Hermès vintage Crocodile Sac Ring bag
View Similar Items
Hermès vintage Crocodile Sac Ring bag
About the Item
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.
- Renaud Pellegrino Yellow Satin Flap Bag with Beaded HandleBy Renaud PellegrinoLocated in Austin, TXRenaud Pellegrino yellow satin flap bag with beaded handle. Condition: Very good. 8" W x 6.5" H x 2" D 7" shoulder strap dropCategory
1990s French Shoulder Bags
- Paloma Picasso Leather Bucket BagBy Paloma PicassoLocated in Austin, TXPaloma Picasso red leather bucket bag. Condition: Very good.Category
1980s American Top Handle Bags
- 1990s Gianni Versace Couture mini evening bag with crystal handleBy Gianni Versace Couture, Gianni VersaceLocated in Austin, TXGianni Versace Couture 1990s black nylon mini bag with drawstring, crystal encrusted handle, snap to close and Medusa. Condition: very good.Category
1990s Italian Evening Bags and Minaudières
- 1980s Edouard Rambaud Mini Satin Evening Bag with CrystalsBy Edouard RambaudLocated in Austin, TX1980s Edouard Rambaud Mini Satin Evening Bag with Metal Handle with Crystals. Condition: Excellent. 7.5"L x 5.5"W x 5"HCategory
1980s French Evening Bags and Minaudières
- Roland Klein black strapless dress with black and white striped trainBy Roland KleinLocated in Austin, TX1980s Roland Klein black strapless dress with black and white train. Acetate fabric. 34" bust, 26" waist, 40" hips, 48" front length - 54 1/2" ba...Category
1980s British Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Thierry Mugler Heels sz 8By Thierry MuglerLocated in Austin, TXThierry Mugler Heels sz 8 condition: Good, some all over wear shoes may run 1/2 size smaller due to vintage sizingCategory
1990s Italian Shoes
- Pablo Picasso Vintage Bi Color Kelly Flap BagBy Pablo PicassoLocated in Fort Lauderdale, FLThe Vintage Kelly Flap style bag from Pablo Picassi is one of the famed luxury goods house's most coveted and exclusive items. This flap bag is made of blac...Category
1980s Italian Top Handle Bags
- Judith Leiber Rare Vintage Alligator Kelly Flap BagBy Judith LeiberLocated in Fort Lauderdale, FLThe Vintage Kelly Flap style Alligator bag from Judith Leiber is one of the famed luxury goods house's most coveted and exclusive items. This flap bag is ba...Category
1980s Italian Top Handle Bags
- Vintage 1940's Black Beaded Box BagLocated in Cheltenham, GBThis breathtaking 1940's large rectangle box bag, with brass metal features is the perfect finishing piece to your ensemble. The rectangle shape of the bag, box an exterior of black...Category
1940s Top Handle Bags
- Yayoi Kusama Limited Edition Lockit Louis Vuitton BagBy Louis VuittonLocated in Palm Beach, FLYayoi Kusama Limited Edition Lockit Louis Vuitton Bag, in good condition. This Lockit bag is made from black monogram nylon and features black and whi...Category
2010s Italian Top Handle Bags
- Chanel Vintage 1997 Name Plate Black Patent Leather Top Handle BagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel Vintage 1997 Name Plate Black Patent Leather Top Handle Bag Year 1997 Chanel handbag crafted in black quilted patent leather, featuring in...Category
1990s French Top Handle Bags
- Chanel Rare Limited Edition Cruise Yacht Nautical Beach Black Coated Canvas ToteBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel Rare Limited Edition Cruise Yacht Nautical Beach Black Coated Canvas Tote Year 2008 {VINTAGE 14 Years} This gorgeous rare Chanel Cruise Tote...Category
Early 2000s Italian Tote 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.