Mini Hermès Kelly Handbag Could Fetch $200,000 at Auction

A collection of “rare and exceptional” handbags—from the likes of Hermès, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton—is on offer from Christie’s, in an auction ending Dec. 12.

The sale also “includes a selection of costume jewellery from Chanel—the collection spans a range of generations with lots coming from the modern era of Karl Lagerfeld, dating back to iconic original designs created by Coco Chanel herself,” Christie’s said in a statement. “This fantastic section is being sold without reserve.”

The star of the show is a mini Hermès Kelly bag made from sterling silver and dating to the 1990s, according to the auction house. The bag features “a charming miniature version of the signature Cadena lock,” in addition to its “iconic silhouette,” the catalog said. Available at auction for the first time in seven years, the bag is estimated to fetch between US$100,000-US$200,000.

A mini Hermès Kelly bag made from sterling silver and dating to the 1990s could fetch as much as US200,000.
Christie’s Images

The “sterling silver Kelly [is] one of the rarest pieces ever created by Hermès and now available at auction for the first time in seven years,” according to a statement from Christie’s.

Two limited-edition Bolide bags, also from Hermès, are part of the sale. Inspired by automobile travel, these bags—created 100 years after the original—feature tiny wheels for a touch of whimsy, plus hardware made from Palladium. One example is bleu saphir epsom leather with orange wheels, while the other is gold with yellow wheels.

The classic handbag represents “the imagination and innovation that Hermès is known for,” the catalog said. “Its silhouette was made to seamlessly fit inside the trunk of a car and its zipper, the first to ever be featured on a handbag, allowed for elegant ease of access while traveling.”

“There are also several men’s handbags included in the sale, such as “The Rock” HAC Birkin by Hermès, which has an estimate of US$40,000 to US$50,000 and is on offer for the first time from Christie’s. “This is the first Birkin bag specifically crafted for men and inspired by the supple appeal of leather jackets,” according to the auction house.

The sale also an acrylic and crystal ice-cube clutch with silver hardware that was part of a fall 2010 Chanel runway show with an estimate of US$6,000 to US$8,000; a limited-edition yellow and black monogram leather pumpkin bag by Louis Vuitton with Yayoi Kusama that could fetch up to US$15,000; and a Louis Vuitton trunk, circa 1890, that is estimated to sell for between US$10,000 to US$15,000.

Handbags have had a banner year, with 2023 sales reaching a total of HK$154 million (US$20 million) in sales so far this year—a record in the handbags and accessories category, according to Christie’s. The record was broken at a November auction in Hong Kong, where the company sold nearly HK$55 million (US$7 million) in rare and designer handbags.

Aston Martin builds all of its cars with a peak blend of performance and luxury. Still, their six-figure creations can lean more aggressively into one side or the other of that simple recipe.

For example, the DBD707 SUV hides a 4-litre V8 engine capable of 697 horsepower, but its overall size and endless creature comforts nuzzle a little closer to luxury’s embrace. The small-batch Valour muscles up on the performance scale with its prized manual transmission and 5.2-litre, 705 horsepower V12 power plant. Meanwhile, the recently redesigned DB12 is the company’s best attempt at splitting the performance-luxury gambit right down the middle.

Amid all of those supercar machinations, the Aston Martin Vantage sneaks away to play as the most performance-centric car coming out of the Gaydon, England, factory. Redesigned for 2025, the US$191,000 coupe reasserts itself as the most dedicated “driver’s car” in a very driver-friendly line. Should this be in pounds first?

During a road drive and speed testing event at Spain’s Circuito Monteblanco about an hour outside of Seville, the new Vantage proved itself as Aston Martin’s most accessible track-day companion.

Aston Martin is the most accessible day-track companion. Aston Martin

A first look at the latest addition to its very elite Warwickshire family pulls the eyes right to the newly extended rear wells that jut out around 21-inch, forged alloy wheels. While widening the car’s haunches, the wheel positioning reduces unsparing weight and gives the new Vantage a much more athletic pose.

