Leather Jewelry Boxes

Beginning as a saddlery, the Hermes (pronounced “air mess”) family quickly established a reputation for excellence and success worldwide. Popular in the 1800s for their fine saddles and halters, Hermes is today a renowned fashion house. Their designer Hermes handbags and other accessories have moved the company into the 21st century, while continuing to retain their Old-world charm and presence.

Shortly after Hermes opened shop in 1837, the house was already forging a stable spot in the fashion industry. At the 1855 Paris Exposition, Hermes earned the first in class award, and went on to win the First Class Medal of the Exposition Universelle in 1867. Coronations were often rescheduled or put off while Hermes completed the fine harnesses and dressings.

Charles-Emile Hermes took over from his father around 1880 and moved the shop. During this time, he launched the business into retail and the Hermes Company began to provide accessories to the elite clients of North Africa, the Americas, Russia, Asia, and Europe. The creation of a bag used to carry a rider’s saddle was the first nod to what would later become the first Hermes handbag.

Charles-Emile worked hard to bring his sons up in the business, and in 1914 he retired and turned over control of the company to them. They changed the name of the company to Hermes Freres and employed 80 craftsmen. Obtaining sole rights to use the zipper in their leather goods, Emile-Maurice added a line of leather garments to the family business. The zippered golf jacket, designed for the Prince of Wales, was the first item released. Having an eye toward the future, and a somewhat demanding wife at home, Emile-Maurice produced the first Hermes purse, and a women’s couture collection followed shortly thereafter, previewing in Paris in 1929.

The 1930s produced some of the most recognized Hermes looks.  A leather Hermes handbag, Sac a depeches, was released in 1935, and would later be renamed the Kelly Bag. In 1937, the Hermes carre (scarves) debuted on the Parisian market and were wildly popular with their dramatic, multi-colored effect. Hermes also celebrated the 100th anniversary of the company, and made their entrance into the American market by way of Neiman Marcus New York.

When Emile-Maurice died in 1951, he was succeeded by Robert Dumas-Hermes, who was only related to the family by marriage. Dumas-Hermes was responsible for the introduction of the duc carriage and horse logo, as well as the popular orange Hermes boxes. A savvy marketer, he used a photo of the new princess of Monaco as an opportunity to rename the Hermes purse, and the popularity of the Kelly Bag caught on like wildfire. The photograph of the new princess appeared in Life Magazine, and the Hermes name reached renowned status by the 1950s.

Changing hands yet again in 1970, the company presented a younger face to the world. Jean-Louis Dumas-Hermes, the new owner, had a penchant for advertising, and managed to make the understated Hermes name relevant to contemporary consumers. The fashion house was strengthened by his experience and his fresh approach to excellence. Many women were carrying the Kelly Bag and the Constance clutch. They covered their heads with Hermes scarves, accessorized with the jewelry line, and dressed in the cashmere clothing for added style, luxury, and class.

Many of the most recognized women in the world carry Hermes handbags. Among them are Paris Hilton, Nicole Kidman, The Duchess of Windsor, and Madonna. Below you will find simple descriptions of the more popular purses:

• The Constance shoulder bag: Simply designed, the Hermes purse varies only slightly from the Constance clutch. A large H clasp closes the inside, and comfortable, double shoulder straps provide an easy carry.

• The Birkin: This Hermes handbag also offers a simple clasp for its “envelope” style opening, and double straps. The bag was named after Jane Birkin.

• The Kelly Bag: This was the original Hermes handbag, and not much has changed in over fifty years. The Kelly Bag is made from crocodile, alligator, ostrich-skin, or other natural leathers. A tiny padlock can fit through the metal-tipped clasp, and the key to the lock is easily hidden in the leather around the handles.

• The Trim shoulder bag: Former first lady Jacqueline Bouvie Onassis made this one popular, and it continues to be an elegant favorite among women. A single strap carries the bag, and a simple, dainty chain clasp closes the latch.

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The Hermes (pronounced air mess) name has a long history of excellence and worldwide success. Well known for their designer handbags, Hermes entered the fashion world as a saddler in 1837. Originally running a harness workshop on the Grands Boulevards quarter of Paris, Thiery Hermes created a legacy that would extend many generations and nearly two centuries.

Very soon after its inception, the Hermes house was already making a name for itself. In 1855, Hermes earned accolades at the Paris Exposition for first in class, and later won the First Class Medal of the 1867 Exposition Universelle. So fine were the Hermes harnesses and dressings, that coronations were often put off for the completion of these accoutrements.
Around 1880, Charles-Emile Hermes took over the business and moved the shop to a location near Palais de I’Elysee at 24 Rue Faubourg Saint-Honore. It was during this time that Hermes launched the business into retail sales, and bringing up his own sons in the business, the Hermes Company became purveyors to the most elite clients in Europe, North Africa, Russia, Asia, and the Americas. The first nod to the Hermes handbag came in the form of a “haut a courroies” bag, which allowed riders to carry their saddles with them.

By 1914, Charles Emile had retired, handing over the reins of the company to his sons, who renamed it Hermes Freres. They employed 80 craftsmen during this time, and also obtained exclusive rights to use the zipper in their leather goods and clothing. Throughout the 20s, Emile-Maurice remained as the sole head of the business. He had an eye toward the ever-changing future, and added an accessories line at this time. While nurturing his own sons into the family business, Hermes added a line of leather garments, the first being a zippered leather golfing jacket that was designed for the Prince of Wales. The Hermes handbag was introduced in 1922 – at the insistence of a demanding wife. Emile-Maurice’s wife complained of not having a suitable one, so her husband designed one for her. Hermes previewed his women’s couture line in Paris in 1929, following the release of the Hermes purse.

