Browning Around
Long held as the epitome of an undesirable color, ‘brown’ has become synonymous with ‘meh.’ Arguably a classic neutral, necessary for the completion of any collection, ‘brown’ at Hermes takes on more variations than anywhere else. Invariably, even collectors with a distaste for the color will find a shade that grabs them. One of Hermes’ most classic colors, Gold, is a brown of sorts. Though this classic, which is arguably as classic as Black, averages a mere $10,040 at auction, notably less than the latter’s $13,250 average. With all examples reliably averaging under $10,000 for years, brown Birkins and Kellys have seen a surge in value in 2021 indicative of the surging handbag market as a whole. So far this year brown bags have averaged over $15,250 at auction, up 63% from their average over the previous decade (just over $9,400). The charts above show average auction values for brown leather Birkins and Kellys, excluding any exotic, special orders, or limited editions. It is notable that Fauve takes the top spot among the more common shades of brown (of which at least 10 examples have sold at auction). This is due to the high prices achieved by Barenia leather Birkins and Kellys, which are considered special by collectors for their rarity and relation to the brand’s equestrian roots. Barenia leather is typically used in saddlery and is known to develop a distinct patina over time. Though produced in Black, Marron Fonce, and Vert Olive as well, Fauve is the most common color for this heritage leather. Among the less common shades, Toffee stands atop the rest with a whopping average auction price of nearly $26,800. This comes from the two examples that have sold so far: a 25cm Retourne Kelly in Togo leather with Gold hardware that Poly auctioned for $24,615 in April 2021, and a 25cm Novillo leather Birkin with Gold hardware that Christies auction in May 2021 for $28,980. The record for a brown leather bag is currently held by Christies with their May 2021 sale of a 25cm Sable Butler Sellier Kelly with Gold hardware for $45,080. This is followed by a Fauve Barenia 25cm Sellier Kelly with Gold hardware that Christies sold the following month for $38,400.