Beyond that muscular base, the Vantage continues the modern Aston Martin styling tradition of riding the razor’s edge between aggression and sophistication. While the car’s Italian and Swedish rivals opt for prominent fins and big scoops, Aston’s designers keep the lines low, wide, and balanced from the signature highlighted grille to the understated aerodynamic spoiler.

In the performance specs department, the Vantage now packs an AMG-built, 4.0-litre, V8 twin turbo, front-mid mounted engine, capable of 656 horsepower, and a top speed of 202 miles per house and a 0 to 60 mph time of 3.4 seconds.

According to James Owen, Aston Martin’s senior manager of Vehicle Engineering, if the DB12 is the automaker’s distinguished overachiever, the Vantage is its less responsible, but equally attractive pugnacious sibling.

“The DB12 is a sports tourer and is positioned in the market as a GT,” Owen says. “It’s important for us to differentiate between Vantage and the DB12—to make sure that difference is clear for buyers and enthusiasts”

Owen describes the larger, pricier DB12 (starting MSRP of US$245,000) as more refined, while he considers the 2025 Vantage as playful and passionate. He even uses the word “brutish,” if such a term can be used for a technology-stuffed, six-figure sports car.

“The word that we keep hearing when talking about the Vantage is ‘fun,’” Owen adds. “That’s what we wanted to hear. We wanted to create a car that pulls at the heartstrings because it’s so enjoyable to drive. But, we wanted it to have a challenging character to it.”

Previous versions of the Vantage fit that punkier image. While always built for speed and powerful acceleration, the last couple editions of the Vantage were a little more harsh. The steering seemed more aggressive—demanding more input from the driver. The suspension felt tighter, deliberately transmitting more of the road’s surfaces and imperfections into the driver’s backside. If any current car in the Aston Martin line is a direct descendant of the automaker’s racing pedigree at Le Mans or in F1, it’s the Vantage.

Still, amid all this talk of driving fun and racing performance, Owen is quick to remind drivers that the Vantage is still an Aston Martin— steeped in the company’s signature identity of sophistication as the grownup’s more dignified supercar.

“The Vantage also has that added feature in its wheelhouse,” Owen explains. “Yes, it will respond to a driver pushing it in a racing scenario, but—with the technology we built into the car to stabilise the body at its most comfortable driver mode settings – the Vantage is still a very pleasant place to be.”

In keeping with such pleasantness, the interior of 2025 Vantage bears no resemblance to any race car. Handmade and stitched Haircell Leather stretches in all directions in any colour the buyer prefers. The Sports Plus Seats are 8-way adjustable with heat or cooling on demand. The complete infotainment suite featuring the official Aston Martin Audio system from Bowers & Wilkins is a step up from the previous Vantage (and the current DB12).

The interior includes an infotainment suite featuring the official Aston Martin Audio system from Bowers & Wilkins. Aston Martin

Once the internal comforts and engineering feats come together, the experience behind the wheel is a sensual union of car and operator. Acceleration is smooth, yet immediate. The cornering is focused and nimble, and its rear-wheel drive allows for just enough play for the occasional drift at speed in turns.

A key piece of Aston Martin technology makes the Vantage’s elite performance potential accessible to more drivers. The ESP System (Electronic Stability Programme) debuted in the DB12, and the Vantage adopts the tech to its driver mode system. ESP takes information from multiple sensors around the vehicle, feeding the accelerometer data into a computerised concept of the car’s driving conditions and the ability of the operator.

Resulting algorithms react to those conditions, road surface issues, available grip, etc., tightening up the vehicle where necessary to aid the driver and offer as much feel and performance as the given operator can manage.

In its completed package, the 2025 Vantage is aimed at a specific buyer demographic—the driving enthusiast who puts thrills ahead of all-out creature comforts.

“For each project at Aston Martin, we have a customer profile in mind,” Owen says. “They have defined interests that highlight their demographic. For the Vantage, we consider a buyer who is perhaps new to the brand and looking into the ‘entry level’ Aston Martin. That’s a buyer who isn’t concerned with having a backseat or the DB nameplate. He or she thinks performance first and foremost.”