Whiting And Davis Mesh
1930s American Evening Bags and Minaudières
1950s American Clutches
Early 20th Century American Vanity Items
Other
1980s American Evening Bags and Minaudières
1950s American Evening Bags and Minaudières
20th Century British Cocktail Dresses
1970s American Evening Bags and Minaudières
Vintage 1980s American Art Deco Drop Earrings
Pearl, Gold Plate
1940s American Top Handle Bags
Vintage 1980s American Art Deco Drop Necklaces
Vintage 1960s American Choker Necklaces
Gold Plate
Vintage 1970s Egyptian Revival Cuff Bracelets
Gold
Mid-20th Century American International Style Collectible Jewelry
Crystal, Metal
Mid-20th Century American American Classical Collectible Jewelry
Acrylic
Mid-20th Century American Evening Bags and Minaudières
Vintage 1960s American Modern Chain Necklaces
1980s Blouses
1970s American Blouses and Tops
1990s American Top Handle Bags
Vintage 1980s American Clamper Bracelets
Silver Plate
Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Retro Bracelets
Base Metal
Vintage 1970s Unknown Drop Necklaces
1970s American Evening Bags and Minaudières
1990s American Blouses
1970s American Shoulder Bags
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Decorative Boxes
Metal
1930s British Evening Bags and Minaudières
2010s Evening Dresses and Gowns
21st Century and Contemporary Blouses and Tops
21st Century and Contemporary American Evening Dresses and Gowns
21st Century and Contemporary American Cocktail Dresses
Early 2000s Italian Cocktail Dresses
21st Century and Contemporary Formal Gowns
20th Century French Cocktail Dresses
Early 20th Century Canadian Art Deco Vanity Items
1930s American Evening Bags and Minaudières
Early 20th Century American Evening Bags and Minaudières
1920s American Evening Bags and Minaudières
1980s American Clutches
1970s American Evening Bags and Minaudières
1920s Evening Bags and Minaudières
1980s American Clutches
1970s American Handbags and Purses
Early 20th Century American Evening Bags and Minaudières
1960s Evening Bags and Minaudières
1960s American Handbags and Purses
1920s American Top Handle Bags
1960s American Handbags and Purses
1920s American Clutches
1950s American Handbags and Purses
1950s American Evening Bags and Minaudières
Mid-20th Century American Evening Bags and Minaudières
1920s American Evening Bags and Minaudières
20th Century American Evening Bags and Minaudières
Vintage 1970s American More Necklaces
1920s American Evening Bags and Minaudières
1960s American Handbags and Purses
Vintage 1960s American Drop Necklaces
Vintage 1960s American Clip-on Earrings
Mid-20th Century American More Necklaces
Gold Plate
- 1
Whiting And Davis Mesh For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Whiting And Davis Mesh?
Whiting & Davis for sale on 1stDibs
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.