Added 1 month ago

Condition

Good

Color

White

Material

—

Category

Handbags

Hermès Kelly Retourné 32 — White Grained Calfskin, Gold-Plated Hardware, circa 1965 Meta title (58 char.): Hermès Kelly 32 Retourné White Leather Vintage | Ecoluxury Meta description: Hermès Kelly Retourné 32 cm bag in white grained calfskin, gold-plated hardware, circa 1965. Authenticated vintage piece, sourced from Hôtel Drouot. Ecoluxury. MAIN DESCRIPTION There are bags that one recognizes even before reading the name. This Kelly Retourné 32 cm is one of them: its trapezoidal silhouette, its two triangular gussets, its cutout flap, and its strap clasp have defined the most accurate grammar of French leather goods since 1935. This particular one, crafted in white grained calfskin and enhanced with gold-plated metal hardware, belongs to that generation of Hermès bags designed to be worn, passed down, and not just admired behind a display case. At Hermès, white has never been an easy option. It is a demanding color, unforgiving to both the leather and the hand that works it. On this model, the grain of the calfskin captures light on the surface while retaining the characteristic suppleness of the Retourné construction—this technique of assembling the bag inside out before turning it, offering softened angles, rounded lines, and a more lively drape than that of the Kelly Sellier. The white lambskin lining, with its immediate softness to the touch, extends this impression of discreet refinement. The photographs show a piece that has been lived in, and that is precisely where its character lies. The gold-plated hardware has developed a warm patina, the rivets on the strap bear the marks of decades, and the leather has gained that suppleness that only time can bestow. The bag has undergone a careful restoration through partial white repigmentation, carried out according to best practices to restore its chromatic uniformity while respecting the original texture of the grained calfskin. The set comes complete: tirette, clochette, padlock, and key. Sold at an auction at Hôtel Drouot (Delon-Hoebanx house), this Kelly 32 arrives at Ecoluxury with a clear provenance and an authentication conducted by our experts. An object of use as much as an object of history—the 32 cm format remains, for many collectors, the most faithful proportion to the spirit of the original 'sac à dépêches'. Features • Brand: Hermès Paris • Model: Kelly Retourné (soft) • Size: 32 cm • Exterior Material: White grained calfskin • Lining: White lambskin • Hardware: Gold-plated metal • Closure: Strap clasp with padlock and key • Accessories included: Tirette, clochette, padlock, key • Dimensions: Yes Approx. 32 × 23 × 10.5 cm (W × H × D) • Wear: Hand • Vintage: Circa 1965 (dating from the Delon-Hoebanx sales catalog, Hôtel Drouot) • Condition: Used condition, signs of wear inside, patina on the hardware; bag partially repigmented in white during a restoration, exterior like new. • Provenance: Auction, Hôtel Drouot (Paris) • Authentication: Expert-reviewed and certified by Ecoluxury