Perhaps best known for his beastiary of fanciful animals, both mythological and real, designer David Webb showcased colored gemstones in innovative styles, changing the way jewelry was worn during the day. While apprenticing in his uncle’s silversmithing shop as a teenager, Webb showed an early talent for jewelry making and design. Born in Asheville, North Carolina in 1925, Webb moved to New York City, when he was just 17-years old (possibly 16), where he got his start repairing jewelry, but it didn’t take long for new opportunities to come to him.
The City as Inspiration
In 1945 with backing from socialite Antoinette Quilleret, Webb opened his own business. Three years later he bought out Quilleret and founded David Webb, Inc. With his accountant and business partner, Nina Silberstein, he opened a retail store on New York City’s 57th street, the “crossroads of fashion and luxury.”
New York City provided many avenues of inspiration for Webb. He took design cues from the streets of Manhattan, architecture and the jewels of ancient civilizations. Webb was greatly influenced by history and a desire for knowledge, visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met) weekly, to spark his creativity, all of which helped him to develop his creations.
Inspired by the Ancient World
Fascinated by gold jewelry from ancient Greece, Mesopotamia, Central and South America as well as traditional jewelry from India and China, Webb was a self-taught jewelry designer. He took inspiration from the designs he saw at the Met and then added glyphs and symbols from ancient works to his creations. Webb loved yellow gold and gave his jewelry an ancient feeling by using special gold alloys with a patinaed look. Another favorite motif for Webb was the Maltese Cross which he produced in a variety of artistic ways.
A Jeweled Zoo
Perhaps the one thing that Webb is best known for is his animal jewelry. He had an extensive reference library that included “The Big Book of Wild Animals” which inspired his zoo of colorful creatures. Webb created his first animal in 1957 — the mythical Indian sea monster Makara. It was a bracelet fabricated in emeralds and gold. By 1963 Webb had a full-on bestiary that included frogs, zebras, monkeys, snakes, elephants, big cats and the legendary chimera. These fanciful beasts were fabricated from gold, enamel and colored gemstones that were sometimes carved. Webb favored turquoise and coral and both of those gems featured prominently in his bestiary.
Hollywood’s most fashionable stars of the silver screen from Elizabeth Taylor to Lana Turner, were all wearing Webb’s menagerie. The Duchess of Windsor wore a frog bracelet, while Vogue editor-in-chief, Diana Vreeland wore a zebra bracelet gifted to her by Webb. Eventually the zebra became the company’s mascot. The animals were so popular that in 1964, Webb was honored with the Coty American Fashion Critics Award for his jeweled menagerie.
Webb became one of America’s most important jewelry designers and that reputation was further enhanced in 1962 when First Lady Jackie Kennedy commissioned Webb to make the official gifts of state for visiting dignitaries: Paperweights featuring American minerals.
Jewelry for Day and Night
Webb was one of the first designers to advocate wearing diamonds during the day at a time when they were associated with evening and special occasion wear. Webb realized that women were busy and desired jewelry that could take them through the day and into the evening. He delivered with gold and diamond jewelry that transitioned easily from day to night. Webb also loved rock crystal, sometimes carved, which he considered to be “the one white alternative to diamonds.” He created some of his more dressy jewelry from rock crystal.
Imaginative designs bursting with exuberant color were the hallmark of David Webb’s jewelry opening a new avenue for women to bejewel themselves. His star shined brightly, but all too briefly, Webb passed away from pancreatic cancer in 1975 at 50 years old. However, he left behind his creative legacy: An archive with over 40,000 drawings. Webb’s partner, Nina Silberstein continued to run the business, which was sold in 2009.
David Webb continues to delight jewelry enthusiasts at its Madison Avenue location on Manhattan’s Upper Eastside, where the jewelry is still made in the company’s workshop.
In fact, some of the artisans who work there now have fathers who worked at Webb before them. Drawing upon the extensive archives, artisans interpret Webb’s designs and continue to create fantastical creatures and fantasy jewels for those taste makers who are bold enough to wear them.
Top of Page: Diamond, Ruby, platinum, 18-karat gold and enamel zebra bangle, signed David Webb, circa 1980s.
Diamond, emerald, 18-karat gold, platinum and enamel brooch/pendant, signed David Webb, circa 1970s; 18-karat gold ox ring, signed David Webb, circa 1960s; Aquamarine, diamond, 18-karat gold and platinum brooch, signed David Webb, circa 1960s; Diamond, cabochon emerald and 18-karat gold earrings, signed David Webb, circa 1980s.
Authored by Amber Michelle