Sotheby’s will ofer Jane Birkin’s Original Birkin in its upcoming Fashion Icons sale in Paris, from June 26 to July 10, 2025. The auction offers a historic opportunity to acquire the Original Hermès Birkin, the prototype that sparked a cultural phenomenon and redefined luxury.
Before the sale, the Original Birkin will be exhibited in New York from June 6 to June 12, 2025, at Sotheby’s headquarters at 1334 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021.
The bag is presented in the exact condition in which Jane last used it, still bearing her initials “J.B.” and featuring her nail clipper hanging from the strap—a testament to its deeply personal significance. It is crafted in Hermès Black Box leather with gilded brass hardware, a feature that was soon replaced with gold-plated hardware in commercial models. Its unique construction, a hybrid of the Birkin 35’s width and height and the Birkin 40’s depth, adds to its one-of-a-kind status. Other notable elements include closed metal rings (similar to the HAC model), a non-removable shoulder strap, smaller bottom studs, and an inner zip from the “éclair” company.
This auction marks the first time in nearly 25 years that Jane Birkin’s Original Birkin will be available for acquisition, offering bidders a rare chance to own a piece of fashion history and the origin of one of the world’s most iconic bags.
Anna Melnykova, "Palace of Labor (palats praci), architector I. Pretro, 1916", shot with analog Canon camera, 35 mm Fuji film in March 2022.
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