Gucci Vintage Gold Metal Letter Opener Brown Leather Handle
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Length: 10.5 in (26.67 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Some scratches on the surface of the metal. Some light loss of gilding on the hardware. A small black stain on leather handle on the back. Please check the photos carefully and ask if you need to know more details or if you have any doubts.
- Seller Location:Rome, IT
- Reference Number:
Gucci
Long before trend-bucking creative director Alessandro Michele brought his hallucinatory “Utopian Fantasy” campaign to Gucci, it was a modest Italian leather shop. Today, it’s an internationally renowned luxury house with an iconic logo, and vintage Gucci clothing, handbags and shoes are among high fashion's most covetable goods.
Guccio Gucci (1881–1953) admired the stylish suitcases he saw wealthy guests arrive with at the Savoy Hotel in London, where he worked as a bellhop. So, in 1921, after a stint at Franzi, a luggage company in his hometown of Florence, he opened a leather goods shop of his own.
At first, Gucci’s Florence business specialized in equestrian accessories. But as its reputation flourished, particularly among the English aristocracy, so too did its footprint. In 1938, he brought three of his sons — Aldo, Vasco and Rodolfo — into the business and expanded it to Rome and later Milan. In the mid-1930s, a League of Nations embargo against Italy pushed Gucci to experiment with alternatives to imported leather. Its woven hemp fabric from Naples, adorned with the brand’s signature diamond print, was a hit, especially among A-list celebrities. The material was first used on suitcases before finding enduring popularity on handbags. (No list of revered designer purses would be complete without Gucci.)
In the 1950s, Elizabeth Taylor carried one of Gucci’s bamboo-handled tote bags, another adaptation to material rationing. After Jackie Kennedy was seen sporting a slouchy Gucci tote in 1961, it was renamed for the First Lady. Then Grace Kelly, on a visit to the boutique in Milan, inspired Rodolfo Gucci to work with Italian illustrator and Gucci textile designer Vittorio Accornero on the Flora print in 1966. Taking cues from Sandro Botticelli’s Primavera, with its pattern of flora and insects, it was painted entirely by hand and featured no fewer than 37 colors.
In 1953, just 15 days after opening his first store on New York’s 5th Avenue, Guccio passed away at 72. The early 1970s saw store openings in Tokyo and Hong Kong, but by the late 1980s, Gucci was floundering. Rodolfo Gucci took charge in 1982, but family drama and lawsuits ensued. In 1993, Rodolfo’s son, Maurizio, transferred his shares in the company to Investcorp, ending the family’s involvement in Gucci. Dawn Mello, then-president of Bergdorf Goodman, joined as creative director in 1989. But it was Tom Ford, who took over as creative director in 1994, who ultimately revived the brand.
Ford’s racy ads, shot by photographers such as Mario Testino, stirred controversy. And his potent vision of sexed-up femininity — with “jewel-toned satin shirts unbuttoned to there,” as Vogue described his breakthrough 1995 runway show — was wildly successful. The new millennium brought new ownership — Pinault Printemps Redoute in 2004 — and a more toned-down vision from Frida Giannini, who became sole creative director in 2006. Alessandro Michele was named creative director in 2015, and the storied brand took a giant leap forward.
Find vintage Gucci clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Rome, Italy
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- Gucci Vintage Burgundy Leather 5 Ring 1976 AgendaBy GucciLocated in Rome, RomeElegant vintage 1976 agenda by GUCCI crafted in burgundy leather. It features a five ring binder inside and daily sheets of the year 1976. 1 pen holder, 1 open slot inside for papers...Category
20th Century Italian For The Desk
- Hermes Rare Vintage Paul Dupre Lafon Robot Desk CalendarBy HermèsLocated in Rome, RomeHermes Vintage perpetual desk calendar, from the 1940s. Created by Paul Dupre Lafon for Hermes. This robot agenda is entirely covered i...Category
1940s French For The Desk
- Gucci Vintage Rare Metal Round Gold and Silver Table ClockBy GucciLocated in Rome, RomeRare Vintage Desk Clock by Gucci. Gold -tone & Silver-tone metal. Round- shaped. Quartz Movement. Roman numbers. 'GUCCI - Italy' engraved on the bac...Category
1970s Italian Decorative Objects
- Hermes Vintage Art de la Table Wood Shelf Talker Square PlateBy HermèsLocated in Rome, RomeVintage Hermes Shelf talker/Plate with 'Hermes Art de la table - Paris' lettering. Square-shaped. Made in wood, with upper side in light gold co...Category
1990s French Decorative Objects
- Gucci Vintage Brown Leather Thermos Case Holder with HandleBy GucciLocated in Rome, RomeVintage Vacuum flask/Thermos holder by GUCCI . Brown leather Thermos Holder with green/red/green stripes around . The top of the holder slides up and down inside the strapping. Raise...Category
1970s Italian Decorative Objects
- Gucci Inventum Scented Candle Light Blue Murano Glass JarBy GucciLocated in Rome, RomeBeautiful Gucci 'Inventum' Scented candle. Wax is sscented with notes of pink rose and Taif Damask rose. It features a metal lid with an engraved knob, and the light blue glass jar (...Category
2010s Italian Decorative Objects
- Address Book and Pencil Case Designed by Salvatore Ferragamo for V&ABy Salvatore Ferragamo, FerragamoLocated in London, GBSet of Address Book and Pencils designed by Salvatore Ferragamo for V&A, the Victoria and Albert Museum Collection in South Kensington, London hardcov...Category
2010s Italian For The Desk
- 1980s Gucci Equestrian Wooden Web Stripe Boot JackBy GucciLocated in London, GBAn exceptional piece from the very core of Gucci House, this boot jack is made of wood, featuring leather trim, original cloth leather stripe, gold tone me...Category
1980s Italian Decorative Objects
- 1980s Gucci Interlocking Logo Metal Enamel KeyringBy GucciLocated in London, GBThis elegant Gucci Keyring features a light gold-tone metal frame, masterfully adorned with multi-hued enameling and the iconic interlocking logo emblematic of the brand. Condition:...Category
1980s Italian For The Desk
- Hermes Balcon du Guadalquivir tea boxBy HermèsLocated in Nicosia, CYTea box in hand-painted lacquered wood. New with box.Category
2010s For The Desk
- CHRISTIAN DIOR Vintage Silver Tone Ram's Head PaperweightBy Christian DiorLocated in Nice, FRCHRISTIAN DIOR vintage antiqued silver tone ram's head paperweight. Embossed CHRISTIAN DIOR pour INITIATIVE MEDIA. Indicative measurements : max. height approx. 7.2 cm (2.83 inches...Category
20th Century French For The Desk
- HERMES Vintage Stirrup Silver Money ClipBy HermèsLocated in Nice, FRHERMES vintage silver money clip featuring a stirrup. Embossed HERMES. French silver "crab" hallmark. Indicative measurements : max. length approx. 5.8 cm (2.28 inches) / max. widt...Category
20th Century French For The Desk
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Explore a Century of Gucci Fashion in London
The iconic Italian label’s traveling exhibition has just arrived in London.
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.