Hermes Leather Vintage
Late 20th Century Italian Hermes Leather Vintage
1990s French Hermes Leather Vintage
Late 20th Century Italian Hermes Leather Vintage
20th Century French Art Deco Hermes Leather Vintage
Leather
1990s French Hermes Leather Vintage
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Hermes Leather Vintage
Metal
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Bronze, Chrome
1990s French Hermes Leather Vintage
1950s Argentine Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Chrome
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Iron
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Chrome
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Leather
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Brass
1950s French Hermes Leather Vintage
Leather
1970s Italian Hermes Leather Vintage
Metal, Steel
1970s French Other Hermes Leather Vintage
Chrome
1940s French Art Deco Hermes Leather Vintage
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Wrought Iron
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Iron
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Metal, Steel
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Crystal
20th Century French Post-Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Bronze
1940s French Art Deco Hermes Leather Vintage
Leather
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Hermes Leather Vintage
Metal, Brass
1940s French Hermes Leather Vintage
Metal, Brass
20th Century Hermes Leather Vintage
Faux Leather, Lucite
1980s French Post-Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Leather, Ultrasuede
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Wrought Iron
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Leather
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Leather, Bamboo, Rattan
Late 20th Century Argentine Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Silver Plate
1990s French Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Leather, Fabric, Wood
1990s American Hermes Leather Vintage
1940s French Hermes Leather Vintage
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Leather, Beech
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Steel
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Leather, Wood
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Metal
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Leather, Bakelite
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Leather
1970s Rustic Hermes Leather Vintage
Iron
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Iron
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Aluminum
1970s Rustic Hermes Leather Vintage
Iron
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Steel
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Metal
Mid-20th Century German Art Deco Hermes Leather Vintage
Metal, Brass
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Hermes Leather Vintage
Chrome
1960s French Art Deco Hermes Leather Vintage
Metal, Brass, Chrome
1990s French Art Deco Hermes Leather Vintage
Brass
1970s French Hermes Leather Vintage
Brass
1950s French Hermes Leather Vintage
20th Century French Hermes Leather Vintage
1980s Hermes Leather Vintage
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Hermes Leather Vintage For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Hermes Leather Vintage?
Hermès for sale on 1stDibs
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.
- Why is Hermès so special?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 25, 2024Hermès is so special for a few reasons. The French luxury house is one of the most storied fashion labels in the world and has a rich heritage that dates back to 1837.
Hermès began in Paris as a maker of leather equestrian goods for European noblemen. The house later 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 jewelry to pillows and handbags.
Hermès artisans spend years honing their craft as apprentices before they produce Hermès pieces in premium materials. For example, the Kelly bag, which was named in tribute to one of its biggest fans, Grace Kelly, takes between 18 and 25 hours to produce, and its 680 hand stitches are made by one Hermès artisan. Each Birkin tote is also hand-sewn according to Hermès’s centuries-old saddle-stitching technique, and its exotic leathers, a variety that includes ostrich and crocodile, are subsequently painted and polished by house craftsmen in France.
On 1stDibs, explore a selection of vintage Hermès handbags and accessories.
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