Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
1980s American Art Deco Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
Pearl, Gold Plate
1960s American Modern Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
1910s European Retro Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
2010s American Contemporary Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
1990s Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
Early 19th Century British George III Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
Aquamarine, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s French Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
Gilt Metal
Early 2000s Italian Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
1990s American Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
18k Gold, Sterling Silver
1990s American Modern Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Contemporary Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver
19th Century Unknown Belle Époque Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver, Gold
1970s American Modernist Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s American Modern Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
21st Century and Contemporary British Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
Sterling Silver
1980s American Modern Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
Sterling Silver, Enamel
Recent Sales
1960s American Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
20th Century American Victorian Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
1970s American Egyptian Revival Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
20th Century Unknown Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
1950s American Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
1970s American Art Deco Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
Base Metal
1980s American Modern Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
Mid-20th Century American Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
1950s American Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
1970s American Egyptian Revival Vintage Whiting and Davis Earrings
Whiting & Davis for sale on 1stDibs
You might not expect chain-mesh bags to predate sliced bread by three decades, but it’s true. The very first mesh purse was created by Charles Whiting (1864–1940) in 1892 while working for the jewelry manufacturer Wade Davis & Company in Plainville, Massachusetts. Whiting joined the company at the age of 16, and by 1896 he formed a partnership to purchase it, renaming it the Whiting & Davis Company.
While the original Whiting & Davis mesh purse was made entirely by hand — artisans hammered out the links and wove them together — the company developed a machine to automate fabrication in 1912. With the ability to produce more rapidly and prolifically, Whiting & Davis became a veritable mesh empire, creating handbags and purses in all shapes, styles and colors, including ones made from precious metals, painted with Art Deco designs and silk-screened with Impressionistic images. The purses became status icons for the stylish elite, particularly with the flappers of the 1920s.
Over the years, Whiting & Davis struck up partnerships with some of the most talented designers of the time, including Paul Poiret, Elsa Schiaparelli and Elsa Peretti, who used their mesh in elegant pieces for Tiffany & Co., propelling their popularity even further. After a brief hiatus during World War II, when Whiting & Davis produced radar equipment rather than handbags, the brand continued to develop an ever-expanding line of products that included clothing.
In the 1970s, Whiting & Davis accessories and clothing were the rage of the disco scene. By the early 2000s, everyone from Paris Hilton to Lady Gaga donned the brand’s mesh handbags.
Recent innovations to their offerings include color mesh and fine mesh, with the brand refocusing on fashion jewelry with the launch of a new collection in 2013 featuring a revamped vintage snake-bracelet design. The company has been based in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, since 1995, also supplying its renowned chain mesh for industrial uses like work gloves and protective applications such as shark suits for divers.
Find vintage Whiting & Davis mesh handbags, necklaces and other accessories on 1stDibs.