Rating and value of Hermès porcelain services

If you own a Hermès service and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers can offer you their expert appraisal services.

Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your bag, and provide you with a precise estimate of its value on the current market.

Then, if you want to sell your bag, we'll point you in the right direction to get the best possible price for it.

The price of a Hermès service may vary according to its condition, production rarity, whether it is a limited edition or not, and the subject represented.

Rating and value of a Hermès service  

Hermès has become particularly famous for its handbags, which have shaped its history. However, it also produces other objects that are less well known to the general public, such as furniture and services.

The price at which they sell on the art and auction markets ranges from €110 to €15,000, a considerable delta but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to your Hermès services.

In 2023, a Hermès Toucans service sold for €15,000, a record that demonstrates the popularity of this model. The 69-seater service is currently, along with the Pivoines service, the most popular on the market.

Order of value from classic Hermès service to the most sought-after

The success of Hermès services

The success of Hermès services lies in a unique relationship with materials, a constant quest for perfection in every gesture.

We are well aware of the company's attachment to exceptional materials - rare leathers, precious fabrics - chosen not only for their quality, but also for their ability to tell a story through the work of the craftsman.

"It's not just a product, it's a work of craftsmanship," you might say, so much so that each creation embodies this fusion of traditional know-how and subtle innovation.

The rise of Hermès, from the 1930s onwards, is the fruit of this desire to combine tradition and modernity, where every detail, every finish, is the object of uncompromising attention. Technical rigor is replaced by an infinite search for textures and shapes, the utilitarian aspect giving way to the beauty of an object designed to endure the ages.

As one brand expert points out, Hermès succeeds in "fusing heritage and innovation into a coherent whole", where each creation finds its place in a living, evolving heritage.

This continuity of quality, far from standing still, is constantly reinvented, giving luxury a new definition: no longer a simple sign of rarity, but the embodiment of absolute mastery, a perennial luxury, always at the service of an aesthetic quest.

Craft processes and the vocation of Hermès services

At Hermès, the question of luxury seems to be posed in terms of meticulousness. We are familiar with the company's attachment to the purity of materials - fine porcelain, rare leathers - to the detriment of a utilitarian approach, where the beauty of the object cannot be dissociated from its function.

"The important thing for us is to create a work of art that is both beautiful and functional, a work of art at the service of everyday life," you might say.

The development of table services, with pieces such as "soy cups", is a direct consequence: a relentless quest for perfection in which form and function dissolve in the same gesture.

The simplicity of the utilitarian object is replaced by the unity of a sophisticated design, where the material itself becomes the bearer of meaning. The attention paid to every detail, from the texture of the material to the cut of the shapes, reveals a desire to sublimate the ordinary.

This quest for the exceptional, through the use of innovative scientific processes, guarantees porcelain of remarkable finesse, whose strength and purity are expressed by an almost unreal lightness.

As one Hermès expert puts it, Hermès manages to "combine technology and craftsmanship in perfect alchemy", fusing the innovation of industrial processes with the sensibility of artistic craftsmanship.

This fusion finds clear expression in the brand's motifs and codes, such as the anchor chain, subtly integrated into the service designs. This motif, inherited from the brand's nautical universe, symbolizes rigor, stability and elegance.

In the dinner services, the anchor chain is transformed into a refined graphic motif that inscribes each piece in a tradition, while elevating it to a timeless dimension. As one of the company's connoisseurs points out, "these visual elements are not just decorative, they tell the story of a house, they are the soul of the product".

This attention to detail, omnipresent in every element of the service, testifies to a desire for continuity in which luxury, far from being frozen in a fixed form, is constantly renewed.

With each new collection, Hermès redefines luxury: no longer an outward sign of wealth, but a relentless pursuit of beauty, elegance and functionality, where each object becomes a work of art, an invitation to a total sensory experience.

Focus on the Toucan service from Hermès

The question of motif, in the Toucan d'Hermès service, seems to be posed in terms of expression and transformation.

We're all familiar with the company's attachment to the imaginary natural world - the toucan, vibrant with color, becomes the standard-bearer of a vision in which nature is no longer limited to mere inspiration, but is reinvented as a terrain for artistic experimentation.

"We wanted to capture not just the bird, but the forest itself," explain the designers.

Towards the 1980s, the motif became the result of a bold approach that transformed porcelain into a medium of expression, where the animal and the decorative ornament merged into a single organic reality.

The animal frozen in its classical representation is replaced by a fluidity of line and color, a chromatic dance that gives the object a new lightness, where the exuberance of nature blends with the purity of form.

As one astute observer wrote, Hermès manages to "breathe a dynamic into every motif, where every curve seems to unfold and metamorphose".

This unprecedented continuity between the toucan's silhouette and the object's contours breaks away from strict figuration to explore an almost unreal space.

Far from limiting themselves to simple delineation, the lines dilate, merge and expand, making each plate, cup or dish not a mere receptacle, but a veritable tableau vivant, a space where art and nature merge.

What we might call the reinvention of a naturalistic motif in the world of porcelain, transforming each piece into a reflection on the world and the imaginary.

Reasons to auction a Hermès service

The question of auctioning a Hermès service seems to be posed in terms of rarity and desirability.

The company's commitment to exclusivity is well known - each piece, meticulously designed, is not limited to its function, but becomes a collector's item.

"It wasn't just a question of creating dinner services, but of cultivating a form of prestige and timelessness", the artisans would say. In this context, the auction becomes the consecration of this object as a symbol of luxury and elegance.

The utilitarian object is giving way to a broader perception of value, which goes beyond mere possession to touch on the art of living.

As one expert puts it, auctions offer "a way of bringing objects to light, with each piece bearing witness to a history and know-how".

The service, whose production is sometimes limited, transforms each sale into a unique event, where rarity becomes a decisive factor, like those of the Birkinsthe Kellyand to a lesser extent carréswhich can also be rare.

The uniqueness of the object is replaced by the desire to acquire it, to become its privileged owner, a privilege symbolizing the culmination of refined, demanding taste. What we might call the revaluation of Hermès service through auction.

Recognizing an original Hermès service

The counterfeit market is increasingly strong, manufacturing a variety of items and passing them off as luxury goods.

On online platforms, the resale of these items continues to increase, and many customers are being tricked. Despite this, services are more confidential items that are less counterfeit, and are almost always signed.

That's why, even if techniques exist to recognize an authentic object, such as looking at the stitching, the serial number or the signature, it's essential to have it appraised if you think you own an object from home.

Know the true value of your service

If you happen to own a Hermes service, or think you might, please feel free to request a free evaluation using the form on our website.

A member of our team of experts and certified auctioneers will contact you promptly to provide you with an estimate of the market value of your service, as well as any relevant information.

If you wish to sell your service, our specialists will also be on hand to help you find alternative ways of selling it.