Hermès Scarf?
Filed in: Accessories, Designers, Fashion, Secondhand, Shopping
I went to a thrift shop I stop by once in a while today. It turned out they were closing and that it was their last day and that the closing sale had been going on for weeks. I did not at all expect to find anything at this point as the shop was nearly empty and had only an hour left before they closed for good. I still had a look as they offered free coffee and cake. I was digging through a box of scarves when I saw something interesting, what seemed to be a Hermès scarf.
I am terrible at spotting fake scarves, unless it´s completely obvious of course, so my husband did some investigation on the logo, the stitching and so on, and so far everything seems right. I also went through a list here, and it meets all the requirements there too. This eBay seller has one for sale that is identical to mine. It´s a power seller with good feedback so at least the design seems to exist, and apparently dates back to 1963 according to another source. I am still not sure of the authenticity though. Fake or not, I thought it was funny that it was the one thing no one had shown any interest for. I mean, I got it for about a dollar, that´s not a bad price even if it turns out to be fake.
Maybe anyone of you have any idea of how I can tell for sure whether it´s authentic or not?
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16 Comments
September 26th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
i have many old silk scarves and they all have tiny holes in them because they are so old. even if they are well cared for, the silk still becomes brittle. perhaps if yours is too new it might not be real silk = not real hermes. just a thought.
September 26th, 2007 at 7:09 pm
I know what you mean, I have many old silk scarves like that too. The silk in this scarf is thicker though so probably less fragile, and I also read that the original scarves are that way. I don´t know though… You can tell that it´s not brand new, but just how old it is is hard to tell.
September 26th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
I’d take it into Hermes :)
Lily
BeautyMaverick.com
September 26th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
for a dollar I couldn’t care for less.
However, Real silk turns yellow after exposed to the air for a long time. But I never own a Hermes for 40 years so I don’t know.Maybe it is been taken good care of especially for you to discover.
September 26th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
rub it between your fingers. if it stays cold, is’s silk. if it turns warm, it’s som poly-blend.
September 26th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
Thanks for good advice guys!
Barbro, I did that thanks to your advice and I can´t feel any change of temperature. I tested it against a scarf from H&M and I didn´t feel it getting warm there either, but it might not be poly, it has no tag. I will run more tests against other scarves though. It it works it will help me out a lot in the future!
September 26th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
Here’s another site where you can check whether it’s a fake or not: http://reviews.ebay.com/Everything-you-need-to-know-about-HERMES-SCARVES_W0QQugidZ10000000003206022?ssPageName=BUYGD:CAT:-1:LISTINGS:5
September 26th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
Thanks for the link Lotte!
September 26th, 2007 at 9:34 pm
Aha! I read the link and especially noticed this:
“The ladies who roll the scarves are called roulotteuses. If ever you find a scarf with a large single letter off to one side, that is the mark of one of the more experienced rouletesses. For example, on the white care tags on the back of the scarf, you will sometimes see an A, B, C, D, E or a number on both sides of the caretag–this indicates an experienced rouletess finished your scarf.”
Mine has DX 291 (possibly a P and not a D) handwritten inside the caretag! It also has a P on both sides of the caretag which is not handwritten.
September 26th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
seems to me that its geniune, considering if it is infact 40 or so years old. you have to remember, no one really thought of knocking off accessories then, they were more into knocking off jewelry. plus the big bootlegging period was the 80’s when the gucci signature collection was being coppied everywhere. Back then fakes were very obvious to spot, i actually found a fake gucci signature, and BOY DID IT LOOK FAKE. Also most people don’t even bother making fake designer scarves and I think hermes isn’t a brand most money hungry bootleggers go after. brands that are big in the bootlegging biz are usually gucci, fendi, chanel, and louis vuitton.thats it.if its that hard to tell it was just a copy, and looks well made and has impeccable i think you’ve got yourself the real McCoy.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
Sounds like you’ve got a real one. I collect old Dior scarves and I’ve also found the older the scarf, the thicker the silk. The scarves from the 60’s and 70’s are much thicker than the 80’s and 90’s. I think yours has just been so well cared for it seems too good to be true! I have one old Hermes scarf that I bought in a junk shop in pristine condition…because it was framed as a piece of art! No yellowing, no holes, in the original frame from 30 years ago, and it’s held up beautifully. But I paid more than a dollar! I’m jealous! Good find.
September 27th, 2007 at 10:14 am
Amelia and Meli, thanks for your input! I have learned quite a bit about designer svarves from this experience and will probably be able to better spot a fake from now on.
Thanks all!
September 27th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
When I purchased two vintage Burberry coats, I brought them to a Burberry boutique, asking them if they were genuine. The salespersons (two old ladies well in their 60s) carefuly examined the coats, checking the seams, the tag, the fabric, the cut… They said the coats weren’t fakes and they knew how old the coats were, judging by the cut and the tag. So, I suggest you to bring your scarf to an Hermes boutique (or to a place that sells high end brands of scarves) and see what they say.
September 27th, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Regardless of whether it’s fake or not, it has a FABULOUS print! My god, are those jousters?!
September 28th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Hi Agathe,
maybe this ebay guide will help you. sorry it´s a little bit long.
http://testberichte.ebay.de/ORIGINAL-AUTHENTIC-HERMES-PARIS_W0QQugidZ10000000001804332
November 24th, 2007 at 1:05 am
I just found a Kachina Hermes and a Jumping Hermes scarf at thrift shop. I read online that on Hermes the edges should be hemmed with the stitching toward the front. I forget what site, it also listed some designs that have been duplicated and Jumping was one. hope that helps. they are beauties.