S8 Ep8 BONHAMS AUCTION HOUSE: Head of Designer Handbags and Fashion, Meg Randell - on the storied auction house, Jane Birkin’s Birkin bag, and the costumes from The Crown.

Pre-Loved Podcast is a weekly vintage fashion interview show, with guests you’ll want to go thrifting with! For more Pre-Loved Podcast, subscribe to our Patreon!

On today’s show, we’re chatting with Meg Meg Randell, Head of Designer Handbags and Fashion at Bonham’s auction house. Bonham’s is one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques, and Meg joined in 2020, to launch their fashion and handbags department. 

On today’s episode, we chat about the wild world of auctions, and some of Meg’s most famed auction sales, including a Birkin bag that belonged to Jane Birkin herself, and the costumes from the TV Show, The Crown.

Meg has such interesting stories to share, and much expertise in rare handbags, particularly Hermès and Chanel, and we get into all of that on today’s show, so dive right into it! 

DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• [3:27] Meg’s background in the history of art, and how she got her start working in auction houses.
• [6:41] Meg’s transition into the fashion segment of the auction house. 
• [13:30] The booming demand for handbags within the auction space. 
• [18:48] The auction process 101 – all the steps and terminology you may not know if this is your first auction.
• [22:09] When the bid runs much higher than the estimated price.
• [26:07] Selling one of Jane Birkin’s very-own Birkin bags at auction.
• [31:26] Some of the incredible vintage Chanel bags Meg has sold over the years.
• [39:45] The massive Bonhams auction of all the costumes and props from The Crown.
• [48:45] Meg’s dream piece to find for auction one day.

EPISODE MENTIONS: 

• Bonhams
• Bonhams (@bonhams1793)
• Jane Birkin’s Birkin bag, which Meg sold at auction
• V&A Museum handbag exhibition
• V&A showing the vintage Chanel suit and hat
• V&A Chanel exhibition (on now!)
• Classic Coco
• The Bonhams Crown Auction
• Louis Vuitton by Marc Jacobs Tribute Patchwork Tote

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