Hermes Sterling Vintage
1970s French Hermes Sterling Vintage
Silver, Sterling Silver
1980s French Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
20th Century Modern Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
20th Century French Modern Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
20th Century French Modern Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
1930s French Art Deco Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sapphire, Gold, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver
1980s French Hermes Sterling Vintage
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Hermes Sterling Vintage
Silver Plate
1930s French Hermes Sterling Vintage
Silver
20th Century French Hermes Sterling Vintage
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
20th Century Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
20th Century Hermes Sterling Vintage
Silver, Sterling Silver
20th Century French Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
1970s French Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
1970s French Contemporary Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Hermes Sterling Vintage
Silver, Sterling Silver
1970s Hermes Sterling Vintage
Late 20th Century French Contemporary Hermes Sterling Vintage
Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver
20th Century Art Deco Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
1970s French Modernist Hermes Sterling Vintage
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver, Sterling Silver
1980s French Modernist Hermes Sterling Vintage
Silver, Sterling Silver
1980s French Modernist Hermes Sterling Vintage
Silver, Sterling Silver
1990s French Modernist Hermes Sterling Vintage
Silver, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1960s French Neoclassical Hermes Sterling Vintage
Silver, Sterling Silver
1940s French Hermes Sterling Vintage
20th Century Unknown Hermes Sterling Vintage
1970s Italian Modern Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver, Brass
1960s French Modern Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
20th Century Hermes Sterling Vintage
20th Century French Modernist Hermes Sterling Vintage
Silver, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century French Aesthetic Movement Hermes Sterling Vintage
Silver
1930s Swiss Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
1930s Swiss Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century French Contemporary Hermes Sterling Vintage
Silver, Sterling Silver
20th Century French Art Deco Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
1950s French Hermes Sterling Vintage
1990s French Hermes Sterling Vintage
20th Century French Hermes Sterling Vintage
1990s French Hermes Sterling Vintage
1970s French Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
20th Century Modern Hermes Sterling Vintage
Sterling Silver
1970s Italian Hermes Sterling Vintage
1930s French Art Deco Hermes Sterling Vintage
Jade, Gold, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century French Hermes Sterling Vintage
1990s Hermes Sterling Vintage
Silver
Late 20th Century Mexican Hermes Sterling Vintage
Silver
1970s Hermes Sterling Vintage
1980s French Hermes Sterling Vintage
Gold
1990s Italian Hermes Sterling Vintage
1990s Italian Hermes Sterling Vintage
1990s Italian Hermes Sterling Vintage
1940s Hermes Sterling Vintage
Silver
1990s Italian Hermes Sterling Vintage
1990s Italian Hermes Sterling Vintage
1990s Italian Hermes Sterling Vintage
1990s Italian Hermes Sterling Vintage
- 1
Hermes Sterling Vintage For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Hermes Sterling Vintage?
Hermès for sale on 1stDibs
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.
Read 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.
This Hermès Baseball Bag Is, Ahem, a Home Run
The beloved Bolide, one of the luxury house’s classic travel pieces, gets a playful spin in this 2018 special edition.
The Stories behind the Most Famous Luxury Fashion Logos
From Chanel to YSL, the logos of some legacy fashion houses spark instant brand recognition and have come to symbolize a kind of luxury that feels at once aspirational and attainable.
Why the Hermès Birkin Bag Is a Surprisingly Savvy Investment
More than a fashion statement, this iconic style continually appreciates in value.
The Personal Luxury Goods Market amid COVID-19
1stDibs dealers discuss the challenges of this unprecedented time, and the signs of hope.
How to Spot a Real Hermès Kelly Bag
A symbol of luxury and elegance, the design has a storied past and a legion of devoted collectors.
14 Iconic Luxury Handbags and the Stories behind Them
When the name of a bag is as well-known as its brand, you know it's a classic.