Skip the Line: 5 Unique Highlights From the Largest Hermes Auction From a Private Collector - Objects of luxury

You have two days left to bid.

From June 14 to 21, Christie’s offers the largest single-owner handbags and accessories the 256-year-old auction house has ever organized. The auction titled “Inside the Orange Box” includes over 250 lots of Hermes pieces, which are currently in exhibition in Milan. 

READ ALSO: A New Kelly: Hermès Reinterprets A Classic Bag For The New Age

Although the collector is unnamed, she’s a European woman who dedicated her time to composing the largest and most diverse Hermes collection to appear at auction, according to Christie’s.

Up for bids are an eclectic set of everything Hermes from handbags to textiles to jewelry and watches. 

As it’s an online auction, all the lots are open to offers. So if you want to skip the infamous waiting list of owning a Birkin or Kelly (or more of them), here are some highlight pieces you can’t order in boutiques—even if you’re willing to wait.

Limited Edition Bleu Electrique Togo Leather Kelly 32

Hermes products are coveted today because of their historical influences, from technical design to brand marketing. In fact, the 85-year-old house was the first French atelier to incorporate modern zippers in leather goods and clothing. 

By 1935, Emile-Maurice Hermes (the grandson of the brand’s founder Thierry Hermes) designed the Sac à dépêches, a design we now know as the Kelly. It was named after Princess Grace Kelly when she used the Sac à dépêches to hide her pregnant belly from the paparazzi.

You can get more information here.

Custom Petit H Denim and Black Ever Calf Leather Shadow Birkin 40

The shadow Birkin debuted in 2009, while famed French designer Jean Paul Gaultier was helming the house from 2003 to 2010. Gaultier was inspired by trompe-l’œil (translates to “deceives the eye”), a visual art genre that creates an illusion effect for the top flat and straps. 

Given the collector was a patron, she was allowed to customize these pieces with Hermes’ workshop, Petit H. 

You can get more information here.

Limited Edition Rogue H Gulliver Leather Quele Idole

The Que Idole, also known as the Kelly Doll, was conceptualized by Jean-Louis Dumas, Hermes’ executive chief, for 28 years, from 1978 to 2006. In a limited edition run, this piece was released in 200 to celebrate a new millennium. 

You can get more information here.

Limited Edition Naturel Barenia and Osier Picnic Kelly 35

While recognizable Kellys are made from Epsom leather, derived from male calfskin, its picnic edition is arguably more head-turning. Designed by Jean Paul Gaultier for Hermes’ Spring 2011 collection, it uses wicker to embody the summer season. Five years later, the Picnic Party collection was reintroduced with newer items, the Picnic Bolide and Farming Bag. 

You can get more information here.

Violet Ostrich Birkin 30

The idea of the Birkin came to Jean-Louis Dumas on a chance encounter with actress Jane Birkin during a flight. When he asked why she traveled with just a simple straw tote, Jane said leather bags were too structured for functionality. It goes without saying that the Birkin was named after the actress, and now the Birkin is known for its strong silhouette and soft exterior.

Of course, the collector owned an array of the difficult-to-produce ostrich skin Birkin bags. Due to the porous skin of Ostriches, dying the leather requires undivided attention. On average, these pieces take artisans at least 18 hours to finish.    

You can get more information here.

Images from Christies.com

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