1994 Hermes Black Ardennes Leather & Brown Natural Leather Vintage Airport Bag
View Similar Items
1994 Hermes Black Ardennes Leather & Brown Natural Leather Vintage Airport Bag
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Height: 16.93 in (43 cm)Width: 17.72 in (45 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:The exterior leather is in excellent condition with minimal signs of use. The interior is also in excellent condition. The hardware is still shiny, shows no signs of plating loss and is in excellent condition.
- Seller Location:Bishop's Stortford, GB
- Reference Number:Seller: HB8761stDibs: LU17022623443
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.
- CHANEL Black Vinyl & Mesh Sports Line Duffle BagBy ChanelLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireCHANEL Black Vinyl & Mesh Sports Line Duffle Bag Serial Number: 11545811 Age (Circa): 2007 Accompanied By: Chanel Dust Bag Authenticity Details: Serial Sticker (Made in Italy) Gende...Category
Early 2000s Italian Top Handle Bags
- 2017 Dior Blue Oblique Monogram Canvas & Calfskin Leather Jewellery CaseBy Christian DiorLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireCHRISTIAN DIOR Blue Oblique Monogram Canvas & Calfskin Leather Jewellery Case Serial Number: 37-MA-1117 Age (Circa): 2017 Accompanied By: Dior Dust Bag, Box, Protective Felt, Selfri...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Luggage and Travel Bags
- LOUIS VUITTON Damier Graphite Coated Canvas & Black Calfskin Leather Pegase 55By Louis VuittonLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireLOUIS VUITTON Damier Graphite Coated Canvas & Black Calfskin Leather Pegase 55 Xupes Reference: HB5093 Serial Number: DR 2176 Age (Circa): 2016 Accompanied By: Louis Vuitton Invoice...Category
2010s French Suitcases and Trunks
- LOUIS VUITTON Brown Monogram Coated Canvas & Vachetta Leather Vintage Keepall 55By Louis VuittonLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireLOUIS VUITTON Brown Monogram Coated Canvas & Vachetta Leather Vintage Keepall 55 Serial Number: MI874 Age (Circa): 1984 Authenticity Details: Date Stamp (Made in France) Gender: Lad...Category
1980s French Top Handle Bags
- Louis Vuitton Alps Patches Keepall 55 Cm BandoulièreBy Louis VuittonLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireLouis Vuitton Damier Graphite Coated Canvas & Black Calfskin Leather Alps Patches Keepall 55 Cm Bandoulière Brand- Louis Vuitton Model- Keepall 55cm Bandoulière Product Type- Travel...Category
2010s French Duffel Bags and Carry-On Bags
- Louis Vuitton Brown Monogram Coated Canvas & Vachetta Leather Vintage Keepall 55By Louis VuittonLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireLouis Vuitton Brown Monogram Coated Canvas & Vachetta Leather Vintage Keepall 55 Bandouliere Brand- Louis Vuitton Model- Keepall 55 Bandoulière Product Type- Travel Serial Number- T...Category
1990s French Duffel Bags and Carry-On Bags
- Louis Vuitton BNIB Monogram Chess Keepall 50By Louis VuittonLocated in West Hollywood, CALouis Vuitton Fall Winter 2022 designed by Virgil Abloh, monogram chess keep all 50. Handle drop 4.5”. Shoulder strap drop 14”, adjustable. C...Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Luggage and Travel Bags
- Prada Unisex Black Weekender SuitcaseBy PradaLocated in West Hollywood, CAPrada excellent condition black nylon and leather weekender suitcase. Detachable strap. Multiple Compartments.Category
2010s Briefcases and Attachés
- Louis Vuitton Keepall 50 2WAY New in Original BoxBy Louis VuittonLocated in West Hollywood, CALouis Vuitton limited edition 2WAY travel bag keepall 50. The pattern shows the monogram of LV in a graffiti style in multiple colors. The bag is new and comes with the original dust...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Duffel Bags and Carry-On Bags
- Celine New Bicolor Micro Luggage BagBy CelineLocated in West Hollywood, CACeline brand new bicolor. micro luggage bag. Comes with original dust cover. Store retail $3150 plus tax.Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Luggage and Travel Bags
- Louis Vuitton Nigo Keepall BandouliereBy Louis VuittonLocated in West Hollywood, CALimited Edition Louis Vuitton x NIGO Blue Monogram Denim Drip & Taurillon Keepall Bandoulière 50 with gold hardware from 2021.This bag is lined with blue textile material. The bag wa...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Luggage and Travel Bags
- Louis Vuitton Virgil Abloh Trunk L’ŒilBy Louis VuittonLocated in West Hollywood, CAPart of Virgil Abloh’s Trunk L’Œil animation, this Keepall 55 is fashioned from Monogram canvas on which the pattern has an irregular aspect. Neon t...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Luggage and Travel Bags
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.