Hermès Pair of Hurricanes
View Similar Items
Hermès Pair of Hurricanes
About the Item
- Creator:Hermès (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 13 in (33.02 cm)Diameter: 6 in (15.24 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:c. 1960
- Condition:Very good vintage condition.
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:Seller: 24891stDibs: 1202107849809
Hermès
For Hermès, what began as a maker of leather equestrian goods for European noblemen would eventually grow into one of the most storied fashion labels in the world. In 1837, German-born French entrepreneur Thierry Hermès opened a saddle and harness purveyor in Paris. Gradually, the house extended into accessories and luggage for its riders, and today, in paying homage to its origins, the family-run luxury brand resurfaces horse motifs in everything from clothing and modernist jewelry to pillows and handbags.
The first top-handled bag ever produced by Hermès was the Haut à courroies, which made its debut in 1892. A tall bag secured with a folded leather flap (fastened with bridle-inspired straps), it was designed to transport riding boots and a harness. As the world made the switch from horse to automobile, the bag adapted, becoming a multifunctional travel satchel instead of a designated saddlebag. Today, 120 years later, the HAC remains in Hermès’s line — and its distinctive flap and clasping straps have laid the groundwork for some of the house’s other iconic bags.
In the 1930s, Robert Dumas (son-in-law to Émile-Maurice Hermès, Thierry’s grandson) designed a smaller, trapezoidal take on the flap bag with a handle and two side straps. Later, actress Grace Kelly, then engaged to Prince Rainier of Monaco, is said to have used one of these bags to conceal her pregnancy during the 1950s. Because she was photographed constantly, the coverage catapulted her handbag to international popularity. In 1977, Hermès officially renamed the model for her, and the Kelly bag was born. Each Kelly bag takes between 18 and 25 hours to produce, and its 680 hand stitches owe solely to one Hermès artisan.
Robert Dumas was also responsible for another one of the brand’s most iconic offerings: the launch of its first silk scarf on the occasion of Hermès’s 100th anniversary in 1937. Based on a woodblock designed by Dumas and printed on Chinese silk, the accessory was an immediate hit.
Today, vintage Hermès scarves, typically adorned in rich colors and elaborate patterns, serve many functions, just as they did back then. Well-heeled women wear it on their heads, around their necks and, in a genius piece of cross-promotion, tied to the straps of their Hermès bags. Kelly even once used one as a sling for her broken arm.
In 1981, Robert Dumas’s son Jean-Louis Dumas, then Hermès chairman, found himself sitting next to French actress and musician Jane Birkin on a plane, where she was complaining about finding a suitable carryall for the necessary accoutrements of motherhood. After the two travelers were properly introduced, Birkin helped design Jean-Louis’s most famous contribution to the Hermès canon: the Birkin bag, a roomy, square catchall with the HAC’s trademark leather flap top and the addition of a lock and key. Owing to the brand’s legendary commitment to deft, handcrafted construction, the Birkin is an investment that is coveted by collectors everywhere.
While the Kelly and Birkin may be standouts, gracing the arms of everyone from royal heiresses to hip-hop stars in the past few decades, the handbags are but a small part of Hermès’s fashion offerings. Since the 1920s, the brand has produced some of the most desirable leather goods in the world. There’s the Constance bag, a favorite of Jacqueline Kennedy, the recently relaunched 1970s-era Evelyne and, on the vintage market, a slew of designs dating back to the 1920s.
Good design never goes out of style. Find a variety of vintage Hermès handbags, day dresses, shoes and more on 1stDibs.
- Marie Suri Anemone CandleholderBy Marie SuriLocated in New York, NYMade expressly for Liz O'Brien by Marie Suri, these anemone candleholders are handcrafted in steel with bronze decoration and a copper interior. Festive for holiday tables and parti...Category
2010s American Candlesticks
MaterialsBronze, Copper, Steel
- Pair of Lucite "Puzzle" Low TablesLocated in New York, NYPair of rectangular low tables consisting of ten interlocking Lucite “puzzle” pieces. American, circa 1970.Category
Vintage 1970s American Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsLucite
$3,200 / set - Line Vautrin Mother-of-Pearl Powder CompactBy Line VautrinLocated in New York, NYPowder compact in silvered bronze with incised mother-of-pearl top. Signed.Category
20th Century French Boxes
MaterialsBronze
- Liz O'Brien Editions Albert MirrorLocated in New York, NYThe Albert mirror A fabric-wrapped frame with Inset beveled glass mirror And satin lacquer finish. Available in malachite, travertine, onyx and lapi...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Wall Mirrors
MaterialsFabric, Glass, Wood
$2,300 Sale Price / item34% Off - Liz O'Brien Editions Sam TableLocated in New York, NYRound occasional table raised on three acrylic legs. Lacquered in a selection of ten rich colors. Custom size requests can be accommodated. “Glamorous and light-catching, the ch...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Side Tables
MaterialsLacquer, Lucite, Wood
$5,643 / item - Double Rafraichissoir TableLocated in New York, NYDouble rafraichissoir in pale duck egg blue painted wood. Inset marble top raised on cabriole legs and decorative metal handles on the side. American, circa 1940.Category
Vintage 1940s American Serving Tables
MaterialsWood
- Pair of Murano HurricanesLocated in Chicago, ILA chic pair of 20th century Italian Murano hand-blown glass hurricanes with a swirled pattern. Perfect for candles, but would be stunning if they were electrified and made into lamps!Category
20th Century Italian Modern More Candle Holders
MaterialsMurano Glass
$2,450 / set - Pair of Cut-Glass HurricanesLocated in Palm Beach, FLRefined pair of handblown hurricanes with scalloped tops, geometric cut patterns, brass cuffs and classical cut glass bases.Category
Early 20th Century American British Colonial More Candle Holders
$3,250 / set - Pair of Russian Malachite Hurricane LampsLocated in West Palm Beach, FLSpectacular quality and generous scale. The 3 sided bases are appointed with bronze reliefs and the fitted withal glass globes. Superior eye catching design. The bases without globes...Category
Vintage 1960s Russian Candle Lamps
MaterialsMalachite, Brass, Bronze
$7,500 / set - Pair of Hurricane Lights, France, 2018Located in New York, NYSilvered bronze hurricane lights, all edges with a one-twist design. The center holds a moveable, floating base for a candle.Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Candle Lamps
MaterialsBronze
$14,500 / set - Pair of Glass Hurricane Candle StandsLocated in Palm Beach, FLCharming pair of hurricane candle stands crafted with hand blown glass in a classic form with etched floral designs all around.Category
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Queen Anne Candlesticks
MaterialsGlass
$1,200 / set - Pair of Regency Cut-Glass Hurricane LightsLocated in Steyning, West sussexA fine pair of Regency hurricane lights the ormolu-mounted step cut bases supporting radial cut drip pans with fan edge hung with round end rule drop...Category
Antique 1810s British Regency Candlesticks
MaterialsCut Glass
$15,299 / set
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The Hermès Passe-Guide Bag Might Not Be as Well Known as the Birkin or Kelly, But It’s Every Bit as Chic
Find out why this under-the-radar piece is so exceptional.
How to Spot a Fake Hermès Birkin Bag
The iconic Birkin bag is much coveted — and often copied. Find out how to tell the real deal from a convincing fake. Of course, you don't have to worry about this on 1stDibs, where every seller is highly vetted.