucky like John Richard, above, an Englishman who purchased a bag for $30 at a charity shop which turned out to be a vintage Philip Treacy original appraised at over $500,000.  Designed by Andy Warhol, the 'Elvis bag' was one of only 10 ever produced.  

Happy thrifting!