A Birkin bag formerly owned by the late actress and singer Jane Birkin, the inspiration behind the accessory, is expected to achieve between £179,000 and £328,000 at auction.
This upcoming sale follows the record-breaking £7.4 million fetched by her original Hermès Birkin in July, which became the most valuable handbag ever sold.
The classic design was created for Birkin, who passed away in 2023 at the age of 76, celebrated for her roles in French and British films from the 1960s.
This specific item, named Le Birkin Voyageur due to a message penned inside by the actress, will be auctioned live in Abu Dhabi on December 5.
Given to Birkin by Hermes in 2003, this black Birkin was one of four the artist used after she sold her original Birkin for the first time in 1994, according to auction house Sotheby’s.
Le Birkin Voyageur was Birkin’s everyday bag from 2003 to 2007, when it was sold at auction.
It has remained in a private collection ever since and as part of its preparation for the 2007 auction the actress wrote notes in silver ink.
Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of handbags and fashion, said: “To present not one, but two of Jane Birkin’s personal Hermes bags in a single year is nothing short of historic.
“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 bag will be offered at auction as part of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week, a programme of auctions, discussions and exhibitions, presented in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), at the St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi from December 2 to 5.
It comes as British designer Grace Wales Bonner was confirmed as the new Creative Director of Menswear at Hermes.
