Judith Leiber Labels: History and How to Date Them
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Judith Leiber (1921 to 2018) was a Hungarian-born handbag maker who founded her own New York business in 1963 and became famous for crystal-covered minaudières in animal and novelty shapes. Bags from her own years in charge, up to her 1998 retirement, are the ones collectors look for.
Company history
Wikipedia records that Leiber trained in Budapest, becoming the first woman to join the Hungarian Handbag Guild as a master craftswoman, and survived the Holocaust. She married Gerson Leiber, a US Army sergeant, in 1946 and they moved to New York in 1947. After working as a handbag designer for other companies, she founded her own business in 1963. Her crystal minaudières were metal shells encrusted with Swarovski crystals in forms such as pigs, watermelon slices, cupcakes, peacocks and penguins. She won a Coty Award in 1973 and the CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994, and retired in 1998. Her work is in the Smithsonian, the Met and the V&A.
Label timeline
| Label or clue | Approximate dates | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Bags made for other companies | 1947 to 1963 | Not under her own name |
| Judith Leiber | From 1963 | Her own business |
| Bags made after her retirement | From 1998 | Later production |
What it helps date
- Evening bags are priced on condition, especially missing crystals: condition grading.
- High-value bags sell best with authentication: where to sell vintage, auction houses for costume.
Values
Our hats and handbags values guide records a real disagreement: crystal minaudières and evening bags made about $135 to $835 at recent US auctions (Barnebys), while Sewelo magazine quotes vintage crystal bags at $3,000 to $15,000+ and classic bags at $500 to $2,500. Rare animal and novelty minaudières in perfect condition sit at the top. Prices are estimates as of 2026.
check sold prices for judith leiber vintage minaudiere on eBay
Sources
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Guides that mention Judith Leiber
- Vintage Hat and Handbag Values: Hermès, Chanel, Coach, Leiber and More2026 price ranges for vintage handbags (Hermès, Chanel, Coach, Leiber, mesh, Lucite) and hats (Stetson, Daché, Schiaparelli), from sold data.
Related
- Auction Houses That Sell Vintage Costume and TextilesWhich auction houses sell antique costume, couture and vintage fashion, what each accepts, how consigning works, and when auction beats selling online.
- Vintage Clothing Condition Grading: Mint to Fair and What Each CostsThe dealer condition scale for vintage clothing (mint, excellent, very good, good, fair, poor), what each grade means and its typical price discount.
- Vintage Hat and Handbag Values: Hermès, Chanel, Coach, Leiber and More2026 price ranges for vintage handbags (Hermès, Chanel, Coach, Leiber, mesh, Lucite) and hats (Stetson, Daché, Schiaparelli), from sold data.
- Where to Sell Vintage Clothing in 2026Compare eBay, Etsy, Depop, Vinted, Poshmark, The RealReal, consignment and auction houses by fees, audience and the vintage pieces each sells best.