Hermes Rare Etoupe & Blue Aztec Togo 35cm Kelly Flash Bag PHW w/ Box & Dust Bag
View Similar Items
Hermes Rare Etoupe & Blue Aztec Togo 35cm Kelly Flash Bag PHW w/ Box & Dust Bag
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:Seller: 112671-61stDibs: LU2041975623
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.
- Hermes Brown Clemence Leather Retourne 32cm Kelly Bag GHWBy HermèsLocated in New York, NYHermes 32cm Brown Clemence Leather Retourne Kelly Bag GHW Made in: France Year of Production: 2003 Materials: Clemence Leather Hardware: Goldtone Exterior Pockets: N/A Interior Pock...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- Hermes Tosca/ Rose Tyrien Epsom Leather 35cm Candy Kelly BagBy HermèsLocated in New York, NYHermes Tosca/ Rose Tyrien Epsom Leather 35cm Candy Kelly Bag Made in: France Year of Production: 2012 Color: Tosca Materials: Epsom leather Lining: Rose tyrein chevre leather Hardwar...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- Louis Vuitton Tourterelle Empreinte Monogram Giant Speedy Bandouliere 25 BagBy Louis VuittonLocated in New York, NYLouis Vuitton Tourterelle Empreinte Monogram Giant Speedy Bandouliere 25 Bag. Features removable crossbody/shoulder strap. Made In: U.S.A. C...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Top Handle Bags
- Hermes Blue Electric Togo Leather 35cm Birkin Bag PHWBy HermèsLocated in New York, NYHermes Blue Electric Togo Leather 35cm Birkin Bag Made In: France Year of Production: 2011 Color: Blue electric Hardware: Silvertone palladium Materials: Togo leather Lining: Chevre...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- Hermes Blue Paradis Taurillon Clemence Leather 35cm Birkin Bag GHWBy HermèsLocated in New York, NYHermes Bleu Paradis Taurillon Clemence Leather 35cm Birkin Bag Made In: France Year of Production: 2014 Color: Blue paradis Hardware: Goldtone Materials:...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- Hermes Black Togo Leather Retourne 35cm Kelly Bag w/ GHWBy HermèsLocated in New York, NYHermes Black Togo Leather 35cm Kelly Bag w/ GHW Made in: France Year of Production: 2020 Color: Black Materials: Togo leather Lining: Black chevre leather Hardware: Goldtone Exterior...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- New Rare Salvatore Ferragamo Mink Lined Wood Beaded Snakeskin Bag With TagsBy Salvatore FerragamoLocated in Leesburg, VAFerragamo Brand New with Tags * Absolutely Stunning! This Rare bag is Fully Lined in Mink Fur Three Sections of Unique Wood Beading Mink "Poof" Dangle Charm Karung Snake Handles Sil...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Shoulder Bags
$2,790 Sale Price40% Off - Hermes Gold Kelly 25cm Tan Sellier Shoulder Bag NEW IN BOXBy HermèsLocated in New York, NYHermes Gold Kelly 25cm Tan Sellier Shoulder Bag The most wanted bag and the only one you need this spring summer! Brand New in Box. Store Fresh. Pr...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- Hermes Kelly 25 Gold Bi-Color Jaune Ambre Verso Shoulder Bag Bag Z Stamp, 2021By HermèsLocated in New York, NYHermes Kelly 25 Gold Bi-Color Jaune Ambre Verso Shoulder Bag Bag Z Stamp, 2021 A rare and coveted Kelly 25cm combining two of Hermes' best colors,...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- Prada Brown Ostrich Leather Vintage Plain Bag 1990sBy PradaLocated in Brindisi, BtPrada vintage 90s ostrich leather bag. Plain shoulder bag, brown color. Zip closure, equipped with a silver-colored padlock with relative key. Inte...Category
1990s Italian Structured Shoulder Bags
- LOUIS VUITTON x Nigo Brown Stripe Reverso Monogram Coated Canvas Sac Plat CrossBy Louis VuittonLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireLOUIS VUITTON x Nigo Brown Stripe Reverso Monogram Coated Canvas Sac Plat Cross Age (Circa): 2022 Accompanied By: Louis Vuitton Dust Bag, Shoulder Strap, Box, Luggage Tag Authentici...Category
2010s Italian Structured Shoulder Bags
- Hermès Etoupe Togo Leather Kelly 32cm RetourneBy HermèsLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireHermès Etoupe Togo Leather Kelly 32cm Retourne CONDITION NOTES This item is in unworn condition. XUPES REFERENCE JJLG115 BRAND Hermès MODEL Kelly 32cm AGE 2017 GENDER Women's MATERIAL(S) Togo Leather COLOUR Grey BRAND COLOUR Etoupe HARDWARE Gold INTERIOR Grey Leather ACCOMPANIED BY Hermès Dust Bag, Padlock, Keys, Clochette, Box, Copy of Hermès Invoice...Category
2010s French Top Handle 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.