The first of Jane Birkin’s bags was sold for $10.1 million
One of only four Hermès Birkin handbags ever owned by the late Jane Birkin is set to make its auction debut at the inaugural Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week, held at the St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort from 2 to 5 December.
The bag, a black Hermès Birkin 40 gifted to the singer and muse by the French luxury house in 2003, is affectionately known as Le Birkin Voyageur – “The Traveler.” Estimated at $230,000 to $430,000, it will go under the hammer on 5 December in a live Sotheby’s auction.
This particular Birkin holds a uniquely intimate connection to its namesake. Inside, Jane inscribed a tender message in silver ink: “Mon Birkin bag qui m’a accompagné dans le monde entier”, which translates to “My Birkin bag, my globetrotting companion”.
The bag also bears her whimsical doodles and handwritten notes, including cherubic faces, and her signature “Jane B”.
Visibly worn and loved, Le Birkin Voyageur features a rare design element never offered to the public: closed bridges across the clasp, echoing the construction of the original Birkin prototype Birkin co-created with Hermès in the 1980s.
It became her everyday bag between 2003 and 2007 and was later sold at auction to benefit the Human Rights Association, remaining in private hands until now.
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The announcement follows the record-breaking July sale of Jane Birkin’s original Hermès Birkin, which achieved a staggering €8.6 million ($10.1 million) at Sotheby’s Paris – the highest price ever paid for a handbag and a defining moment in fashion history. The sale ignited a global surge of interest in Hermès Birkins, with Sotheby’s reporting a 94% rise in value of Birkin sales on its platform that month alone.
“To present two of Jane Birkin’s personal Hermès bags in one year is nothing short of historic,” said Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s Global Head of Handbags and Fashion. “Le Birkin Voyageur is more than a piece of fashion – it’s a personal artifact that captures the spirit of a woman who redefined effortless style.”
For collectors and admirers alike, the sale offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to own a piece of living history – an intimate glimpse into the world of the woman behind the world’s most famous handbag.
Presented in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week marks Sotheby’s inaugural marquee auction series in the region.
The event will span high jewellery, rare timepieces, collector cars, exclusive real estate, and fine art exhibitions.
Headlining the week is a $20 million+ single-owner collection featuring The Desert Rose, the largest Fancy Vivid Orangy Pink Diamond ever graded (estimated at $5–7 million), and a complete four-piece Patek Philippe Star Caliber 2000 set (estimated above $10 million). The programme will also feature a collector car auction showcasing three McLaren Racing competition cars, coinciding with the season’s final Formula One Grand Prix.
Live auction on 5 December, St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort. For further information, visit Sotheby’s
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