One of its kind: Chanel prototype bag

03 . 04 . 201905 . 06 . 2019

Custom made for Italian diva Elsa Martinelli, a beautiful gift from maison Chanel.

An elegant, rare beauty. We managed to purchase this item from a very famous auction house in Italy. We were attracted by the fine beauty of this bag, bewitched by how it was made. One of the most beautiful cult bags we ever dealt with.

We then examined it, as we always do before listing in for sale. We realized that there were some features missing, such as the date code, and its usual internal logos. I then decided to contact the auction house in order to receive an expertise for this beauty. And here comes the enchanted tale:

Elsa Martinelli has often been a guest of Chanel fashion shows. Both M.lle Chanel and later Philippe Guibourgé and Karl Lagerfeld gave Mrs. Martinelli numerous accessories coming from the fashion shows, often prototypes, such as bijoux, bags, scarves and hats. This bag was donated to Mrs. Martinelli in the late 60s, after a show, by Yvonne Dudel, one of M.lle Chanel’s assistants, when Elsa Martinelli still lived in Paris.

Surprisingly enough, the bag has now been bought back from maison Chanel, for their archives. What a gorgeous story… from start… to end.

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