Whiting And Davis Retro

Find the exact vintage or contemporary whiting and davis retro you’re shopping for in the variety available on 1stDibs. If you’re looking for an option in Brown and you’re unable to find the right fit, there are plenty of variations in Black, Silver and more. You’re likely to find the perfect whiting and davis retro among the distinctive accessories we have available, which includes versions made as long ago as the 20th Century as well as those produced as recently as the 20th Century. Finding an appealing accessory such as this — no matter the origin — is easy, but Whiting & Davis each produced a popular version that is worth a look. If you’re browsing our inventory for these accessories, you’ll find that many are available today for women, but there are still pieces to choose from for men and unisex.

On average, a whiting and davis retro on 1stDibs sells for $565, while they’re typically $120 on the low end and $4,800 for the highest priced versions of this item.

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.