Jane Birkin’s Own Bag to Be Auctioned at Abu Dhabi Collector's Week

It’s not every day that you get the chance to buy a Birkin; let alone one that’s actually been Birkin’s.

One of only four Hermès Birkins ever owned by the British actress and singer Jane Birkin will soon be auctioned off in Abu Dhabi. The black Birkin Voyageur, used by Birkin between 2003 and 2007, will go under the hammer at the inaugural Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week, taking place at the St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort from December 2nd to December 5th.

Gifted to her by Hermès after she sold her original prototype Birkin in 1994 to raise funds for AIDS research, this was one of the four handbags the maison later replaced for her— a ritual that became part of Birkin’s charm. Each bag lived with her for a few years, grew worn in the way only her bags could, then was auctioned off for causes she believed in.

This particular Birkin, known as Le Birkin Voyageur thanks to a handwritten note inside by Birkin herself, is estimated between USD 230,000 and USD 430,000 and will be sold in a live auction on December 5th. It’s the first time it’s being offered in over 15 years.

The sale follows July’s record-breaking auction at Sotheby’s Paris, where Birkin’s original Hermès prototype fetched USD 10.1 million, becoming the most valuable handbag ever sold and reigniting global fascination with both the Birkin legend and its namesake’s own collection.