Goyard Bags: What Are They Worth?

Apparently, they’re worth loads. One couple unknowingly bought a treasure from a garage sale, paying $20 for a charming old trunk which they thought might be of use to them. It turned out to be pretty useful and very valuable: it was a circa-1900 Goyard steamer trunk. The trunk measures 32 inches wide by 22 inches high and 19 inches deep. The couple had not realized how priceless the Goyard trunk was until they brought it to an auction house called the Clars Auction Gallery after deciding it was one possession they had to sell.

The auction house first inspected the steamer trunk to assess its possible value. They later identified it as a circa-1900 Goyard trunk, and it was still decked out with decals from the past including Pullman Golden Arrow and Cunard White Star. The Goyard trunk also had labels which indicated the trunk had been to Italy, France and England, including Victoria Station in London. According to the couple, the steamer trunk supposedly belonged to an opera star who traveled the world. However, the auction house was not able to confirm this. The exterior was painted with “G.N.F., S.F. No 4” and its latches were signed with “Goyard Aine, Monte Carlo, Biarritz, Paris”.

Aside from being obviously priceless because of its age, the Goyard trunk is very valuable because of the brand. Goyard is a popular French designer brand making luxury handbags and luggage, and has been around as early as 1853. The Goyard family started in wood transporting before they began their business of making trunks and luggage. They catered to the French aristocratic families and only offered made to order trunks and luggage.

Goyard trunks and bags are considered very valuable but the brand is not as well-known as other French brands like Hermes, Chanel and Louis Vuitton. Back in the late 1800s, the brand created handbags made from a material which is a combination of hemp, cotton and linen. A chevron pattern was also featured on this waterproof material. The Signoles family took over the company in the 1990s and has since made Goyard handbags that featured different colors and personalized, hand-painted monograms. The brand still accepts special orders to make customized Goyard trunks and luggage.

Currently, Goyard handbags are still popular partly because of its long history and partly due to celebrities toting the bags almost everywhere they go. Many people look up to celebrities to dictate what’s fashionable, what isn’t and what products or brands are only meant for use – and can be afforded – by a select few. This, and the fact that the old Goyard trunk the couple found in a garage sale has so much history dictate whether the trunk is actually worth the winning auction bid of more than $5,600.

Goyard Handbags: Everybody Wants One

Goyard handbags have been quite popular, especially since celebrities have started to embrace (or tote) the said French designer brand. Luxury handbag brand wars have also made recent news as handbag makers have reportedly been trying to control which celebrity should and shouldn’t be seen with their illustrious bags. One such news bit reports that the Jersey Shore cast member Snooki, who used to have a “joined at the hip” relationship with her Coach bag, has been sent free Gucci bags by competing brands. Needless to say, competition is pretty tight between designer handbags makers and certain steps are taken to protect their brands’ exclusivity.

Goyard handbags in particular have a long history, starting as a malletier as far back as 1853. The Goyard family started out as transporters of wood, and eventually came into the luggage business. The E. Goyard company became a trunk maker for French aristocratic families and offered their trunks and luggage made to order. Currently, the company is owned by the Signoles family and only has 12 branches worldwide (London, Hong Kong, Paris, Kyoto, Osaka, Sao Paulo, Tokyo, Seoul, Beverly Hills, Boston, San Francisco, and New York). Its recent popularity is also attributed to Barney’s displaying Goyard bags on their store window displays.

The brand only offers a few designs in different colors; their bags are hand painted and thus only a limited number of bags are made per year. Goyard bags are considered to be one of the exclusive designer bags today, though this sort of popularity breeds imitation products to crop up in the market. Since Goyard bags are hand painted, some say that one way to check if a bag is authentic or not is to feel the dots. The painted dots on authentic Goyard bags are slightly raised compared to imitation bags that are machine-printed.

Another feature that sets Goyard handbags apart is the special blend of cotton, hemp, and linen they use on their products. This special fabric is coated in resin and is said to be both durable and lightweight. Design-wise, the Goyard handbag thrives on simplicity. The brand offers several bag designs, including the reversible shopping bag called St. Louis and the stiff bag dubbed Jersey.

At any rate, it looks like Goyard will be keeping its popularity going as one of the best designer handbags around – whether or not Snooki decides to tote one around or not.