Hermes Gilt Iron Coffee Table by Giovanni Banci, Italy, Midcentury

About the Item
- Creator:Hermès (Manufacturer),Giovanni Banci (Designer)
- Similar to:René Drouet (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 17.7 in (44.96 cm)Width: 25.6 in (65.03 cm)Depth: 25.6 in (65.03 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1970
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Vienna, AT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU993536167792
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.

A destination for collectors, designers and architects from around the world, Derive specializes in carefully curated, unique pieces of postwar and postmodern design from such manufacturers as Lobmeyr, B&B Italy and Maison Jansen and distinguished designers like Josef Hoffmann, Ettore Sottsass and Max Ingrand. Derive also offers a full menu of services, including rewiring, deep restoration, upholstery and customization
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Vienna, Austria
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
- René Drouet Rene Side or Coffee Table Iron Églomisé Mirrored Top, France, 1940By René DrouetLocated in Vienna, ATIconic etched mirrored glass and painted and gilt wrought iron French 1940s coffee table, René Drouet Elegant handmade wrought iron table in original mint color and golden accents. ...Category
Vintage 1940s French Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsWrought Iron
- Golden Harp Coffee Tables (2x) Iron Brass Mid-Century, ItalyLocated in Vienna, ATOne of two large golden harp coffee tables, France, circa 1955 Sold and priced per piece, individually; Measurements are 50" x 30" x 18.9"(H). Nic...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Italian Clear Glass Coffee Table by Pierangelo Galotti for Galotti & Radice, 1970By Pierangelo Gallotti, Gallotti & RadiceLocated in Vienna, ATWell sized 31" x 31" clear glass and brass coffee table by Pierangelo Galotti for Galotti & Radice in excellent condition.Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Cerused Oak Coffee Table Black Silver, Italy, 1980By Chelini FirenzeLocated in Vienna, ATRound 43.3“ cerused oak table by Chelini Firenze, Italy circa 1985 Dimensions are: 43.3" x 16.53" (height). Elegant three legged black and white cerused oak table with silver plate...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsSilver Plate, Nickel
- Artisan Chain Link Coffee Table Iron White Enameled Large, Belgium, 1970Located in Vienna, ATOne of a kind white chain-link table Dimensions are 46" x 27.55" Artisan chain link coffee table iron white enameled large, Belgium, 1970. Ve...Category
Vintage 1960s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsIron
- Brutalist Oak Slate Coffee Table Wrought Iron Base, France, 1950By Paul KingmaLocated in Vienna, ATMidcentury oak and slate table on iron base, Belgium circa 1950 Dimensions are: 33.85" x 16.53" (height). The midcentury Brutalist slate and oak table on a wrought iron base At...Category
Vintage 1950s French Brutalist Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsSlate, Wrought Iron
- Italian Modern Neoclassical Gilt Iron Coffee Table by Giovanni Banci for HermèsBy Giovanni Banci, HermèsLocated in New York, NYItalian Mid-Century Modern neoclassical gilt iron cocktail table by Giovanni Banci for Hermès with a pair of Hermès Classic horse bit symbols forming ...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsLimestone, Wrought Iron
- 2 Italian Midcentury Hammered Iron & Gilt Consoles by Giovanni Banci for HermesBy Giovanni Banci, HermèsLocated in New York, NY2 Italian Mid-Century Modern neoclassical hand hammered iron and gilt consoles / sofa tables by Giovanni Banci for Hermes. The consoles feature a stun...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Console Tables
MaterialsWrought Iron
- 2 Italian Midcentury Gilt Iron Demilune Consoles by Giovanni Banci for HermesBy Giovanni BanciLocated in New York, NYTwo Italian Mid-Century Modern Neoclassical Demi-lune consoles by Giovanni Banci in gilt iron with travertine stone tops. Each piece has Classic Hermes styling with an elegant ring i...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Console Tables
MaterialsTravertine, Wrought Iron
- Giovanni Banci for Hermès Equestrian Neoclassical Style Coffee Table, 1970sBy Giovanni BanciLocated in Los Angeles, CAThis elegant and refined Giovanni Banci (1942-1999) cocktail table was produced in Italy and retailed by Hermès in the 1970s and is now a sought-after collectors piece for top interior designers and 20th century art and design investors across the world. Timeless neoclassical-moderne style, this Banci coffee table was crafted in nickeled wrought Iron and is a bit more rare than the already rare gilt versions. Featuring classic Hermès styling by incorporating rings and hooks to simulate a horse bit in equestrian fashion. Finished in nickel with light and attractive patina showing off its age while demonstrating it was a well cared for example ready to become a family heirloom. This Giovani Banci for Hermès...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsNickel, Iron
- Unique Italian Midcentury Gilt Iron Console / Sofa Table by Giovanni BanciBy Giovanni BanciLocated in New York, NYElegant and chic Italian Mid-Century Modern / Brutalist console or sofa table in hand hammered and gilt wrought iron by Florentine sculptor, Giovanni Banci, circa 1965-1970. Banci co...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Console Tables
MaterialsWrought Iron
- 2 Italian Modern Neoclassical Gilt Iron Consoles by Giovanni Banci for HermesBy Giovanni BanciLocated in New York, NY2 rare, Italian midcentury, hand-hammered wrought iron consoles / sofa tables by Florentine sculptor, Giovanni Banci in the modern neoclassical style. The whole frame is sensuously...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Console Tables
MaterialsWrought Iron
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More

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.

This Hermès Baseball Bag Is, Ahem, a Home Run
The beloved Bolide, one of the luxury house’s classic travel pieces, gets a playful spin in this 2018 special edition.