After setting a record with the sale of the original Birkin bag in Paris for more than $10 million, Sotheby's is to bring another bag that belonged to actress Jane Birkin to the auction block in December – this time in Abu Dhabi.
The one-off Le Birkin Voyageur bag will be part of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week auction at St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort from December 2 to 5. The event is being held in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO).
The bag is from the actress and singer's personal collection of Hermes Birkin bags.
Now world-famous, the Birkin was designed for the British celebrity after a chance encounter with Jean-Louis Dumas, then head of Hermes, on a plane. In response to her frustration at being unable to find a bag that suited her needs, Dumas created and gave her the Birkin, and named it after her.
Since that meeting in 1984, the Birkin has become the most sought-after bag in the world. The actress sold the original Birkin in 1994 to raise money for charity. This July, Sotheby's Paris resold it for a record $10.1 million (Dh37,092,250), making it the most expensive handbag sold at auction.
Le Birkin Voyageur going for auction is one of only five Birkin bags owned by the actress, each a gift from Hermes.
This particular piece takes its name from the inscription written inside by the actress. Sotherbys said the bag shows wear from regular use, reflecting its status as an everyday item the actress carried from 2003 to 2007.
The Voyageur is classic black box leather, in size 40cm, and the inscription is in white-on-black lettering. It reads: “Mon Birkin bag qui m'a accompagné dans le monde entier”, translating as: “My Birkin bag, my globetrotting companion”.
After receiving it from Hermes in 2003, Birkin sold the Voyageur at auction in 2007 to raise money for the Human Rights Association. It has been in private hands since then.
Sotheby's has listed the Voyageur Birkin with an estimate of $240,000 to $440,000 (up to Dh1.6 million).
Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of handbags and fashion, noted the significance of “presenting not one, but two of Jane Birkin’s personal Hermes bags in a single year”.
“Following the record-breaking sale of the original Birkin prototype in July, this exceptionally rare example offers collectors an intimate connection to the woman at the origin of the world’s most iconic handbag.
"This is not just a piece of fashion history, but a deeply personal artefact from a cultural and style icon whose legacy continues to inspire.”
The inaugural Abu Dhabi auction in December is expected to be a grand affair, with a number of high-profile items already on the bidding list. These include rare supercars, such as the 2010 Aston Martin One-77, one of only 77 ever built, and a 2017 Pagani Zonda 760 Riviera; a rare Rolex Oyster Albino Daytona ref 6263; and Desert Rose, the largest fancy vivid orangey-pink diamond ever graded.
