Whiting & Davis Collectible Jewelry
American
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.
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Creator: Whiting & Davis
Vintage Whiting & Davis Evening Bag
By Whiting & Davis
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
A perfect elegant vintage American evening bag! All beaded by Whiting & Davis Co. - For You, now. With classic style and color, this vintage ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American American Classical Whiting & Davis Collectible Jewelry
Materials
Acrylic
1950s Whiting and Davis Gold Mesh Jewel Closure Evening Clutch with Coin Purse
By Whiting & Davis
Located in Philadelphia, PA
From the mid-late 1950s, a gold mesh evening clutch made by Whiting and Davis, the company who invented superior quality metallic mesh design and fashion, from the late 1890s into the 20th century.
The envelope shaped evening bag is complete with two enclosures, a matching gold mesh coin purse...
Category
Mid-20th Century American International Style Whiting & Davis Collectible Jewelry
Materials
Crystal, Metal
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Whiting & Davis collectible jewelry for sale on 1stDibs.
Whiting & Davis collectible jewelry are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of stone and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Whiting & Davis collectible jewelry, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original collectible jewelry by Whiting & Davis were created in the neoclassical style in united states during the mid-20th century. Prices for Whiting & Davis collectible jewelry can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $447 and can go as high as $555, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $501.
Questions About Whiting & Davis Collectible Jewelry
- 1stDibs ExpertJanuary 10, 2025Whether Whiting & Davis bags are made in China varies. The company was founded in Plainville, Massachusetts, in 1876 and has been based in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, since 1995. Its collectible vintage handbags were largely produced at its own workshop in Massachusetts. However, Whiting & Davis has outsourced some of its newer bags to factories in China. On 1stDibs, find a range of Whiting & Davis apparel and accessories.
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- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 25, 2024The Davis Cabinet Company is more than 90 years old. The company, founded by Lipscomb "Lip" Davis in 1929, grew out of a lumber mill operation located on the Cumberland River in Tennessee. Owners of the mill opened the Standard Furniture Company to put leftover lumber to use. Davis worked for Standard Furniture for eight years before he bought out the company and reopened it as the Davis Cabinet Company. Find a diverse assortment of Davis Cabinet Company furniture on 1stDibs.
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- When was white gold invented?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertAugust 8, 2024White gold was invented during the 19th century when jewelers discovered how to alloy gold with palladium. In 1912, German jewelry makers began using white gold as an inexpensive alternative to palladium. Over the decades that followed, the use of white gold spread, and today, many luxury jewelry makers produce pieces from the material. Find a wide range of white gold jewelry on 1stDibs.
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