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Rare Hermès · Curated by Jane
Hermès Jige 29 Noir Elephant
$22,500.00
Condition 5 – Vintage / Well-LovedThe earliest dated Hermès piece in elephant on public auction record is a Kelly 35 Sellier stamped for 1960.
The object record
- Condition
- 5 – Vintage / Well-Loved
- Date stamp
- Faded, estimated 1975 to mid-1980s
- Material
- Elephant
- Made in
- France
- Color
- Noir
- Interior
- Toile
- Closure
- Leather H tab
- Stitching
- Contrast white saddle stitching
- Condition notes
- Spotting to the toile interior.
- Care
- Elephant: Exotic skin is not interchangeable with other leathers for treatment: a product intended for one may be unsuitable for another. Protect from humidity, prolonged light and extreme heat, and seek an appropriate assessment before treatment. Care Guide
The story behind the Jige
An envelope clutch Hermès has made since 1975, closed by a leather tab pulled through an H cut into the flap, with no metal hardware. Made in Mini, PM and GM; the Jige Élan is its elongated version.
Discover Wallets, Clutches, PochettesLater pieces are attributed to the 1970s and 1980s. The grain is the animal's own rather than pressed into the hide: a fine pebble crossed by deep, irregular furrows, matte, shifting between charcoal and black across the panel.
Hermès dates the Jige to 1975. It began as a wedding gift from Jean Guerrand, Émile Hermès' son-in-law, to a future daughter-in-law, and takes its name from its inventor's initials. The design is a flat envelope held shut by a leather tab passed through an H. Here the tab and the H are cut from the same elephant hide as the body and outlined in white saddle stitching, the only contrast on the piece.
A note on elephant: The skin is of historical importance to Hermès. The house worked it for a period and has since retired it, so every surviving piece is a record of that chapter, and a piece in elephant should not be ruled out of a serious Hermès collection.
Collector's Insight:
Elephant reaches the market rarely. JANEFINDS has offered it before, including a Kelly 35 Sellier in black elephant hide and two Jige 29 clutches in brown elephant, one placed in 2025 and one in 2026.
Resale Insight:
There is no boutique price to measure elephant against, and the supply on the market cannot grow.
Condition, defined +
Every piece is graded on the JANEFINDS five-tier scale: 1 Pristine, 2 Excellent, 3 Very Good, 4 Good, 5 Vintage, Well-Loved. Each tier is defined in writing in The Condition Guide.
The JANEFINDS standard +
Every piece is authenticated in-house and individually inspected, and ships with a JANEFINDS Certificate of Authenticity.
Delivery and payment +
Domestic: FedEx Direct Signature, no additional fee unless noted. International: FedEx International Priority; duties and taxes may apply at destination. We do not ship to P.O. boxes. Orders ship within two business days of inventory and payment confirmation; contact us for expedited service.
Payment: Credit-card acceptance and payment arrangements are determined on a case-by-case basis. Contact JANEFINDS to confirm the payment arrangements for your purchase. Billing details must match the card exactly.
Returns +
A return may be requested within 24 hours of delivery, with the security tag intact and the piece returned complete and in original condition. Approved returns carry a 5% restocking fee. Full details in our Returns and Exchanges policy.
Complete the piece
Carried with.
Chains, straps and cases selected to work with this piece.
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Why JANEFINDS
How JANEFINDS authenticates-
30+
Years of Hermès scholarship, collection, and authentication.
About Jane -
$2.8M+
The highest authenticated Hermès resale on record, a private transaction placed by Jane.
About JANEFINDS -
One review
Every piece on this site has passed Jane's hands. No exceptions.
How we authenticate -
Five tiers
Every piece is graded on the published JANEFINDS Standard, each tier defined in writing.
The Condition Guide