Whiting & Davis White Metal Mesh Evening Bag
View Similar Items
Whiting & Davis White Metal Mesh Evening Bag
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Width: 6.5 in (16.51 cm)Length: 9 in (22.86 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Brooklyn, NY
- Reference Number:Seller: MA 47601stDibs: AU130831239351
Whiting & Davis
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 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.
- Anya Hindmarch Bluebell Guilloche & Stingray Duke Clock ClutchBy Anya HindmarchLocated in Glasgow, GBRare Anya Hindmarch Duke Clock clutch from the eponymous brand. Cigarette-box style evening bag made primarily from stingray with sloped, bevelled edges. Structured, rectangular shap...Category
2010s Evening Bags and Minaudières
- MARNI brown latex PVC gold stud leather trim metal frame tote bagBy MarniLocated in Hong Kong, NTMARNI brown latex PVC gold stud leather trim metal frame tote bag Reference: CELG/A00039 Brand: Marni Model: Latex tote Material: Latex, leather Color: Brown Pattern: Solid Cl...Category
2010s Evening Bags and Minaudières
- MARNI stone grey silver lock dual zip pouch chain sport strap crossbody bagBy MarniLocated in Hong Kong, NTMARNI stone grey silver lock dual zip pouch chain sport strap crossbody bag Reference: CELG/A00032 Brand: Marni Model: Dual pouch chain crossbody Mater...Category
2010s Evening Bags and Minaudières
- new VERSACE Vanitas white baroque quilted gold Medusa metal chain crossbody bagBy VersaceLocated in Hong Kong, NTnew VERSACE Vanitas white baroque quilted gold Medusa metal chain crossbody bag Reference: TGAS/B01474 Brand: Versace Designer: Donatella Versace Model: White Vanitas crossbody b...Category
2010s Evening Bags and Minaudières
- OLD CELINE Phoebe Philo natural scaled leather double flap portfolio clutch bagBy CelineLocated in Hong Kong, NTOLD CELINE Phoebe Philo natural scaled leather double flap portfolio clutch bag Reference: JECN/A00024 Brand: Celine Designer: Phoebe Philo Model: Double Flap clutch Material: L...Category
2010s Italian Evening Bags and Minaudières
- DOLCE GABBANA Sicily beige raffia crochet large top handle crossbody bagBy Dolce & GabbanaLocated in Hong Kong, NTDOLCE GABBANA Sicily beige raffia crochet large top handle crossbody bag Reference: TGAS/C01668 Brand: Dolce Gabbana Designer: Domenico Dolce and ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Evening Bags and Minaudières