Luxury Investments Are in the Bag

From Chanel to Hermès, luxury handbags are among the fastest-growing assets for collectors. By Kris Manty Grace Kelly with Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956, holding the  style of Hermès handbag that was named after her.  When Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly became pregnant in 1956, she used her Hermès handbag to shield her […]

Collectors Looking Good in Archival Fashion

A rising interest in fashion sustainability and the increase in pandemic-fueled online shopping for second-hand luxury goods can be credited to more collectors thrifting for vintage designer pieces and an emerging trend: archival fashion. Archival fashion pertains to pivotal pieces in fashion history that have helped solidify influential designers’ careers and are highly sought after […]

Declutter for Fun and Profit

Dear Lee: We get calls from friends and readers all the time asking what to do with items that their families don’t want or need any longer. The good news is that decluttering can present an opportunity for profit.  Remember, when you go to sell household goods, time is money. The more time you are […]

Kovels’ Top 11 Picks for Fun and Exclusive Handbags!

This week we celebrate National Handbag Day with a wide-eyed look at some of the top exclusive and expensive designer purses on record. The term “purse” originally referred to a small bag for holding coins. We’ve certainly come a long way from that! The word handbag began appearing in the early 1900s. Now, handbags, purses and […]

Top 5 Gift Suggestions for the Dad In Your Life!

In 1910, Sonora Smart Dodd, the daughter of American Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, wanted to honor her father in the same way mothers were honored on Mother’s Day. The idea caught on and in 1972 Congress made the third Sunday of June the official holiday. Here are the interesting vintage and collectible presents […]

Silver Hermés Kelly Bag

A sterling silver Kelly Bag by Hermés sold at a Hong Kong auction for $63,500. I wonder if it had to be polished from time to time.    

Purses

Purses are hot collectibles, but the hottest designs are beginning to change. Large designer bags like Birkins still bring the highest prices, but look for small clutch purses popular in the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s. They are bargains now but may not be for long. Best names: Chanel, Asprey, Cartier, Hermès. Look for jeweled or […]