Skip to main content

David Webb Wearable Art

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.

to
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Designer: David Webb
David Webb The Quintessential American Jeweler Hard Cover Book by Ruth Peltason
David Webb The Quintessential American Jeweler Hard Cover Book by Ruth Peltason

David Webb The Quintessential American Jeweler Hard Cover Book by Ruth Peltason

By David Webb

Located in University City, MO

David Webb The Quintessential American Jeweler hard cover book by Ruth Peltrason c 2013 The book is an amazing archive of Webb's extraordinary 20th century jewelry designs Webb is be...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian David Webb Wearable Art

Related Items
Set of Two Bulgari Brand Book Catalogue Jewelry and Watches 2013
Set of Two Bulgari Brand Book Catalogue Jewelry and Watches 2013

Set of Two Bulgari Brand Book Catalogue Jewelry and Watches 2013

By Bulgari

Located in Moreno Valley, CA

Set of two Bulgari catalogues, jewelry and watches. Collection of 2013. Hardcover black cloth catalogues of one of the most famous Luxury Jewellery maker in the world. Sotirio Bulgar...

Category

2010s Italian David Webb Wearable Art

Bulgari Catalog, Jewelry and Watches Collection 2011
Bulgari Catalog, Jewelry and Watches Collection 2011

Bulgari Catalog, Jewelry and Watches Collection 2011

Located in Moreno Valley, CA

Bvlgari catalog, jewelry and watches. Bulgari "Serpenti" Collection of 2011. Hardcover catalog of one of the most famous Luxury Jewellery maker in the ...

Category

2010s Italian David Webb Wearable Art

2007 American Fashion Hardcover Coffee Table Book Assouline
2007 American Fashion Hardcover Coffee Table Book Assouline

2007 American Fashion Hardcover Coffee Table Book Assouline

$236Sale Price|20% Off

H 12 in W 9.5 in D 1.5 in

2007 American Fashion Hardcover Coffee Table Book Assouline

By Assouline Publishing

Located in Moreno Valley, CA

American Fashion Hardcover Coffee Table Book Assouline 2007. American Fashion by Assouline, published in 2007 is a comprehensive and beautifully illustrated overview of the history o...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American David Webb Wearable Art

Vintage Vogue Magazine : November 1994, Cover Model Cindy Crawford
Vintage Vogue Magazine : November 1994, Cover Model Cindy Crawford

Vintage Vogue Magazine : November 1994, Cover Model Cindy Crawford

By Vogue

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Collectible Vogue Magazine, November 1994 •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Cover model, Cindy Crawford! Editor: Anna Wintour! 388 pages of fashion, ad...

Category

1990s American David Webb Wearable Art

c. 1930s–1950s Antique Italian Sterling Silver & Rock Crystal Rosary in Case
c. 1930s–1950s Antique Italian Sterling Silver & Rock Crystal Rosary in Case

c. 1930s–1950s Antique Italian Sterling Silver & Rock Crystal Rosary in Case

Located in Honolulu, HI

A breathtaking treasure of European sacred art—this original mid-century Italian rosary set hails from Milan, the historical center of fine religious craftsmanship. Dating from the 1...

Category

1940s Italian David Webb Wearable Art

2010s Dior Accessories Insider Catalog Lookbook on Binder
2010s Dior Accessories Insider Catalog Lookbook on Binder

2010s Dior Accessories Insider Catalog Lookbook on Binder

By Christian Dior

Located in London, GB

2010s Dior Accessories Insider catalog lookbook on binder, 56 pages, English Language, UK edition on thick white paper full colour  Measurements: 24x15x2.5cm  Condition details: 20...

Category

2010s British David Webb Wearable Art

Karl Lagerfeld Chanel's Russian Connection Book by Karl Lagerfeld
Karl Lagerfeld Chanel's Russian Connection Book by Karl Lagerfeld

Karl Lagerfeld Chanel's Russian Connection Book by Karl Lagerfeld

By Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel

Located in Moreno Valley, CA

Karl Lagerfeld: Chanel's Russian Connection. Paperback Book by Karl Lagerfeld. Russian Connection is Karl Lagerfeld exploration of all things Russian. The book presents photos by La...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French David Webb Wearable Art

Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair With Jewelry 1st Edition Hardcover Book
Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair With Jewelry 1st Edition Hardcover Book

Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair With Jewelry 1st Edition Hardcover Book

Located in Moreno Valley, CA

Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair With Jewelry 1st Edition Hardcover Book Edited by Ruth A. Peltason. 280 illustrations, including 175 color photographs by John Bigelow Taylor. "Here...

Category

Late 20th Century American David Webb Wearable Art

Cartier 2008 Hardcover Jewelry Book by Francois Chaille, Unisex, Red
Cartier 2008 Hardcover Jewelry Book by Francois Chaille, Unisex, Red

Cartier 2008 Hardcover Jewelry Book by Francois Chaille, Unisex, Red

By Cartier

Located in Moreno Valley, CA

Cartier Hardcover by Francois Chaille 2008. Cartier Red Jewelry Book English Edition Hardcover Small Book. 80 pages and 6" x 8.5". In good condition showing only minor wear on cover....

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French David Webb Wearable Art

Cartier Paris Londres New York Red Jewelry Book Hardcover Small Book
Cartier Paris Londres New York Red Jewelry Book Hardcover Small Book

Cartier Paris Londres New York Red Jewelry Book Hardcover Small Book

By Cartier

Located in Moreno Valley, CA

Cartier Red Jewelry Book English Edition Hardcover Small Book. 80 pages of beautiful iconic jewelry and the history of Cartier. In good condition showing only minor wear on cover. In...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French David Webb Wearable Art

David Webb wearable art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find an extraordinary range of authentic David Webb wearable art available on 1stDibs. On 1stDibs, find haute couture, vintage and designer David Webb wearable art from top boutiques around the world. David Webb wearable art prices can differ depending upon time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $475 and tops out at $475, while the average work can sell for $475.

Questions About David Webb Wearable Art

  • 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 23, 2024
    To identify David Webb jewelry, search the piece carefully for a maker's mark. The luxury jewelry maker stamps its pieces with the word "Webb." By comparing your piece to pictures shared on trusted online resources, you can then determine when your piece was produced, find out its name and learn further information. David Webb also offers an authentication service, though there is a fee to use it. Information about how to request an authentication is available on the brand's official website. On 1stDibs, explore an assortment of David Webb jewelry.