Hermès Birkin prototype used by Jane Birkin sells for record price
The sale marks the highest price ever paid for a handbag at auction.
The black leather bag was created by Hermès in the early 1980s following a chance encounter between Birkin and then Hermès executive Jean-Louis Dumas.
According to reports, Birkin sketched her ideal bag design on an airplane sick bag, inspiring this early version.
The result was a unique model featuring Birkin's initials and a fixed shoulder strap elements not present in later mass-produced versions.
Birkin used the bag regularly for nearly a decade before donating it to a charity auction in 1994. Since then, it had been in the possession of private collectors before returning to the public market.
The auction reportedly saw a competitive 10-minute bidding period, with Japan's Valuence Group winning the item via phone.
The final price far surpassed the previous record for a handbag, which had been held by a diamond-encrusted Hermès Kelly bag.
It also ranks as the second-highest auction result for a fashion item, behind the sale of Judy Garland's ruby slippers.
Sotheby's described the bag as a historically significant artifact, both as a fashion prototype and as a personal item belonging to the woman who inspired an entire luxury line.
While standard Hermès Birkin bags remain popular and expensive in their own right, this particular piece's origin and provenance contributed to its exceptional value.
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