Hollywood Regency Glam Designer Carved Painted Swan Console Tables by Phyllis Morris - a Pair

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A fabulous pair of American mid-century sculptural paint decorated wooden console tables by the iconic luxury designer Phyllis Morris (United … Read more A fabulous pair of American mid-century sculptural paint decorated wooden console tables by the iconic luxury designer Phyllis Morris (United States; 1925-1988)

Executed in timeless mid-20th century glitz and glam Hollywood Regency Moderne taste, the rare, possibly custom one-of-a-kind design, having a demi-lune red lacquered top, over conforming fluted apron, rising on elegant carved figural swan form legs, terminating in claw and ball feet, finished in parcel gilt antiqued cream paint finish. Bold, large scale, statement pieces, these extraordinary tables are sure to add a touch of sophisticated whimsical elegance, warmth, opulence, and comfort to any space! circa 1970

Signed, "Phyllis Morris" to the rear support in typical stylized font (under later metal wall mount brackets)

Provenance / Acquisition:
From an important Guadalajara, Mexico Estate

Acquired from highly reputable auction house, Austin Auction Gallery, est.1983, Austin, Texas.

Dimensions: (approx)
31" High, 49" Wide, 24.75" Deep (each)

Phyllis Morris was one of the design industry’s first multitaskers. She wore many hats: furniture designer, businesswoman, civic leader, legendary hostess, humanitarian, wife and mother.

Phyllis Morris is known for them all, but mostly that last one.

The legendary interior designer of the 1950s and ’60s wrote her own rules and lived a life as large and colorful as the designs she favored.

Morris began her design career in 1953 in Los Angeles, California by creating the "Poodle Lamp," a sculpture of her own poodle topped with a little flared shade. Dubbed “The Marilyn Monroe of the furniture industry” — she took charge of her destiny with her famous poodle lamp.
After sculpting the original, based on her own pink-dyed pup, Morris left it on consignment in a Beverly Hills shop. She had friends place orders for it; the shop asked for a dozen models, and Morris was in business. “I knew I was not a homemaker,” she said.

What transformed Morris from lamp designer to “designer to the stars” may have been her instinct for publicity. She reportedly delivered two of the lamps to Liberace, her first big-name customer, in a pink Cadillac convertible, while wearing a mink cape.

Morris was a pro at offering provocative quips or outrageous photo-ops, which often made headlines around the globe.

“My mom was a marketing genius,” says Morris’ daughter Jamie Adler, who now runs the brand and reintroduced the poodle lamp for Currey & Company last year. “She understood branding and how to get press. She was so brave and fearless as a woman in a male-dominated industry.”

At a time when most women stayed home, Morris was a furniture designer, businesswoman, civic leader, legendary hostess, humanitarian, wife and mother. “She was multitasking long before the word was invented,” Adler says.

With her colorful and eclectic interiors and over-the-top furnishings, Morris turned the interior design world upside-down, and celebrities came calling. She designed hotel suites frequented by Frank Sinatra, Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Elvis. Her opulent canopied beds became a status symbol for the likes of Cher and Sonny Bono, the Who’s Keith Moon, Gladys Knight and Jerry Vale, according to a 1978 People magazine story.

A typical Morris room setting during the mid-1960s would find Pop art accessories and objets d'art commingling with often large or over-scaled furniture. All together, this created a look that defined Morris' style which brought international attention to high-profile residential interiors and hotel projects where her pieces were used. Bright colors, large patterns and bold designs were devices favored by Morris to make a design statement wherever possible. "I'm a designer's designer," she told The Globe and Mail in 1961., alluding to her role as a source of furnishings to the top interior designers in the industry. Over the course of time, Morris developed a loyal following among interior designers and prominent figures on the Los Angeles arts and culture scene.

Famed newspaper columnist Walter Winchell wrote, “Who’s the wise guy that said ‘beauty and business don’t mix?’ Meet striking blonde Phyllis Morris. She’s been setting this nation’s furniture styling for … years.”

From the 1950s to her passing in 1988, Phyllis created hundreds of designs blending the Hollywood Regency and California eclectic styles with her interpretation of Baroque-meets-Fantasy.

“Minimalism is for those without much to say,” Morris used to say.

It’s clear Morris had plenty to say, and her design legacy, which continues today, is still speaking volumes.

Condition:
Great original vintage condition. Presents well. May have minor wear consistent with age and use. Overall superb examples

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