Their top of the line ladies handbag (currently not available) sells for $12,200 CAD. At one time I believe they had an iconic bag selling for higher than that. I tried to find an image but could not. The leather is perfect. Not a line or a needle hole or a scratch allowed.
The leather was accessed from the hide piles at veal slaughter plants across Europe. Simmental calves were mainly sold for veal and those were the hides they looked for. Needless to say they were scarce and hard to come by.
As Director of Livestock Branch in 1990, I knew none of this. So I was very surprised one day when the President of Hermes showed up in my office to talk about sourcing hides. Europe simply could not supply enough veal hides of the quality they needed, could Saskatchewan help?
The President, possibly Jean-Louis Dumas, said that Hermes would be prepared to buy perfect Simmental veal hides. They had to be corral raised, with rails completely padded to ensure no scratches or bruises. They could not be vaccinated nor given any antibiotics to eliminate needle marks. They had to be slaughtered at about 200 kg or 440 lbs. Hermes would buy hides that met their specifications, calf owners would be responsible for finding markets for teh veal carcasses. He felt this would be an exciting new market.
He was shocked when I told him no one would be interested under those conditions. He said Barbies sell lots of dolls. They created other Barbies like Black or Nurse and sold even more dolls. He knew marketing better than most. Anyone who can get $320 for a silk scarf has my utmost respect.
So I explained how commodity markets work. Because Simmental feeder calves in fall are a commodity. They can be differentiated from other feeder cattle in many ways, but in the end feeder calves are a commodity. Price is based on supply and demand. Supply each fall is relatively fixed. Demand will adjust to find a price for every calf.
So every Simmental calf in the fall of 1990 was worth between $350 and $500 to feedlot buyers. So for anyone to participate, Hermes would have to pay full price for value of the calf in the fall, regardless of when it was slaughtered. Plus pay for extra effort in rearing it to Hermes spcifications. Plus pay a bonus for perfect hides. Plus dispose of the veal.
I felt bad as he went away quite discouraged. Many changes have occured in the European cattle market in the past 35 years and I suspect perfect quality hides are even more scarce. Which is too bad, really because there is too little perfection in this world at any price. Even if all you can do is admire it...from a great distance.
This Kelly bag from 1990 is the closest I could find and in fact may be the real thing. There is a 1945 Kelly bag listed on e-Bay for $50,000 CAD.
A fascinating story and explanation! The concept of luxury goods are lost on me. I see no point in throwing my money away on status items like that. I'm not trying to impress anyone.
ReplyDeletePeople usually live, dress, and accessorize to fit their economic bracket. People who dress and accessorize higher than their income do it to impress.
DeleteInteresting. I suspect that I dress below my economic bracket but have no urge to impress, and no urge to fit in either.
ReplyDeleteLucky you. I'd be a street dweller if I dressed below my economic bracket
DeleteYikes. I've never understood (or cared about) any of the designer market. Then again, my personal style can be characterized as "Early Bag Lady". ;-) But it's all mind over matter: I don't mind, so it doesn't matter.
ReplyDeleteI hear you. Our funiture is Early Canadian Attic, clothes are Value Village or worse yet Wal-Mart. I just saw a Pre-owned Kelly Bag for over $65,000 CAD on a shopping channel. One wonders at the history of the money that purchases such things. Is there any such thing as an honest Billion Dollars. Robert Reich would say no
DeleteMy computer literacy works on your site where only a name is required, however on some web sites an URL is also required-an email address is not adequate-so sorry for the frustration I must cause confirmed computer experts. Keep up your posts, they make my day.
ReplyDeleteAnd to make your day I made my first ever political contribution to the Liberal party-doubly hard since heaven forbid our current NDP MP performs probably in the top 20% of MPs So he will probably get my vote but little pp is a disaster and the best way to forever bury him is the desired result.
Brad Wall is our new neighbour at the farm at Consul-like share a fence with him ! Good neighbour, likeable but he has horrible sense for trying to outdo Moe and Smith in kissing up to Trump.
I don't think that will do him any good when he runs to replace pp as leader after this election.
We sure have come a long way since our days as young conservatives at the U of S.
Blair
I may do the same. Liberal candidate Jeff Walters in Regina-Wascana. I can at least get a sign for the front lawn. Would I have a better chance defeating Scheer by voting NDP?
DeleteWe were not very Conservative back in those days. As I recall LandBank was on our platform
Brad Wall is your neighbour? Is he accident prone? After the Global Transportation Hub and Regina Bypass enriching laandowners on the in and putting our province in debt so the Sak Party can cut Helath, Education and Social Services infuriates me. Also cost me someone I once considered a friend, who is now Chairman of the Board.
Terry Baker, Chairperson
President, Franklin Land & Cattle Co.
Mr. Baker, ICD.D is the President of Franklin Land & Cattle Co., a century old mixed farm located in West Central Sask. A non‐ practicing Civil Engineer, he was the former Chair of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, the founding Chair of Viterra, and the former chair for the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation. Mr. Baker currently serves as Chair of Agrivita, Canada’s national not‐for‐profit corporation promoting health and safety research and its effective application to the agricultural sector.
Further on your Hermes bag, I just want to remind you that not only do we have the godgiven right to bear castrating knives, it is everyones right to have a brand on the left rib, preferably 3 characters since they have gotten so dickish about arbitrary characters.
ReplyDeleteNow, a Hermes bag with one of the legendary brands of the Cypress Hills-no- not one of the vanity brands peddled by the 76 to lure its investors but say one from Mose Pettyjohn or the Parsonage brothers! Now that would be one of a kind -even more than Yellowstone.
For your reading pleasure you might want to refer to "The Lands,Hands and Brands of the 76" by David Spencer written after his retirement from Alberta ag. My copy has gone to the great lending library in the sky.
Most of the ranching families of the Southwest could trace the lineage back to a position with the 76. Sadly, June Whitney, a great-grand-daughter in law of Mr Whitney passed away this past month. Mr Whitney had two sons who followed in his ranching footsteps, Asa and Zephora (Ace and Zip as they were commonly known). Mr Whitney was known as Mr Whitney to all but those who knew him by his number from the Virginia City vigilantes . Now Dave's research was far more rigorous than what I gleaned from conversations around the branding fire so if you could locate a copy I would buy it and let you have first reading rights.
Blair
Oh, I want to read that book. Google is a no show. It must be somewhere. I'll ask Irene Ahner
DeleteI hear you about "arbitrary characters". They cannot be computer read. Price of progress but it sure is too bad to lose iconic brands. Turkey Track, Ladder 7, Hat, Mill Iron. Arizona has some really cool brands. I agree one on an Hermes bag would sure sell in cow country, likely to the wives of King Ranch owners