Hermès French Vintage Cut Glass Perfume Bottle, 1970s
View Similar Items
Hermès French Vintage Cut Glass Perfume Bottle, 1970s
About the Item
- Creator:Hermès (Retailer)
- Dimensions:Height: 14.5 in (36.83 cm)Diameter: 6 in (15.24 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1970s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Few smudges inside, minor age wear.
- Seller Location:Austin, TX
- Reference Number:Seller: S611stDibs: LU86908413963
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.
- Vintage Colored Glass Bottles, 1970sLocated in Roma, ITVintage colored glass bottles is an original decorative object realized in the 1970s. Original art glass. Made in Italy. Dimensi...Category
Vintage 1970s European Bottles
MaterialsGlass
- Edwardian cut glass & silver perfume bottleBy Henry MatthewsLocated in London, GBAntique cut glass globe perfume bottle from the Edwardian era. The round body is decorated with sections of hand cut diamond starburst patterns...Category
Antique Early 1900s British Bottles
MaterialsSterling Silver
- Pair of Perfume Bottles, in Glass, France, 1970Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FRThis pair of glass perfume bottle, has been made in France in the 1970s.Category
Vintage 1970s French Bottles
MaterialsGlass
- French Opaline Glass Perfume BottleLocated in Cathedral City, CA1970s hand blown blue opaline perfume bottle. Missing pump.Category
Vintage 1970s French Modern Abstract Sculptures
MaterialsBrass
- Birmingham Silver and Cut Glass Perfume BottleLocated in New Orleans, LAThe lid and entire top half of this English cut glass perfume bottle is covered in sterling silver crafted with an intricate repoussé and cha...Category
Early 20th Century English Other Bottles
MaterialsSterling Silver
- Art Deco Black Cut Glass Perfume BottleLocated in New York, NYArt Deco black cut glass perfume bottle with stopper.Category
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Bottles
MaterialsArt Glass
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.