July 2022 Newsletter
Upcoming Auctions
Sothebys Hong Kong - July 20 Handbags & Accessories
Gris Cendre Hima Plume - The Plume was one of the first non-Birkin/Kellys bags to receive the Hima treatment, and examples in Gris Cendre are more rare than the classic white Himalayans. Sporting a Fauve interior, this 28cm Plume is the lowest price Hima out there.
Lettres au Carre Kelly 28 - The Lettre Kelly collection has become somewhat common on the secondary market, though the Lettres Au Carre Kelly 28 which features a printed black and red canvas body, only appears rarely.
Black and Gold Ardennes Birkin 30 - Ardennes 30cm Birkins are not common, and this example is made even more special by the gold and black combination, which is a classic for vintage bi-color bags, though looks fresh on a 30.
Artcurial Monaco - July 21 Hermes & Luxury Bags
Special Order Au Trot Kelly 28 - The Au Gallop/Au Pas/Au Trot Collection featured a variety of Kellys with handles made from multiple colors and leathers. This example is the first HSS example from the collection to come to auction.
Plisse Silk Kelly 20 - Vintage 20cm Kellys are quite rare on their own, but silk examples like this have only come to auction a handfull of times. Though not in great condition, these bags have gone up in price every time they’ve sold, so this is a good opportunity to acquire a rare piece at a good price. Kylie Jenner has been seen carrying hers many times.
Tri-Material Kelly 32 - The Tri-Material collection is one that rarely comes to auction. This blue 32cm Kelly sports a matte Alligator front and back, Box Sangles and handle and Clemence sides.
Past Auctions
Sotheby’s New York - June 13 Handbags & Accessories
Sotheby’s Spring New York auction had a wide selection of exotic and leather bags in many sizes. Three leather Kelly 20s sold for $30,240 each and a 32cm Hima Kelly brought $163,800, a record for the size. Most results were within market range.
A Gris Perle Ostrich Kelly Pochette with Palladium Hardware from 2021 sold for $32,760, the third highest price paid at auction for an ostrich Pochette.
Sotheby’s Cologne - June 14 Fine Jewels, Watches & Handbags: Cologne
Sothebys Spring Cologne auction had just five Birkins and Kellys, the most noteworthy of which was a 28cm Fuchsia Ostrich Retourne Kelly with Palladium Hardware from 2009 that brought just under $18,400.
Christie’s New York - June 9 Handbags Online: The New York Edit
A HSS 5P & Gris Perle Alligator Birkin 25 with brushed palladium hardware from 2021 sold for $189,000 topping the $161,000 paid for an all 5P Alligator Kelly 25 at Christie’s in May 2021, but just shy of the $193,200 achieved by a shiny Vert Jade Porosus Birkin 25 with Gold hardware on the same day.
A Matte Black Alligator Birkin 25 with Gold hardware from 2021 sold for $100,800, one of only seven single-color non-diamond non-hima 25cm bags to break six figures at auction.
A rare 35cm Sellier Birkin in Vache Naturelle Grainee with Palladium hardware from 2020 sold for just $21,420, a low price considering the rarity of both the construction (one of only three 35cm Sellier Birkins yet to come to auction) and material (only one other Vache Naturelle Grainee bag has sold at auction, a 30cm Sellier Birkin with Gold hardware at Christie’s in June 2021 for nearly $38,400).
Christie’s Milan - June 23 Inside the Orange Box: A Lifetime of Collecting, Property from an Important European Collector
Christies second single-owner auction of the season took place in Milan. This auction had over 200 Hermes items all from one collector who had a penchant for limited edition 35cm Birkins. The selection has many favorites from the last two decades: Arlequins, a Mosaic Birkin, Dechainee, Grizzly, Mosaic, Candy, Cascade, Lakis, Ghillies, Riga, Denim, Contour, Flag, Cavalcadour, Au Gallop, Au Trot, Vibrato, Couvertures, Picnics, not to mention the rarities like Doblis, a number of Ostrich bags, a few Kelly Dolls and some Micro Candy bags. The collection was made even more special by the group of petit h items, lead by a petit h Picotin and unique petit h denim Shadow Birkin 40 that achieved just over $66,500. All told the collection brought just under 2.3 million euros, and the best deals were to be had in the group lots of home wares, many of which brought results that equate to less than $100 per item. A group of nine Sac a Malices averaged around $4,500 each, the most notable of which was a previously unknown 2008 version of the “Paquebot” Malice celebrating 33 years in Peninsula, with the Blue France background swapped for Blue Jean and the Jaune smoke stacks switched with Orange, topped with Palladium rather than Gold hardware.
The first example of a 40cm Sellier Kelly with leather wrapped hardware to come to auction sold for $42,610, and extremely strong price for a 40cm bag.
A rare gray Doblis suede Birkin 30 with Palladium hardware from 2007 brought $42,610, a strong result for suede, which has been increasing in value over the last few years as collectors grow to appreciate their rarity.
A RigaToile Kelly Lakis sold for $39,500, a very strong price for a canvas bag and a Lakis. Riga toile has proven a rarity, only coming to auction a handful of times in the last few years.
A vintage Black Box and Rouge Vif Ostrich Sellier Kelly 32 fro 1995 achieved $19,975. Bi-material vintage Kellys and Birkins are extremely rare, and this result is strong for a vintage 32.
An extremely rare Le Canada Silk Bolide 45 made with panels of a silk scarf designed by Kermit Oliver and Orange Swift trim from 2007 sold for just $9,250. This is the second Le Canada Bolide to come to auction, the first, having Turquoise Chevre trim, was sold at Artcurial in July 2019 for just north of $10,000.
Poly Auction Hong Kong - July 11 Notable Handbags & Hype Collectibles:
A pair of 25cm Himalayans from 2020 were the top lots in this auction with the Birkin achieving $252,300 and the Kelly $244,600
The first example of a Kelly with both Shiny and Matte crocodile done in Vert Rousseau from 2021 sold for over $84,000, a strong result for a 28
A trio of rare bags with Vert Olive Officier canvas bodies went in this auction, a 30cm Birkin with White trim from 2009 brought $21,400 and a 30cm Birkin from 2007 with Havane trim sold for over $16,800. A matching 28cm Kelly sold for over $14,500
The first example of a 20cm mini Kelly 20 II with a slim Amazone canvas strap sold in this auction just north of $30,500, a Nata Epsom example with Palladium hardware from 2022
A rare Barenia Faubourg Retourne Kelly 25 with Palladium hardware from 2022 sold for over $27,500.
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