Sell Hermès Kelly Handbags in 3 Proven Steps

Sell Hermès Kelly Handbags with Ease

It’s hard to imagine that one of the most iconic fashion pieces of the last seventy years had such humble beginnings: a large sack, designed to carry a saddle. It’s true, though; the Hermès Kelly handbag originated as a 19th century accessory for riders, was transformed into a simple purse during the 1920s, and was redesigned as a more luxurious travel bag a decade later.

Even then, the handbag was largely inconsequential until the actress and fashion trendsetter Grace Kelly was photographed holding one in 1956 – soon after, the purse previously known as the “Sac à dépêches” became a timeless classic, and was immediately known worldwide as the Hermès Kelly (although an official name change didn’t come until twenty years later).

Hermès sells billions of dollars worth of designer merchandise annually but the Kelly remains the company’s top-seller, so much in demand that retail sales of the bag are often limited. That has created an enormous resale opportunity for those who want to sell Hermès Kelly handbags on the secondary market. Dimorras, as a world leader in the purchase and sale of luxury goods, is in the forefront of this market.

We purchase a large number of pre-owned Hermès Kelly handbags each month, offering more than all other buyers for Kelly purses of any age and in any condition. We’re happy to provide you with a valuation for your bag, and a firm offer to purchase within just days. Just complete our online form and we can begin the process.

Sell Hermès Kelly Handbags for The Best Offer

We’re often asked why our offers for Hermès Kelly purses (as well as Hermès Birkin handbags and all of the other luxury goods we purchase) are so much higher than those made by our competitors. The answer is simple. We’re able to pay so much for Kellys because they’re such a desirable and hard-to-find accessory, and because we’ve built a large base of clients which is the envy of the industry. When we offer a used Kelly handbag for sale it doesn’t stay on the market for very long, so we need a constant supply to satisfy our buyers.

Vintage Kelly bags which have been gently worn can bring tens of thousands of dollars when resold, and more recent purses with scratches, tears or torn clasps are still usually worth four or five figures. Our specialists are experts in evaluating the true worth of Hermès handbags; this allows us to look beyond the surface flaws which would discourage other buyers, and pay impressive amounts to those wishing to sell Hermès Kelly handbags in less-than-perfect condition.

When we appraise and make an offer on your Kelly, we treat it as if it were already our own. In fact, the first step only involves providing a full description of the handbag and sending us copies of any photos, bills-of-sale or appraisal forms you may have. We’ll respond by email or phone within hours to give you a preliminary estimate of your bag’s worth, and invite you to ship the Kelly purse to us (at our complete expense, including full-value insurance) for a rigorous appraisal. You’ll receive a prompt, top-of-the-market offer for your Kelly bag, and if you accept, the cash will be in your hands in less than two days.

Dimorras acquisition process is efficient, expert and trustworthy. You have nothing to lose by filling out our online form to start the ball rolling – at the very least, you’ll receive an expert opinion on what your Hermès Kelly handbag is really worth.

A Piece of Hermès Kelly Handbags History

How did such an “ordinary” bag (if you can use the word “ordinary” to describe any Hermès product) become a valuable, iconic fashion accessory? It was largely a fortuitous accident.

In the mid-1950s, Grace Kelly was one of the most beloved public figures in the world. She had become an Academy Award-winning movie star in her early 20s, performing with the likes of Cary Grant, James Stewart, Gary Cooper and Ray Milland. And when she gave up her acting career to marry Prince Rainier of Monaco, her fame transcended the big screen.

Kelly had worn a Hermès Sac à dépêches during the making of the film “Rear Window” and was said to have “fallen in love” with the handbag, which she carried everywhere after that. It was shortly after her marriage, though, that the fortuitous accident happened. In 1956 the princess was photographed with her handbag positioned to hide her “baby bump” from prying eyes – and the photo quickly went viral (the term wasn’t used in the ‘50s, of course).

When the picture was featured on the cover of Life Magazine, demand for the handbag soared and it quickly became popularly known as the “Kelly bag.” Hermès finally renamed the handbag the “Kelly” in 1977.

Many believe that Hermès keeps supply of its Kelly and Birkin bags artificially low in order to maintain high demand and high prices. That may be true, but it’s also true that the magnificent workmanship which goes into each Kelly handbag is responsible for the relatively small number of purses which come to the retail market.

The process is a painstaking one, taking an individual craftsman nearly three full working days to produce a single bag. As just one example of how much precision goes into creating a Kelly, the leather isn’t stitched the way you’d expect. A minuscule hole, calculated to the exact size of the needle and thread and taking into consideration the grain of the leather, is made with an awl before each stitch is made. The same care is taken with the rest of the construction, from the hand riveting of all metal parts to the ironing of the skin to remove any wrinkles.

The phrase “Hermès Kelly bag” is used to describe a look, more than a single style of purse. In reality, the Kelly comes in at least seven different sizes, many types of leather (each with very different characteristics), and even two different shapes: the sellier (with sharp corners) and the retourne (with softer corners).

The bottom line, though, is that every Kelly handbag is meticulously crafted from the highest-quality materials available, is one of the world’s ultimate status symbols – and is worth the extremely high price it carries.

We would love to tell you exactly what your pre-owned bag is worth. And as one of the world’s premier dealers in used Kellys, we would be pleased to present you with an offer if you’ve decided to sell the Hermès Kelly handbags in your collection.