Delvaux vintage top handle brown box calf 1959

It is easy today to forget how different Europe was back in 1959. The war had ended only fourteen years earlier and the countries around Belgium were still very much separated by borders, currencies and their own economies. 1 year earlier Belgium was put onto the map through its expo'58, which saw the birth of the Brillant and just a little earlier in 1957 the Rome treaty solidified an economic partnership, which would become the European union as we know it today. At the centre of this stood  Brussels - the new heart of Europe - throughout 1958 the Belgian Foreign Minister would chair the committee laying the ground work for the common market - "the marché commun".  Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany had decided to bring their economies closer together, gradually removing barriers between them - and it was in this world in which Delvaux presented its Spring–Summer collection of 1959. Its name? Marché Commun.

Instead of talking about Europe through politics, Delvaux designed this limited and extraordinary collection - looking at Europe through places and destinations - thereby celebrating in their way the opening of hearts and minds of the common market which allowed ideas, cultures, economies to travel  - reach new destinations, very much in line with Delvaux's roots, very much founded around the idea of travel itself.

Instead of referring blandly to the member countries Delvaux found a subtle way to celebrate - the maison took something that represents the economic exchange and then attached a city of the member country to the name of the bag.

This particular architectural piece representing the building of the partnership with membership country France and was baptised by the illustrious Paule Goethals with the name of a town in south-western France, surrounded by the vineyards of the Dordogne.

This is the point where the bag takes on more meaning then just a chapter of the maison's history. Delvaux turned the new europe into  handbags expressing the desire of a Belgian woman in 1959 living the dream of new destinations which were becoming much closer.

The bag itself is in a warm brown box calf leather, with the considered proportions we often find in Delvaux pieces from this period. The aniline tainted leather allows a see through of the leather veins, the quality of the box calf is as impeccable as the idea standing behind the bag. Carried in hand or over the arm, it is an elegant, spacious bag in overall very good condition.

And then there is its hardware. Look at it closely and another little connection appears. Its unusual construction reminds us almost of a bridge, divided into six openings. Six the same number of countries that formed the Marché Commun in 1959. Was this Paule Goethals' intention? We cannot know for sure. But we love the thought of it: a small bridge in brass, six openings brought together by one continuous structure. Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany - separate, yet connected. Perhaps this is simply coincidence or perhaps this was design with intention. We could not confirm this for sure, but for sure once you see it, it is difficult to unsee.

What we love however most is that this bag represents something which is even beyond its sheer rarity in the market - this bag represents hope, the love of nations and the peace Europe brings. Carrying it means carrying more than a bag. Here you carry the story of Europe with in it.  Its condition sixty five years later is very much like the Europe of today - it has weathered some storms maybe, but is still here - timeless, extraordinary and taking every new day full of hope and pleasure.