The Paris Auction
A black Hermès Birkin bag once owned by singer and actress Jane Birkin is heading to a Paris auction house with an initial estimate of 70,000 euros.
Bonhams Paris scheduled the sale for November 24, though another source noted the auction takes place on November 25.
The 2009 Birkin 30 is crafted from black Togo leather, featuring a structured silhouette, rounded handles, and a flap closure with metallic hardware. Inside the bag, Jane Birkin used a white marker to write a personal inscription to her friend Georgia.
The Volcanic Eruption
The handwritten inscription reads, “Georgia, to keep you safe, for us, your friends. Jane B. (Birkin), Athens.” This message stems from an unexpected travel disruption in April 2010.
Jane Birkin was visiting the Greek capital for the 11th Francophone Film Festival to present her album Jane Birkin au Palace. The eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull grounded flights across Europe.
Unable to travel to the United States to meet her daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg, the actress stayed in Greece with her friend Georgia and gifted her the bag. Hubert Felbacq, director of the fashion and accessories department at Bonhams Paris, stated that the item offers a tangible connection to the woman whose name and style shaped one of the sector’s most iconic designs.
Previous Sales
Collector interest could push the final sale price well above the initial 70,000-euro estimate. Similar sales have dramatically exceeded expectations. In 2021, Bonhams auctioned another Birkin that previously belonged to the artist. That sale reached 119,000 pounds—over 100,000 euros—surpassing its initial estimate fivefold. The legendary accessory line began in 1984 after Jane Birkin met then-Hermès president Jean-Louis Dumas on a flight between Paris and London.
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