The Birkin Voyageur, gifted to Birkin by Hermès in 2003, sold for six times its high estimate of €370,000 after an intense 11-minute bidding battle between six collectors in Abu Dhabi. The piece was ultimately acquired by a telephone bidder.
Unlike other models, this black leather bag stands out for its visible, real-life wear, its closed bridges reminiscent of the original prototype, and, above all, the handwritten notes by the artist herself, including the phrase: “My Birkin bag that has travelled with me all over the world.” This detail reinforces its emotional aura and cultural value.
The bag is one of four pieces Hermès gave Birkin after she sold her first Birkin in 1994 to raise funds for the fight against AIDS.
A very Birkin tradition
Auctioning off her bags to support social causes became almost ritual for the singer and actress. Hermès would replace each one she sold. The Voyageur had, in fact, already been auctioned once before, in 2007, in aid of a human rights organisation.
The Abu Dhabi sale comes only months after the record set in Paris, where the first Birkin designed for Jane in 1984 fetched nearly €8.6 million, marking a historic milestone.
More personal pieces set to go under the hammer
On 15 December, Orne Enchères will offer another of Birkin’s personal bags at the Hôtel Drouot in Paris. Entrusted to her friend and biographer Gabrielle Crawford, the black leather piece is decorated with bells and Japanese charms. It is estimated between €100,000 and €120,000, with proceeds going towards the future Jane Birkin Foundation.
The original typed script of Je t’aime moi non plus, annotated by Serge Gainsbourg and Birkin, will also be auctioned, with an estimate of €15,000 to €18,000.
The sale of the Voyageur confirms that the value of a Birkin once owned by Jane lies not only in its exclusivity but in the intimate history it carries. Each bag is a capsule of her life, her activism, and her worldview. And that, today, is worth millions.
Hermès wins another legal battle: the Birkin remains “untouchable”.
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