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1950s Whiting and Davis Gold Mesh Jewel Closure Evening Clutch with Coin Purse

About the Item

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 and a small satin envelope holding the original folding plastic rain cap! Three interior pockets are found in the gold colored satin lined interior. The circular jeweled, hinged clasp is made up of a bezeled radius of round and emerald cut rhinestones with a cabochon cut green central stone. The bag has a soft pleating both front and back and expands to nearly four inches. The makers tag is sewn into an interior seam. Measures: Bag: 11 in. L x 6 in. W with an expandable depth. Clasp: 1.5 in. diameter Coin Purse: 2.75 in L x 2.25 in W Weighs 1.5 pounds. In very good vintage condition. Clasp is missing two small round rhinestones on the inner bezel. Light interior soiling as expected from age and use.

Creator:

Whiting & Davis (Designer)

Dimensions:

Height: 4 in (10.16 cm)Width: 10 in (25.4 cm)Depth: 12 in (30.48 cm)

Style:

International Style (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Crystal,Fabric,Metal,Appliqué,Dyed,Metalwork

Place of Origin:

United States

Period:

Mid-20th Century

Date of Manufacture:

1950-1959

Condition:

Wear consistent with age and use. In very good vintage condition. Clasp is missing two small round rhinestones on the inner bezel. Light interior soiling as expected from age and use.

Seller Location:

Philadelphia, PA

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU1758220035822

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Shop All Whiting & Davis

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.