Top 5 Most Expensive Handbags Auctioned at Christie's

Perhaps one of the few events in the year where it is possible to see Hermes Birkin and Kelly bags, Vuitton trunks and Chanel vintage bags all in one place for an auction.

One of the events of the year where the ultra-rich take the opportunity to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy handbags. These handbags are often among the rarest in the world.

In recent years, the handbag sale conducted by the auction house Christie's has been an opportunity to witness many records.

The year 2020 could also be a year full of record sales. Indeed, with the current health situation, many people are still confined to their homes. The announcement of the coming economic crisis means that many of these wealthy people are looking to invest their money in multiple assets such as luxury watches, high-end bags, real estate and works of art.

Number 5: the Chanel Matryoshka bag. Cost of sale: $32,500

The most expensive Chanel bag sold at Christie's, by the way the only one in our ranking, was a Matryoshka evening bag in Black Lucite.

The bag was created by Métiers D'Art Paris-Shanghai with gold accessories.

It was sold on June 19, 2018 at Christie's New York.

Number 4: the Hermes Birkin 25 bag. Cost of the sale: 96,000 euros (about $109,500)

Our number 4 bag is a Hermes bag from the Birkin 25 range. A very rare bag in goatskin leather, in metallic bronze with a gold finish.

This Hermes bag was sold on 12 December 2017 at Christie's in Paris.

Number 3: the Hermes Birkin 30 "So Black" bag. Cost of sale: $209,553

Another limited edition of a Hermes bag. A bag from the Birkin 30 "So Black" Niloticus range in matte black with real crocodile skin.

The bag was sold on 29 May 2019 at Christie's in Hong Kong for the sum of $1,625,000.

Number 2: the Hermes Kelly bag. Cost of sale: $241,789 (approximately 211,499 euros)

The Hermes Kelly 25 Niloticus Himalaya bag is a matt white crocodile skin bag with Palladium material.

It was sold on 25 November 2019 at Christie's in Hong Kong for $1,875,000.

Number 1: the most expensive luxury bag ever auctioned at Christie's .... Another Hermes bag! Cost of the sale: $384,285 or approximately 336,097 euros

The most expensive bag of all brands ever auctioned at Christie's is a Hermes bag from the Birkin 30 Niloticus Himalaya range.

A matt white crocodile skin bag with diamond accessories.

It was sold on 29 November 2017 at Christie's in Hong Kong for the sum of $2,980,000.

As you may have noticed, Hermes bags are the big winners among the most successful bags when they went on sale.

However, other luxury brands have nothing to be ashamed of in the sums that the ultra-rich are willing to pay.

One more example?

Here is one of the most expensive luxury accessories ever sold in 2018: a very rare Louis Vuitton trunk, dating from 1892, made of aluminium.

Cost of sale: £162,500

(Estimate in euros in 2020: 179,810; estimate in dollars in 2020: $212,481)