When did Kelly's get a shoulder strap?

cheapfrillnorth

cheapfrillnorth

O.G.
Jan 20, 2009
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#1
Sorry not the most exciting thread but I am on my phone on holiday and can't find the answer.

When did Kellys start to come with a shoulder strap? And once they were introduced did all Kelly's have them? I am looking at a 1993 Kelly 28 which I feel should have a strap but the owner is 99% sure it didn't come with one.

Any help would be appreciated.
 
#2
I have managed to find a piece that said straps were optional and changed around 1990. A member here bought a Kelly in 1980 and it didnt come with a strap yet the one bought in 1991 came with one. There are many vintage Kelly 28's without straps that it makes me wonder if all sizes of Kelly's came with straps or whether they were phased in. Or maybe the older they get the more likely it is to lose a strap.
 
#3
Wouldn't it be easy to tell whther the bag came with a strap or not by looking to see whether or not it has double rings? Weren't the double rings created specifically for straps?
 
#5
My blue jean Kelly 35 had a strap but did not have double rings. It was from the 1990s and the strap was the same color and leather so it wasn't a "married" piece
 
#6
melisande said:
Wouldn't it be easy to tell whther the bag came with a strap or not by looking to see whether or not it has double rings? Weren't the double rings created specifically for straps?
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Unfortunately, it isnt that simple. I have a 1999 Kelly with a single ring and it has the original strap. I would guess that all double ring Kelly's have the strap but not all single rings do.
 
#7
They started including them as standard equipment in the 80's. Prior to that you had to ask to have one made. If you found a bag from the 90's, and there is no strap, then the likely explanation is that the owner lost it or bought it as a resale and that owner didn't have it either or didn't want to part with it.
 
#8
melisande said:
Wouldn't it be easy to tell whther the bag came with a strap or not by looking to see whether or not it has double rings? Weren't the double rings created specifically for straps?
Click to expand...

Kellys with double rings only started being produced in 2000, before that they came with shoulder strap but no double rings (which was much better IMO)
 
#9
gracekelly said:
They started including them as standard equipment in the 80's. Prior to that you had to ask to have one made. If you found a bag from the 90's, and there is no strap, then the likely explanation is that the owner lost it or bought it as a resale and that owner didn't have it either or didn't want to part with it.
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Thank you. I suggested that the seller had lost it as I was pretty sure it should have had one but when she said it didn't come with one I just had to be sure. It's a 28 so I don't mind there not being a strap either.

duna said:
Kellys with double rings only started being produced in 2000, before that they came with shoulder strap but no double rings (which was much better IMO)
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Agree. I think that a single ring is more balanced and clean. However, if I was to be offered a 32 in etoupe the extra little ring would not stop me buying it in a heartbeat. If only.
 
#10
cheapfrillnorth said:
Sorry not the most exciting thread but I am on my phone on holiday and can't find the answer.

When did Kellys start to come with a shoulder strap? And once they were introduced did all Kelly's have them? I am looking at a 1993 Kelly 28 which I feel should have a strap but the owner is 99% sure it didn't come with one.

Any help would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

My 1993 BBK 32 came with a shoulder strap.
 
#11
my kelly 28 from 1984 and kelly 32 from 1991 both had leather straps. but it could be because the previous owner had them made for the kellys. it probably wasn't that expensive then or took years to make straps back in the days...
 
#12
Hermes Nuttynut said:
My 1993 BBK 32 came with a shoulder strap.
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Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I fear that the Kelly I was looking at has lost its strap. Can't understand how someone can buy an expensive bag and then lose a significant part of i and just forget but they do.

chincac said:
my kelly 28 from 1984 and kelly 32 from 1991 both had leather straps. but it could be because the previous owner had them made for the kellys. it probably wasn't that expensive then or took years to make straps back in the days...
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chincac, you are right. I think £400-£500 may buy you a strap these days but lord alone knows how long it would take.
 
#13
heres what i know after good reaserch on the matter , since the begining hermes offered a series of a cesories to match the bag the straps came well into production since 1989/1990 providing a defirentiation costum option as thebirkin boom began to rise still many bags were produced with out them im told it worked like the kelly amazonia works today if you ordered a kelly q strap came with if it was shop found it was 50/50 the rings were introduced in the mid 90s but being H no waste non mass production they si gle rings were use until they had used up all purchased h/w from suppliers as for the strap pinza or lock system it changed together with the do lis pocket lining in the early 2000s hope it helps darling birkel.
 
#14
birkel said:
heres what i know after good reaserch on the matter , since the begining hermes offered a series of a cesories to match the bag the straps came well into production since 1989/1990 providing a defirentiation costum option as thebirkin boom began to rise still many bags were produced with out them im told it worked like the kelly amazonia works today if you ordered a kelly q strap came with if it was shop found it was 50/50 the rings were introduced in the mid 90s but being H no waste non mass production they si gle rings were use until they had used up all purchased h/w from suppliers as for the strap pinza or lock system it changed together with the do lis pocket lining in the early 2000s hope it helps darling birkel.
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Birkel, yes this helps. Thank you. I should have guessed that with Hermes there is no definitive answer. They do what they like when they like and we just have to keep up with them.
 
#15
My olive canvas Kelly with pigskin trim came with the wide fabric strap from NY Hermes in 1987.
I ordered a black box Kelly at same store following year . It arrived in a few months without a strap.Asked for a strap and months later (again) i received narrow leather strap with Herm Sprenger scissor clasps. Strap was $ 185. - I think. Bag at that time was $2500.
Most recent Kelly from NY Madison Ave shop has strap as does my pigskin Kelly (Sandia Exchange ) . Does anyone know when hardware on straps was changed ?
 
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