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David Webb Books

American, 1925-1975

“Women are tired of jewelry-looking jewelry,” celebrated American designer David Webb once noted. In response, he created a menagerie of whimsical animals rendered as rings, brooches, earrings and, especially, bangle bracelets. This playfulness permeates all Webb’s work, which is characterized by brightly hued enamel and color-saturated semiprecious stones like coral, azurmalachite and turquoise, the notable exception being the clear, elegant rock crystal for which he had an affinity.

The North Carolina native apprenticed with his uncle, a silversmith, before moving to New York, where he established David Webb Inc. in 1948. He had no formal training in jewelry design. Instead, he culled inspiration from the ornamental styles of ancient Greece, Mesopotamia, Egypt and the Americas, as well as the traditions of India and China — influences discernible in such pieces as his collar necklaces and talisman-like sautoirs. 

Webb’s first animal bracelet was produced in 1957. His most famous, the zebra, took shape in 1963; its stripes now form the company’s logo. Although Webb died in 1975, his company continues to produce designs drawn from his extensive archives, and every piece is still made in the workshop above its Madison Avenue store.

Find an alluring collection of David Webb jewelry on 1stDibs, including earrings, brooches and other accessories.

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Creator: David Webb
David Webb The Quintessential American Jeweler Hardcover Book by Ruth Peltason
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David Webb The Quintessential American Jeweler hardcover book by Ruth Peltrason c 2013. This large heavy hardcover luxury book is an amazing archive of Webb's extraordinary 20th cent...
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David Webb books for sale on 1stDibs.

David Webb books are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of paper and are designed with extraordinary care. Many of the original books by David Webb were created in the Hollywood Regency style in italy during the 21st century and contemporary. Prices for David Webb books can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $595 and can go as high as $595, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $595.

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