Hermès 1964 Vintage Kelly 28 Sellier in Black Porosus Crocodile, Gold Hardware, T Stamp, Box and Cadena

A Hermès Kelly from 1964 in glazed black Porosus crocodile with gold-plated hardware, made in the years when the sac à dépêches was becoming the bag of Princess Grace of Monaco.

The Piece

The Kelly began life in the 1930s as a saddle-stitched travelling bag and became famous after Grace Kelly, by then Princess of Monaco, was photographed shielding her pregnancy with one in 1956. This example, T-stamped for 1964, belongs to the decade in which that story turned the shape into a legend, before the name was formally adopted by the house.

It is cut from black Porosus crocodile, the saltwater skin with the finest, most regular scale pattern, and finished with a high glaze that has softened with age into a deep, liquid black. The construction is sellier, with sharp exterior stitched edges, and the single rolled handle, sangles and turn-lock are original. The gold-plated hardware shows the iridescent discolouration typical of plating of this age.

Inside, the bag is lined in black leather with two open pockets and a zip pocket, and carries the Hermès Paris stamp. The width of about 29.5 cm corresponds to the Kelly 28 in sellier construction.

Small enough to carry in the hand and structured enough to stand on a table, it remains one of the most elegant day bags ever made, and vintage Porosus Kellys of this period are increasingly scarce.

Details

• Designer: Hermès
• Season: T stamp, dated 1964
• Model / ref: Kelly 28 Sellier (vintage sac à dépêches), attributed by size
• Material: Porosus crocodile; leather lining
• Colour: Black; gold-plated hardware
• Made in: France
• Tagged size: 28 (attributed)
• Measurements: Width 29.5 cm · Height 24.5 cm · Depth 10 cm · Handle drop 10 cm
• Included: Box, clochette, cadena and key
• Export note: Exotic skin: dispatched with CITES re-export documentation prepared in Japan; import rules vary by country and state, so please confirm your destination accepts this skin before purchase

Condition

• Vintage condition consistent with some sixty years of age.
• A scratch to the lower centre of the back and a scratch to the left of the flap.
• Scuffing and light soiling to the lower front.
• Gold plating rubbed, scratched and discoloured, with iridescent tarnish to the lock plates.
• Box shows age.
• Structure firm; glaze still deep.

Condition grade AB on the Japanese scale; see Japanese condition ranks, explained.

Authenticity & Care

Leather, saddle stitching, edge finish and blind stamp are examined together and documented in Japan before dispatch. Every piece carries the Japonista authenticity guarantee. Keep it stuffed and upright in its dust bag in a cool, dry room; a specialist exotic conditioner once a year keeps vintage glaze supple.

Delivery from Japan

Packed by hand in Japan and shipped insured and tracked by EMS or an equivalent express service. Import duties and taxes, where applicable, are payable on arrival. Every sale is final; please ask anything before you buy, and see our published policy.

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