Hermes Gold Tone Shell Brooch
About the Item
- Creator:
- Dimensions:Width: 1.97 in (50 mm)Length: 2.96 in (75 mm)
- Place of Origin:France
- Period:1990-1999
- Date of Manufacture:1990
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Please note this item is in good condition with minor wear consistent with age and use. (please enlarge images to see all details on photos).
- Seller Location:Paris, FR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU187220649492
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: Paris, France
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- 2019 Chanel Gripoix Glass Flower BroochBy ChanelLocated in Paris, FRChanel Gripoix glass flower brooch featuring signature interlocking CC logo, faux-pearl detailing, faux-pearl detailing, glass-beads details, a safety bar-pin fastening, a back pitte...Category
2010s French Brooches
- Christian Lacroix Black Rhinestone-Embellished Skull BroochBy Christian LacroixLocated in Paris, FR1990s Christian Lacroix rhinestone-embellished skull brooch featuring black metal with a design with a cross and skull motif, adorned with dazzling rhinestones in black and clear whi...Category
1990s French Brooches
- Chanel 1980s Gold-Tone Logo Diamond-Shaped BroochBy ChanelLocated in Paris, FRChanel gold-tone diamond-shaped brooch featuring, diamond-shaped, signature interlocking CC embossed logo to the front, embossed detailing, engraved logo to the rear, bar-pin fasteni...Category
Vintage 1980s French Brooches
- 1980s Chanel Gold Tone Rue Cambon BroochBy ChanelLocated in Paris, FRChanel "Rue Cambon" brooch featuring Rue Cambon, the iconic Chanel address embossed on the front, a safety bar-pin fastening, a back pitted plaque. Made in France, pitted Chanel pla...Category
Vintage 1980s French Brooches
- Chanel Gold Tone Diamond Quilted BroochBy ChanelLocated in Paris, FRChanel brooch featuring a diamond-quilted with iconic interlocking "CC" signature on, a safety bar-pin fastening, a back pitted plaque. Made in France, pitted Chanel plaque Circa 19...Category
Vintage 1980s French Brooches
- Chanel Gold Tone rue Cambon BroochBy ChanelLocated in Paris, FRChanel gold tone brooch featuring signature interlocking CC logo, round-cut crystal embellishments, engraved logo, a safety bar-pin fastening, ...Category
2010s French Brooches
- Antique Cameo Heart Pin with Diamond in 14K Yellow GoldLocated in Chicago, ILThis antique cameo heart with diamond pin is made of 14K yellow gold. It contains a round diamond weighing 0.01 CTTW.Category
Late 20th Century Art Nouveau Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
- 1.11 CTTW Diamond Butterfly Milgrain Pin BroochLocated in Chicago, ILThis pin weighs 9.6 DWT (approx. 14.93 grams). It contains 97 round G color and VS clarity diamonds weighing 1.11 CTTW. Dimensions: 1.5" X 1.5".Category
Late 20th Century Art Deco Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
- Le Vian Black and White Diamond Rose Pin White GoldBy Le VianLocated in Chicago, ILPreviously-owned Levian Black and White Diamond Rose Collection pin. The pin is 3 inches in length, made of 18K white gold, and weighs 12.70 DWT (approx. 19.75 grams). It also has 37...Category
Early 2000s Unknown Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, Black Diamond, 18k Gold
- Art Deco 1.20 CTTW Pearl, Ruby, And Emerald Pin Brooch In 14K Yellow GoldLocated in Chicago, ILThis pearl, ruby, and emerald pin is made of 14K yellow gold. It contains a round white pearl , round green emeralds weighing 0.50 CTTW, and round red rubies weighing 0.70 CTTW.Category
Mid-20th Century Art Deco Brooches
MaterialsEmerald, Pearl, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Diamond, Ruby, Tsavorite And Enamel Flower Pin In Multi Tone GoldLocated in Chicago, ILThis Enamel pin is made of 18k Rose Gold . It contains a round ruby weighing 0.55 CT, round green tsavorites weighing 0.32 CTTW, round multi color, diamonds weighing 0.31 CTTW, round...Category
Late 20th Century Art Nouveau Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, Ruby, Tsavorite, Gold, Enamel
- Blue And Green Enamel And Diamond Tree Motif Pin In Yellow GoldLocated in Chicago, ILThis tree motif pin weighs 15.20 DWT (approx. 23.64 grams). It contains 9 round G color and VS clarity diamonds weighing 0.60 CTTW.Category
Late 20th Century Art Nouveau Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, Yellow Gold, Enamel
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.