Vintage Whiting Davis
1980s American Vintage Whiting Davis
Silver Plate
1950s American Vintage Whiting Davis
1970s Unknown Vintage Whiting Davis
Mid-20th Century American American Classical Vintage Whiting Davis
Acrylic
1980s American Vintage Whiting Davis
Gilt Metal
1980s American Vintage Whiting Davis
1960s American Vintage Whiting Davis
Gold Plate
Mid-20th Century Vintage Whiting Davis
1970s American Vintage Whiting Davis
1960s American Modern Vintage Whiting Davis
1980s American Art Deco Vintage Whiting Davis
1990s American Vintage Whiting Davis
1980s American Art Deco Vintage Whiting Davis
Pearl, Gold Plate
1970s American Vintage Whiting Davis
Mid-20th Century American Vintage Whiting Davis
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Whiting Davis
Base Metal
1970s American Vintage Whiting Davis
1960s American Modern Vintage Whiting Davis
1990s American Vintage Whiting Davis
1980s Vintage Whiting Davis
1970s American Vintage Whiting Davis
1980s American Vintage Whiting Davis
1940s American Vintage Whiting Davis
1990s American Vintage Whiting Davis
1970s American Retro Vintage Whiting Davis
1980s American Vintage Whiting Davis
1970s American Vintage Whiting Davis
Late 20th Century American Vintage Whiting Davis
1980s American Vintage Whiting Davis
1970s Egyptian Revival Vintage Whiting Davis
Gold
20th Century British Vintage Whiting Davis
1930s American Vintage Whiting Davis
Mid-20th Century American International Style Vintage Whiting Davis
Crystal, Metal
1970s French Vintage Whiting Davis
Late 20th Century American Vintage Whiting Davis
1930s British Vintage Whiting Davis
20th Century French Vintage Whiting Davis
1930s American Modern Vintage Whiting Davis
Woodcut
1960s American Vintage Whiting Davis
1960s American Vintage Whiting Davis
Late 20th Century American Vintage Whiting Davis
1970s American Victorian Vintage Whiting Davis
Rhodium
1970s American Vintage Whiting Davis
1970s American Victorian Vintage Whiting Davis
Rhodium
1960s American Vintage Whiting Davis
1970s American Egyptian Revival Vintage Whiting Davis
1950s American Vintage Whiting Davis
Mid-20th Century American Vintage Whiting Davis
1960s Vintage Whiting Davis
1950s American Vintage Whiting Davis
20th Century American Victorian Vintage Whiting Davis
20th Century American Art Nouveau Vintage Whiting Davis
1970s American Vintage Whiting Davis
20th Century American Vintage Whiting Davis
1970s American Vintage Whiting Davis
Mid-20th Century American Vintage Whiting Davis
Gold Plate
1930s Unknown Vintage Whiting Davis
1980s American Vintage Whiting Davis
1980s American Vintage Whiting Davis
1970s American Vintage Whiting Davis
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Vintage Whiting Davis For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Vintage Whiting Davis?
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.