Hermes Vintage H Box
By Hermès
Located in Nice, FR
HERMES Paris vintage rare silver tone metal box featuring a large gold plated H design on top. Embossed HERMES PARIS. Silversmith RAVINET D'ENFER - RD - hallmark. Made in France. I...
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 Vintage H Box
By Hermès
Located in Nice, FR
HERMES Paris vintage rare silver tone metal box featuring a large gold plated H design on top. Embossed HERMES PARIS. Silversmith RAVINET D'ENFER - RD - hallmark. Made in France. I...
Hermes Leather Box
By Hermès
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Black painted leather, oak interior. Impressed manufacturer's mark to underside ‘Hermès Paris’. 1955
Leather, Oak
$1,200
H 2 in W 7 in D 5.5 in
Mid-20th Century Wooden Box with Silver Knot Lid by the French Firm Hermès Paris
By Hermès
Located in North Miami, FL
Mid-20th century wooden box with silver bow/knot lid by french brand Hermès Paris By: Hermès Paris Material: fabric, silver, wood, leather, metal, silver plate Technique: cast, plat...
Silver, Metal, Silver Plate
1950's Stitched Leather boxe by Paul Dupré-Lafon For Hermès
By Hermès
Located in Bois-Colombes, FR
1950's Stitched leather boxe by Paul Dupré-Lafon for Hermès Good original vintage condition
Leather
Hermes "Chaine D'Ancre" Vide Poche or Change Tray
By Hermès
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Hermes "Chaine D'Ancre" platinum rectangular porcelain vide-poche, change tray or pocket emptier / Made in France circa 1990s Original stamp at underside / comes in original ...
Porcelain
1950s Hermès Cigarette Holder
By Hermès
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Classic vintage Hermès cigarette box. Cigarette box is heavy and wrapped in leather. Cornucopia (Horn of Plenty) decorative lid. Removable metal i...
Metal
Hermès Paris decorative box in leather and bronze.
By Hermès
Located in Autonomous City Buenos Aires, CABA
Hermès Paris decorative box in leather and bronze. This Hermès Paris decorative box features a cylindrical design covered in textured black leather on the exterior. The top and botto...
Bronze
Hermes Tape Dispenser
By Hermès
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Classic vintage Hermès tape dispenser in silver with a brass belt buckle detail. Hermès PARIS, Made In France stamped on outer rim. Dispenser has a lid whi...
Metal
HERMÈS, “Carrou’Selle” Mini Box
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Small oak wood, felt, and aluminium storage box for accessories designed by Pierre Dubourg: Buckle closure inspired by a bit and stirrup Perforated aluminium body forming a stylise...
Aluminum
What these styles lack in name recognition they more than make up for in cachet.
Before the Birkin there was the Haut à Courroies, which has become the chic carryall of choice for the league's most stylish athletes.