Before Mr. Platnick provided the extended bio on the previous page, this was my own, rather slight, bio on Coles Phillips. I put it here to show how much better it would be for those of you who are familiar with an artist to contribute something more substanial, Just as Platnick did:
Left plenty to the imagination with his "fade-away girls" where part of the female blended into the background, based on the color or pattern she wore. He had little training (some night classes) yet his talent for watercolor precision, tricks of perception, and detailed craftsmanship, made him a hit with readers of Life, Liberty, Good Housekeeping, Vogue, Collier's and advertisers like Holeproof Hosiery, Willy's Overland, Vitralite Paint, Scranton Lace, National Mazda Lamps, Jantzen Swimsuits, Oneida Community Silver, and Palmolive.
|
Life (1908) Phillips,C - 043
|
Life (1908) Phillips,C - 044
|
Life, "The Honored Guest" (1911) Phillips,C - 045
|
Life, "There Is A Santa Claus" (1926) Phillips,C - 046
|
Life, "Sportsman's Number" (1910) Phillips,C - 047
|
Life "Dear or Dearest" (1910) Phillips,C - 048
|
Life, "Travel Number" (1927) Phillips,C - 049
|
Life, "Feminine Number" (1924) Phillips,C - 050
|
Ladies' Home Journal, "All-Story Number" (1911) Phillips,C - 051
|
Ladies' Home Journal (1921) Phillips,C - 052
|
Ladies' Home Journal, "Girls' Affairs" (1953) Phillips,C - 053
|
Ladies' Home Journal, Summer-Porch Number" (1911) Phillips,C - 054
|
Ladies' Home Journal (1921) Phillips,C - 055
|
The Spirit of Transportation (1921) Phillips,C - 056
|
Scranton, "Maytime Is Curtain Time" (1923) Phillips,C - 057
|
Scranton (1919) Phillips,C - 058
|
Scranton, "And Now - Scranton Bedspreads..." (1923) Phillips,C - 059
|
Scranton, "Making Your Own Curtains..." (1922) Phillips,C - 060
|
Naiad, "The Crowning Attribute..." (1912) Phillips,C - 061
|
Edison Mazda (1925) Phillips,C - 062
|
Woman's Home Companion, "An Afternoon Costume..." (1915) Phillips,C - 063
|
Woman's Home Companion, "A Dinner Dress..." (1915) Phillips,C - 064
|
Woman's Home Companion, "Fashions For January" (1915) Phillips,C - 065
|
Bulova Watches, "Aristocrat of Beauty..." (1926) Phillips,C - 066
|
Luxite (1918) Phillips,C - 067
|
Luxite (1918) Phillips,C - 068
|
Luxite (1919) Phillips,C - 069
|
Luxite (1919) Phillips,C - 070
|
Luxite (1917) Phillips,C - 071
|
Print, based on Life cover (1911) Phillips,C - 072
|
Print, based on Good Housekeeping cover (1913) Phillips,C - 073
|
Print, based on Good Housekeeping cover (1913) Phillips,C - 074
|
Print, based on Good Housekeeping cover (1913) Phillips,C - 075
|
Print, based on Good Housekeeping cover (1913) Phillips,C - 076
|
Apollo Chocolates (1923) Phillips,C - 077
|
Atwater Kent Radio (1927) Phillips,C - 078
|
New Rochelle: The City Of The Huguenots, "The Siren Call" (1926) Phillips,C - 079
NOTE: Phillips died before he could complete this piece, also shown in the Atwater Kent ad above.
|
Life, "The Call Of The Wild" (1927) Phillips,C - 080
NOTE: This was one of Phillips' last two Life covers, both printed posthumously (it also contained the memorial spread shown at the bottom of the previous page).
|
Text copyright 2005, Norm Platnick
Images copyright 2005, American Art Archives
Norm Platnick has published a number of collector's guides, including one on Coles Phillips.
To visit his site, click on his name, above.
|