Hermès Diamond Himalayan Kelly, one of the rarest handbags ever created, lands at Heritage Auctions
The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Saturday, October 12, 2024


Hermès Diamond Himalayan Kelly, one of the rarest handbags ever created, lands at Heritage Auctions
Hermès 35cm Matte White Himalayan Niloticus Crocodile Retourne Kelly Bag with 18K White Gold and Diamond Hardware.



DALLAS, TX.- The most desirable handbag in the world will take center stage during Heritage Auctions' May 4 Luxury Accessories Signature® Auction.

The Hermès 35cm Diamond Matte White Himalayan Niloticus Crocodile Kelly (estimate: $240,000-$260,000) – one of the rarest bags ever created – is encrusted with 229 diamonds set in 18k white gold hardware and totaling 8.08 carats. But it's not just the gems that make this handbag shine. Fashioned from the hide of Africa's largest crocodilian, this wearable work of art features a spectacular but delicate ombre of smoky gray fading into luminous white – an effect that evokes the majestic snow-capped Himalayas for which the bag is named. Achieving the effect requires a painstaking process of delicate hand-dyeing and bleaching, a technique that becomes more difficult and time-consuming as the color lightens. Beyond that, as with all Hermès creations, the bag is carefully hand-stitched using two needles and a single piece of thread to ensure the permanency and impeccable finish of every stitch.

"This extraordinary creation is a masterwork of meticulous craftsmanship and exquisite artisanry," says Diane D'Amato, Heritage's Director of Luxury Accessories, Private Sales & The Boutique. "Even more rare than its Birkin counterpart, the Himalayan Kelly is the Hermès piece produced in the most limited numbers, the holy grail being the 35cm Diamond Matte White Himalayan Niloticus Crocodile Kelly Bag."

The Himalayan design pays homage to the crocodile bags of the early 20th century when it was nearly impossible to remove all the natural pigment and texture from exotic skins. If not dyed black or brown, the skins would be lightened to highlight their natural coloring. As more sophisticated dyeing techniques were developed, resulting in a more extensive range of color options, the natural ombre coloration fell out of style. That is, until the early 1990s, when Hermès unveiled a new glossy green-brown ombre crocodile Kelly bag called Natura Vert Celadon – the Himalayan's predecessor. Initially, Himalayan Birkins were sold only to the most loyal and dedicated collectors, but after Jean Paul Gaultier sent one down his spring runway in 2010, a collecting phenomenon was born. Hermès responded by crafting a limited number of Himalayan Kelly bags.

"With its combination of artistry and legend, the Himalayan Kelly is not just a masterpiece of incomparable construction," D'Amato says. "It's the ultimate find for the serious collector."

The Diamond Himalayan Kelly isn't the only Hermès stunner in the May 4 auction, however. The event also features Hermès bags in a variety of sizes and a rainbow of hues.

Among the highlights is a Shiny Rose Scheherazade Crocodile Kelly Cut (estimate: $26,000-$34,000). The eye-poppingly pink and easy-to-carry clutch features palladium hardware and makes a dramatic statement with its bold, bright color. There is also a trio of bags in a range of gorgeous greens: a Matte Vert Rousseau Alligator Mini Kelly 20 (estimate: $30,000-$40,000), a 30cm Vert D'Eau Alligator Birkin (estimate: $30,000-$40,000) and a Special Order Horseshoe Vert Criquet and Vert Bosphere Bi-color Epsom Leather Mini Kelly (estimate: $14,000-$20,000).

Other Hermès standouts include a 25cm Nata Swift Leather In and Out Retourne Kelly (estimate: $20,000-$24,000), a 25cm Sesame Toile and Swift Leather Quadrille Sellier Kelly (estimate: $20,000-$24,000) and a Gris Perle Epsom Leather Mini Kelly 20 (estimate: $14,000-$18,000), as well as two great options in classic black: a 24cm Black Matte Alligator and Lizard Constance (estimate: $24,000-$36,000) and a So Black Box Calf Leather Kelly Pochette ($14,000-$20,000).










Today's News

April 16, 2023

Yes, people will pay $27,500 for an old 'Rocky' tape. Here's why.

Gagosian London exhibits new works by Richard Wright

Rare Proof of 1829 Half Eagle leads Harry W. Bass Collection, Part III, at Heritage Auctions

The art collection of music industry legend Mo Ostin unveiled at Sotheby's

A selection of rare 18K gold Omega chronographs among items in Space Exploration and Aviation auction

Heritage's May 9 auction features legendary offerings from D.C.'s famed The Guitar Shop

Edward Koren, 87, whose cartoon creatures poked fun at people, dies

Christie's Hong Kong to offer the Cissy and Robert Tang Collection of Chinese Classical Furniture

Solo exhibition by Los-Angeles based artist Richard Nam opens at Praz-Delavallade Projects

National Gallery of Art acquires work by Vera Lutter

Hermès Diamond Himalayan Kelly, one of the rarest handbags ever created, lands at Heritage Auctions

Christie's announces new grant for Nazi-era provenance research

Bold and beautiful: Colored gemstones shine at Heritage Auctions in May

How Broadway theater owners are trying to block a Times Square casino

K-Beauty's brush with fine art

Review: Ayodele Casel shares the floor with varied visions of tap

One of 35 known 'Watermelon' $100 bills among refreshing offerings at Heritage Auctions' CSNS currency event

'I Raised Them!' Nina Ananiashvili's Georgian dancers come to town

The Phantom of the Opera

How To Have A Cultured Trip To London




Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography,
Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs,
Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, .

 



Founder:
Ignacio Villarreal
(1941 - 2019)
Editor & Publisher: Jose Villarreal
Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez
Writer: Ofelia Zurbia Betancourt

Royalville Communications, Inc
produces:

ignaciovillarreal.org juncodelavega.com facundocabral-elfinal.org
Founder's Site. Hommage
to a Mexican poet.
Hommage
       

The First Art Newspaper on the Net. The Best Versions Of Ave Maria Song Junco de la Vega Site Ignacio Villarreal Site
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful