Vintage Whiting & Davis Gold Mesh Bag

Vintage Whiting & Davis gold mesh purse. Petite bag with chain wrist strap. Curved gold metal frame itch engraved "Whiting & Davis Co." and "Made in USA". Mini coin purse inside. This bag was from the 1950s. In beautiful vintage condition. The very first mesh purse was created by the owner of this company, Charles Whiting in 1892. While the original mesh purse was made entirely by hand, artisans hammered out links & wove them together. The company developed a machine to automate fabrication in 1912. With the ability to produce more rapidly, 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 & silk-screened with Impressionistic images. The purses became status icons for the stylish elite, particularly with the flappers of the 1920s. Over the years they 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.