Vintage Hermes Kelly Bag Retourne Brown Box Leather 35cm Top Handle Bag 1945
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Height: 10 in (25.4 cm)Depth: 4 in (10.16 cm)Length: 13 in (33.02 cm)
- Style:Contemporary (In the Style Of)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Preowned/vintage (70+ years old) with signs of age, use and prior wear: please read entire item description and look at all photos for the full condition report.
- Seller Location:Port Saint Lucie, FL
- Reference Number:
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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Port Saint Lucie, FL
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 1 day of delivery.
- Bonnie Cashin for Coach Tote Bag Cashin Carry Scissor Frame Black Leather RareBy Bonnie Cashin for Coach LeatherwareLocated in Port Saint Lucie, FLAuthentic, preowned, vintage 60s Bonnie Cashin for Coach kiss lock tote bag with hinged handles and kiss lock, officially called the Cashin Carry Sciss...Category
1960s American Tote Bags
- Dolce & Gabbana Bag D-Ring Flap Bag Leather Satchel Logo Stamp with COABy Dolce & GabbanaLocated in Port Saint Lucie, FLAuthentic, preowned Dolce & Gabbana brown D-ring flap bag, likely from the 2000s. Made from sueded leather with pebbled leather trim, it features abstract Dolce & Gabbana logos thr...Category
Early 2000s Italian Top Handle Bags
- Givenchy Mini Shark Tooth Bag Satchel Top Handle Gray Leather SHW with COABy GivenchyLocated in Port Saint Lucie, FLAuthentic, preowned Givenchy 'Mini' Shark Tooth satchel or top handle bag. Made from light gray leather, it has a top flap that fastens with a silver metal "shark tooth" turnlock. ...Category
Early 2000s Italian Top Handle Bags
- OMO Norma Kamali Giant Feedbag Crossbody Extra Large Suede Embroidery Rare 90sBy Norma Kamali, OMO Norma KamaliLocated in Port Saint Lucie, FLPreowned, vintage OMO Norma Kamali OMO massive, extra large feedbag or crossbody bag, circa the 1990s. Made from a featherlight red suede, it features floral and abstract design emb...Category
1990s Unknown Tote Bags
- Bonnie Cashin for Coach Safari Bag Duffle Tote Bag Turnlocks RARE Vintage 60sBy Bonnie Cashin, Bonnie Cashin for Coach LeatherwareLocated in Port Saint Lucie, FLAuthentic, preowned, vintage and super-rare Bonnie Cashin for Coach Safari DuffleBag Tote, likely made in the 60s. Made from a brown-hued tan leather exterior, it features turn lock patch pockets on each side and double handles. The main compartment fastens with a chunky zipper and is lined in Bonnie's signature striped fabric and in each exterior patch pocket. An incredibly rare bag by Bonnie Cashin, made during her time at Coach! Perfect for the collector - or for anyone who enjoys vintage Coach...Category
1960s American Tote Bags
- Bonnie Cashin for Coach Clutch Bag with Kiss Lock Pocket Leather Foldover 70sBy Bonnie Cashin, Bonnie Cashin for Coach LeatherwareLocated in Port Saint Lucie, FLAuthentic, preowned, 70s Bonnie Cashin for Coach bag clutch with kiss lock. Made from a supple blue textured leather, this rare clutch is square-shap...Category
1970s American Clutches
- Fendi Monogram Blue PochetteLocated in New York, NYLength: 11 Inches Height: 6 Inches Material: CanvasCategory
1990s Top Handle Bags
- Moschino vintage black heart bagBy MoschinoLocated in CAPELLE AAN DEN IJSSEL, ZHMoschino 90’s Vintage black leather Heart bag. Designed by Franco Moschino. Vintage Condition; 7/10 Made in Italy. Height-7 Depth- 3" Width- 9" Handle Drop- 3.5"Category
1990s Top Handle Bags
- Hermès Birkin 25cm Noir Lezard Niloticus Lisse PHWBy HermèsLocated in London, GBAn alluring Hermès Exotic Birkin 25cm handbag. The exterior of this exotic Birkin is in shiny Noir Lezard Niloticus Lisse with tonal stitching. It adorns...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- Hermès Kelly Mini II Tricolore Verso Craie/Mauve Pale/Gold Veau Epsom PHWBy HermèsLocated in London, GBA gorgeous Hermès Kelly Mini II Tricolore Verso handbag. The exterior of this Kelly Mini features Craie, Mauve Pale and Gold Veau Epsom leather and is compl...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- Hermés Kelly II Sellier 25cm Mauve Pale Veau Epsom PHWBy HermèsLocated in London, GBA gorgeous Hermès 25cm Kelly bag. The exterior of this Kelly features a Sellier style in Mauve Pale Veau Epsom leather. The Mauve Pale Epsom leather is comp...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- Rare Hermès Birkin 25cm Gris Caillou Grizzly/ Gris Meyer Swift PHWBy HermèsLocated in London, GBA rare Hermès Birkin 25cm handbag. The Grizzly Birkin is the namesake edition designed to showcase Veau Doblis Suede. The exterior of this Birkin is cra...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.