Musings On A Tale Of Three Vapeurs...

Ok a trivia question, name two scarves that Hermes re-issued and changed the scarf slightly in design with the re-issue?

Answer: "Paris Modistel" and "Merveilles De La Vapeur"

In 1956 Hermes released the original "Paris Modistel" by Hugo Grygkar, then when it was re-issued in 2006 the printed name on the scarf changed to "Paris Modiste".

In 1958 Hermes released the original "Merveilles De La Vapeur" by Phillipe Ledoux, the design was re-issued in 1986. In the re-issue they changed the design by replacing one of he highlighted steam vehicles in the center medallions with a completely different vehicle.


In the original issue the lower left medallion has a depiction of a steam vehicle by Luigi Pagani, the newer re-issue has a locomotive by Marc Seguin. I have never been able to track down why the decision to change the design. It does indeed make the scarf a different piece. There have been many times that collectors are kept guessing on why Hermes has done what it has done, this is just one incident.



The original issue of the design was also colored far differently. I have seen only one other original 1958 piece, and it was similar to mine in that it did not have a lot of fanciful coloration, but instead was like a fine old sepia style photo but was done in golds, grays , and black. Where mine is cream, rose, burgundy, and black.

I am attracted to the design of this scarf due to it's loose connections to some pieces by Jules Verne a favorite author of mine. Like "Tour du Monde en 80 Jours" also by Ledoux. Many who know the design of this scarf might not realize that it also has a Verne connection loosely to two works, and personal notes by Verne, "Backwards to Britain" in which Verne mentions the foundry near his boyhood home where certain steam engines were built, and "Paris in the 20th Century" in which Verne discusses the rail line between Paris and St. Germain. Verne also rode Stephonson's "Great Eastern" to visit the United States, and witnessed the building of the "Great Eastern" which he documented in his notes under "Journey to England and Scotland"All of this has led me to wonder if perhaps Phillipe Ledoux may have also been a real fan of the Jules Verne classics. If he was not at least I can imagine that he was.