The most expensive handbag ever sold at auction was a White Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Diamond Returnee Kelly 28, which fetched 440.000 EUR in 2021—but history was made in Paris today when the original Birkin prototype, owned by Jane Birkin herself, was sold at auction for €8,582,500 ($10,023,630).
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.
Main Image: Original Birkin Bag, Courtesy Sotheby's