1930s Hermès Top Hat Ashtray
About the Item
- Creator:Hermès (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 3.94 in (10 cm)Width: 5.71 in (14.5 cm)Depth: 4.93 in (12.5 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1930
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Minor fading.
- Seller Location:Hong Kong, HK
- Reference Number:Seller: #116841stDibs: LU5609222871272
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: Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
- 1950s Hermès Dupré-Lafon Ashtray Small PortholeBy Paul Dupré-Lafon, HermèsLocated in Hong Kong, HKRare 1950s Hermès ashtray in the shape of a small porthole, designed by Paul Dupré-Lafon (1900-1971) Stamped Hermès/ Paris underneath Dark Blue/ Black leather Condition: The leat...Category
Mid-20th Century French Tobacco Accessories
MaterialsChrome
- 1940s Hermès Dupré-Lafon Flip Top Cigarette BoxBy Hermès, Paul Dupré-LafonLocated in Hong Kong, HKRare 1940s Hermès Flip top Box, designed by Paul Dupré-Lafon (1900-1971), used to store cigarettes. Light brown leather with saddle stitching on the ext...Category
Mid-20th Century French Tobacco Accessories
MaterialsMetal
- 1950s Hermès Anchor ClipBy HermèsLocated in Hong Kong, HK1950s Hermès anchor clip engraved at the bottom “Hermes Paris” The clip has a brass anchor fixed on the top and would have been used to hold documents...Category
Vintage 1960s French Nautical Objects
MaterialsMetal, Brass
- 1960’s Hermès Bullet BoxBy HermèsLocated in Hong Kong, HK1960’s Hermès Bullet Box (signed “Hermès Paris” at the bottom of the box) Half a Bullet in Brass is attached on the top of the lid The inside of ...Category
Vintage 1960s French Decorative Boxes
MaterialsMetal
- 1960s Hermès Horseshoe Cigarette BoxBy HermèsLocated in Hong Kong, HK1960s Hermès Cigarette Horseshoe Box (signed “Hermès Paris” at the bottom of the box) A Horseshoe in Brass is attached on the top of the lid The insi...Category
Vintage 1960s French Decorative Boxes
MaterialsMetal, Brass
- 1960s Hermès Golf Cigarette BoxBy HermèsLocated in Hong Kong, HK1960s Hermès cigarette golf box (signed “Hermès Paris” at the bottom of the box) Half a golf ball is attached on the top of the lid, “Hermès Paris” is...Category
Vintage 1960s French Decorative Boxes
MaterialsMetal, Brass
- Vintage Wooden Hat Form Mold, Vienna, Austria, 1930sLocated in Nuernberg, DEStunning beautiful wooden hat form mold, found at an estate sale in Vienna, Austria. Has the form of the typical Art Deco style. So we believe it was made in the 1920s. Nice decorati...Category
Vintage 1930s Austrian Art Deco Models and Miniatures
MaterialsWood
- Vintage Leather Gym Bench Top, 1930sLocated in Wien, ATThis gymnastics bench comes from a gym in Prague and was designed in the 1930s. The iron feet are retained. The thick cowhide has been cleaned and preserved and has a very nice patina. Completely restored. All of our vintage gym equipment...Category
Mid-20th Century Czech Industrial Benches
MaterialsIron
- Art Deco Ashtray Stand, Chrome and Bakelite, Demeyere Belgium, 1930sBy DemeyereLocated in Antwerp, BEArt Deco ashtray stand, smoke stand, smoke standing ashtray, floor ashtray, cocktail smoker stand. An ashtray on a stand made from chromed metal and bakelite. Made in the 1930s by the Belgian Company Demeyere. Is also stamped in the ashtray. The chrome and bakelite are still in very beautiful condition. This ashtray stand is also still complete with all his accessoires: the stand with on top the holder for a pack of matches, a bakelite conical container with a bakelite ashtray in which has a valve with handle to open, so the cigarette ends fall in the container and all the beautiful finishing knobs. This original Art Deco smoke stand...Category
Mid-20th Century Belgian Art Deco Ashtrays
MaterialsChrome
- Gymnastic Leather Pommel Horse Bench Top, 1930sLocated in Wien, ATPommel horse from former Czechoslovakia from the 1930s with beautiful patina, shortened to bench height 50cm and very good vintage condition. Completely restored. The iron feet are preserved. The thick leather has been cleaned and preserved. All of our premium vintage gym equipment...Category
Mid-20th Century Czech Industrial Benches
MaterialsIron
- Gymnastic Leather Pommel Horse Bench Top, 1930sLocated in Wien, ATPommel horse from former Czechoslovakia from the 1930s with beautiful patina, shortened to bench height 52cm and very good vintage condition. Completely restored. The iron feet are p...Category
Mid-20th Century Czech Industrial Benches
MaterialsIron
- Gymnastic Leather Pommel Horse Bench Top, 1930sLocated in Wien, ATPommel horse from former Czechoslovakia from the 1930s with beautiful patina, shortened to bench height 51cm and very good vintage condition. Completely restored. The iron feet are preserved. The thick leather has been cleaned and preserved. All of our premium vintage gym equipment...Category
Mid-20th Century Czech Industrial Benches
MaterialsIron
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.