The Tale of a Brass Bed

The Joao Isabel headboard design that my parents have had for over 40 years.

Meet the brass bed that I found comfort in on sleepless nights when I was a little girl and that I always thought was beautiful but never thought to ask about, until now.  Since I became an interior designer, I have made it my mission to find special pieces that will tell my clients’ stories or that my clients will appreciate and weave into their own stories.  Recently, I decided to ask my mother about her brass bed that I have known and admired for close to 40 years and have never found during bed searches for clients.  And so, the tale of a brass bed begins…

In 1977 when my parents got engaged, the search for the furniture pieces that would see them through their life stories, began.  My mother had fallen in love with the idea of a brass bed after seeing the charming one in the 1964 film “The Unsinkable Molly Brown.”  She did her research, which wasn’t as easy as it is today, and found two companies in NYC that she could choose from.  Joao Isabel’s unique designs, attention to detail and quality won her over.  The best part, Joao Isabel, a Portuguese immigrant who started this business from scratch, honored each one of his client’s stories by attaching a personalized plate engraved with their names and year that they purchased it.  While the company closed its doors after a factory fire and Joao Isabel returned to his native country, the legacy of these brass beauties lives on as charming old family relics.

Scene from “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” that inspired my parents to purchase a brass bed of their own.

My parents Joao Isabel Brass Headboard adorned in cheerful patterns from my mother’s endless collection of Pottery Barn quilts and shams. The similarity between these and her inspiration is incredible.

A special personalized touch.

A NYT article from May 1973 about Joao Isabel’s brass bed empire.

A NYT article from June 1979.