Hermès Vintage Black Box Calf 35 cm Kelly with Gold Hardware
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Design:
- Dimensions:Height: 10 in (25.4 cm)Width: 14 in (35.56 cm)Depth: 5 in (12.7 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Palm Beach, FL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1028117085862
Kelly Bag
In 1837, Thierry Hermès (1801–78) founded his eponymous luxury goods company in Paris as a saddle manufacturer, serving the era’s carriage trade. In 1880, under the stewardship of Thierry's son Émile-Charles, fine riding gear was added to its offerings to complement the saddles. Hermès eventually expanded their workshops to design handbags in the years that followed. The Kelly bag, originally introduced as the Sac à dépêches (“the dispatch bag”) in 1935, was created by Robert Dumas, son-in-law to Thierry's grandson Émile-Maurice Hermès.
Designed for independent women who wanted a piece that was both luxurious and efficient, the Kelly bag has a trapezoid shape, two triangular gussets, a sculpted flap and a handle.
To this day, the understated bag comprises 36 individual leather pieces, 16 studs and a signature padlock and leather key cover, with three layers of leather at the base to ensure the bag can stand upright. Each Kelly bag takes between 18 and 25 hours to produce, and its 680 hand stitches owe solely to one Hermès artisan.
The Kelly bag earned its name during preproduction on Alfred Hitchcock’s 1955 film, To Catch a Thief. Costume designer Edith Head sourced products from Hermès to outfit actress Grace Kelly, who fell in love with the Sac à Dépêches and continued to carry it long after the movie wrapped.
Months after marrying Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956, Kelly was spotted carrying a brown pigskin Sac to shield her pregnancy from the paparazzi. And while the oft-repeated claim that Kelly and her bag appeared on a Life magazine cover isn’t true, photography of the actress and her cherished accessory began to appear everywhere at the time, and the bag’s profile suddenly skyrocketed.
In 1977 Hermès officially changed the item’s name to the Kelly bag. Less than a decade later, Hermès introduced another top-handled bag to its line, also named after a style symbol, the Birkin bag.
The Paris-based British actress Jane Birkin sat next to Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas — Robert's son — on an Air France flight. He noticed her overflowing handbag, and she told him she longed for “a handbag that is bigger than the Kelly but smaller than Serge’s suitcase,” in reference to her then-romantic partner, the French musician Serge Gainsbourg. The Birkin bag was created in 1984, joining the Kelly in Hermès’ permanent collection.
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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Palm Beach, FL
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Chanel Black Leather Vintage Speedy BagBy ChanelLocated in Palm Beach, FLThis authentic Chanel Black Leather Vintage Speedy Bag is in excellent condition. A timeless piece from the early 1990’s, it has maintained its status as a true classic. Black leather duffel style handbag is flat stitched in signature Chanel diamond pattern. Top zipper accesses the roomy black leather interior. Carried by the double rolled leather top handles. Made in Italy. Chanel padlock...Category
1990s Italian Top Handle Bags
- Hermès Aubergine Togo Leather 30 cm Birkin Bag 2022By HermèsLocated in Palm Beach, FLThis authentic Hermès Aubergine Togo Leather 30 cm Birkin Bag is in pristine unworn condition. A brand new deep purple color from 2022, this piece ha...Category
2010s French Top Handle Bags
- Hermès Deep Brown Evergrain 30 cm BirkinBy HermèsLocated in Palm Beach, FLThis authentic Hermès Deep Brown Evergrain 30 cm Birkin is in pristine condition. Hand sewn and coveted worldwide; the Hermès Birkin is considered the epitome of luxury handbags...Category
Early 2000s French Top Handle Bags
- Chanel Black and Beige Canvas Clover Charm ToteBy ChanelLocated in Palm Beach, FLThis authentic Chanel Black and Beige Canvas Clover Charm Tote is in great condition. Black canvas north south tote with beige mini check pattern. Zippe...Category
Early 2000s Italian Top Handle Bags
- Hermès Charcoal Canvas Victoria II SatchelBy HermèsLocated in Palm Beach, FLThis authentic Hermès Charcoal Canvas Victoria II Satchel is in pristine condition. Hand sewn by skilled artisans, this beautiful daily bag from Hermès is...Category
2010s French Top Handle Bags
- Hermès Black Box Calf 30 cm Birkin with PalladiumBy HermèsLocated in Palm Beach, FLThis authentic Hermès Black Box Calf 30 cm Birkin is in pristine unworn condition with the protective plastic intact on the hardware. Each Hermès piece is sewn by hand and waitlists ...Category
2010s French Top Handle Bags
- Black patent leather hand-bag LancelLocated in Saint-Ouen-Sur-Seine, FRBlack patent leather hand-bag. Cotton Toile de Jouy lining. 2 front pockets with magnet snap button and a third one with zip closure. Drawstring on both side ended with pompoms. Slap...Category
2010s Unknown Top Handle Bags
- Vintage Black Crocodile HandbagLocated in London, GBA chic vintage crocodile hand bag, The bag has a central top fastening and internally there is one pouch pocket and one zip pocket. Measuerments: width 12'', height 8 1/2'', depth 3...Category
1960s Top Handle Bags
- Monogram Canevas Bamboo Bullet bag Gucci Circa 2000By GucciLocated in Saint-Ouen-Sur-Seine, FRMonogram Canevas Bamboo Bullet bag. Studs . Metallic clasp. Size: 30 cm X 20 cmCategory
Early 2000s Italian Top Handle Bags
- Chanel Black Silk Purse HandbagBy ChanelLocated in Sheung Wan, HK- Vintage 90s Chanel black silk purse handbag. - Silver CC hardware kiss lock closure. - Leather interior. - One interior zip closure pocket. One...Category
1990s Italian Top Handle Bags
- Vintage Morabito Paris Shiny Brown Crocodile Silver Hardware Clutch Handbag 1970By MorabitoLocated in Baleares, BalearesThis beautiful Morabito Paris handbag is crafted from brown crocodile, features silvered top handle and hardware. Its magnetic peg-in-hole closure opens...Category
Late 20th Century French Top Handle Bags
- Hermes Chaine D’Ancre Tote Bag BlackBy HermèsLocated in Sydney, New South Wales1stdibs Exclusives From Three Over Six Brand: Hermès Style: Chaine D’Ancre Tote Bag Size: Handle Drop: 1.75" Height: 9.75" Width: 8.75" Depth: 6.25" Color: Black Leather: Veau Madame Stamp: 2020 Y Condition: Pristine, never carried: The item has never been carried and is in pristine condition. Accompanied with: Hermes Box, Dust bag, felt and leather care...Category
2010s French Top Handle Bags
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
This Iconic Hermès Bag Is Made from an Unexpected Material: Wood
From a house that specializes in covetable objects, this version of the Kelly is the rarest of finds.
A Short History of the World’s Most Iconic Designs
Of the million-plus items on 1stdibs, some seem to have transcended time, looking as fresh today as when they were first produced. The pieces highlighted on our new Iconic Designs page stand out for longevity, functionality and quality of design and manufacture — just the tonic for the present unsettled moment.