During the 1930s, Hermes produced some of his most recognized goods. The leather Sac a depeches (later renamed the Kelly bag) was introduced in 1935, and in 1937 the Hermes carre (scarves) debuted.  The 30s also celebrated Hermes’ 100th anniversary, and witnessed the entrance in the U.S. market by way of the Neiman Marcus department store in New York.

After his death in 1951, Emile-Maurice Hermes was succeeded by Robert Dumas-Hermes, his relative by marriage. Dumas-Hermes introduced the carriage and horse logo and well-known orange Hermes boxes. He was first and foremost a businessman with a mind toward marketing, and in 1956 when the new princess of Monaco was spotted carrying the Sac a depeches Hermes handbag, he promptly renamed it the Kelly Bag. The shot of Princess Grace appeared in Life magazine, and by the late 1950s, the Hermes logo reached renowned status.

The company changed hands again in 1970, when Jean Louis Dumas-Hermes took over from his father. He later launched an advertising campaign that took the discreet Hermes name from “old people’s nostalgia” to the subject of a young person’s dreams. He strengthened the marketing for the fashion house and strove for excellence. By this time, women were sporting the Kelly bag and the Constance clutch, their heads and necks adorned with Hermes’ trademark brightly colored scarves. Bold Hermes jewelry and sensuous cashmeres only added to the sense of class and luxury.

Some of the most recognized women in the world carry designer Hermes handbags. Among these are Nicole Kidman, Paris Hilton, Madonna, and the Duchess of Windsor. Below are descriptions of the company’s most popular Hermes purses:

• The Kelly Bag: Typically made from crocodile, alligator, ostrich-skin, or other plain leathers, it sports a metal-tipped clasp that can be fastened with a tiny padlock. The key is often hidden in the leather and dangles close by from the handle.

• The Constance shoulder bag: This Hermes purse is a simple design, and varies only slightly from the Constance clutch. The shoulder bag offers a double strap, and both have the large H clasp.

• The Trim shoulder bag: A favorite of Jacqueline Bouvie Onasis, this Hermes handbag is an elegant favorite. It boasts a simple, single strap with a belted buckle, and a dainty chain clasp.

• The Birkin: Named after Jane Birkin, this Chanel bag offers sturdy double straps, a simplistic clasp, and comes in the traditional “envelope” style.

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Jewelry boxes are more than mere places to store jewelry. For centuries jewelry boxes have been treasured gift items, and they have been particularly prized as heirloom gifts as well. Let’s take a look at the history of the jewelry box and also consider its role as an heirloom gift.

The best jewelry boxes have been passed down for generations. These boxes are considered valuable not only because of the jewelry stored in them but also for the memories that they symbolize and in many case, for the beautiful workmanship of the boxes themselves.

How far back do jewelry boxes go? Jewelry has been worn by humans since the Stone Age and jewelry boxes have been around since the ancient era. Jewelry boxes were originally known as “jewel caskets.” The early jewel caskets were made out of metal, and finished with gold, silver, copper and ivory. They were valuable items, in themselves, even without the jewelry inside them.

Prior to our modern, industrialized era jewelry boxes were hand-made by craftsman and each one was unique. When the techniques of mass production were adopted, then jewelry boxes, like other metal items, could be produced in industrial quantities. The boxes became affordable for a growing middle class that was starting to get a taste for luxurious products.

In the first years of the 20th Century American women yearned for the fashions of the world’s big cities and were able to get fulfillment of this wish in the popular mail order catalogs of the day. Jewelry boxes became a popular “fashion” purchase in the mail order trade. Jewelry stores also carried the boxes as well.

The increase in international travel that took place in the 20th Century also contributed to another use of the jewelry box; the boxes were bought as souvenirs of the exotic places that their owners had visited.

The tradition of giving jewelry boxes as heirlooms has gone on for centuries and it is still going on today. Many consider a jewelry box as a place where they can store a lifetime of jewelry received from their loved ones and then pass it on to the next generation.

Heirloom jewelry boxes are given on a number of occasions during the year, and they include Christmas, weddings, anniversaries, engagements and graduations. Gift holidays, like Christmas, and other “milestone” dates are times when jewelry and jewelry boxes are given to “mark” the occasion.

The earliest jewelry boxes or jewelry caskets were made of metal and were built to hold small trinkets, but modern boxes have grown in size, use other materials and serve a variety of purposes. Jewelry boxes today are crafted from wood, leather, and fabric. They are used for the storage and presentation of individual jewelry items, such as engagement rings,pearl necklaces and other pieces of jewelry, including rare heirlooms. Larger wood jewelry chests and floor standing armoires are used for the storage of entire jewelry collections.

Wood jewelry boxes are the most popular when it comes to heirloom gifts. Reed and Barton is a popular maker of heirloom jewelry boxes and I personally use a mahogany Reed & Barton jewelry chest that belonged to my husband’s grandmother.

Another quality manufacturer of jewelry boxes is Constantine. They construct their boxes solely by hand and take as much as 20 days to complete a single box. Their boxes are crafted from exotic hardwoods and are lined with specially treated anti-tarnish fabrics. They make exceptional gifts for Christmas and other important occasions.

If you are want to hold your jewelry beautifully and preserve the memories associated with the jewelry, you should consider getting a jewelry box.