Hermès

Hermès began in 1837 as a harness workshop on the rue Basse-du-Rempart, making tack for carriage horses. Almost everything the house is now known for follows from that origin. The saddle stitch it still uses by hand was developed for harness that had to survive a horse falling; the leathers it favours were chosen for durability before they were chosen for looks; even the Kelly's shape descends from a saddle bag.

That history matters commercially because it explains the supply. Hermès has never industrialised the bags. A Birkin or a Kelly is made by one artisan from start to finish, and the house has repeatedly chosen not to expand output faster than it can train craftspeople. Demand has outrun supply for four decades, which is why a secondary market exists and why condition and specification, not just the name, determine what a bag is worth.

The variables that matter are consistent across the range. Size determines use. Leather determines character and how the bag ages — Togo grained and forgiving, Epsom pressed and rigid, Clémence soft and slouching, Swift smooth and saturated in colour, with Barenia, Box Calf and the exotics above them. Hardware is palladium, gold or rose gold. Condition runs from store fresh through to vintage pieces made before 2010.

Everything listed here is described specifically rather than by grade, with corner wear, handle patina, hardware condition and interior marks each noted, and year of production recorded wherever the blind stamp is legible.