The legacy of Hermes
Hermes’s exquisite craftsmanship and leatherwork reveal the rich heritage and legacy behind the respected atelier. The iconic French brand had its beginnings 177 years ago as a harness and saddle maker, developing since its inception a longstanding reputation for producing fine leather goods of superior quality. Flash forward to today, and the Birkin and Kelly bags are widely revered as the “ultimate dream bag”.
A global symbol of status
A global symbol of status today, the Hermes house is steeped with tradition. An interesting tidbit that ties your modern day Hermes bag with its rich roots, is its Blind Stamp, an embossed stamp that reveals year of manufacture and information about the craftsman behind the makings of the bag.
What is the Blind Stamp?
The Blind Stamp embossed on an Hermes Birkin's leather closure tab. The "G" with a square surrounding it indicates the bag was manufactured in 2003.
The Hermes Blind Stamp consists of two components: a Date Stamp and a Craftsman Stamp. The Date Stamp reflects the year of manufacture and is symbolized by an alphabetical character. The Craftsman Stamp notates the craftsman or group of craftsmen behind the manufacturing of the piece and is symbolized by stamps in a variety of shapes, letters, and numbers (but more on that below…).
It is said that when an Hermes bag is sent for repairs in Paris, Hermès uses the Blind Stamp to identify the craftsmen behind the creation of the bag in order to engage them in implementing the repairs.
Does the Blind Stamp indicate authenticity?
In and of itself, the Blind Stamp isn’t a guarantee of authenticity. Many vintage Hermes bags made before 1945 have no stamps at all. Sometimes, the softness of the leather combined with wear over time may lift the embossing of the stamp.
Where to find the Blind Stamp
The Blind Stamp seen on the Hermes Kelly Cut Swift Leather Clutch. The "Z" with no surrounding shape indicates the bag was manufactured in 2021.
As its name suggests, the Blind Stamp cannot be seen on the bag’s exterior, and are instead hidden. Different Hermes bag models have their stamps in specific areas. In general, they can be found either on the side of the strap, inside the closure strap, on the interior pocket, or underneath a plaque.
Dating your Hermes Bag with the Date Stamp
Since the brand’s inception in 1922 to 1944, Hermes leather goods do not carry any stamps at all. The stamping system was only enacted in 1945.
From 1945 to 1970, the stamp featured a single alphabetical letter in chronological order; “A” for bags made in 1945, “B” for bags made in 1946, and so on.
From 1971 to 1996, each alphabet had a circle enclosed around it.
From 1997 to 2014, the circle was replaced by a surrounding square shape around the alphabet.
From the year 2015 onward, the shapes were discontinued. The first letter of the stamp indicates the year it was manufactured, and the following letters and numbers represent the Craftsman Stamps.
For a clearer depiction of the Hermes Date Stamp system, refer to this chart we’ve compiled below.
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