When iron beds were at their Zenith in the mid 1800’s, many manufacturers were constructing a very rudimentary metal spring unit to hold the feather mattresses of the day. These metal spring units would later be refined and become known as a “box spring”. Today’s box springs are tightly wrapped iron coils that resemble a metal…
DetailsDust Ruffle or No Dust Ruffle……That is the question. If you’re looking for authenticity and historic value, then you have to opt out of the dust ruffle. Back in the 1800’s, one of the main reasons people were attracted to iron beds was the elimination of rodents in their beds because the iron side poles…
DetailsOver the years, the way people dress and appoint their iron beds has changed considerably. One of those major alterations has been the use of pillows. Back in the 1800’s a bed was strictly used to sleep in. There were no TVs to watch and people rarely ever read in bed. With that said…..pillows were…
DetailsI bought my first antique iron bed, or I should say acquired it, back in 1969. It was given to me by a farmer in the backwoods of Central Pennsylvania. I’ve been asked how I got into this business and recounted the story about how I came across it so many times, I posted the…
DetailsThe major thing that give metal beds their distinction from any other type of bed, are the cast iron castings that are the decorative pieces that are poured around all the “joints” of rods and tubing in the design of the iron beds. They are the “fingerprint’ of the foundry that has designed them ,…
DetailsGreat beds come in all shapes and sizes. Here are but a few of the many antique beds we’ve come across. There were thousands of differet styles being made and to this day yet unseen styles and designs still are surfacing.Please note the uniqueness of all of these individual designs. Some are pure Victorian and…
DetailsIt’s unfortunate that a number of people have the opinion that metal beds can only go into a Victorian or elaborately fanciful setting. That school of thought couldn’t be farther from the truth. Any antique iron bed can be adapted to the setting by it’s surroundings and the way the owner chooses to dress it.…
DetailsThroughout history how we dress, where we live and the homes we live in, flect the attitude of that period. So it should come as no surprise that iron beds were also a direct reflection of the times they were designed and built in. The rigid conservatism of Victorian England fostered beds that spoke volumes…
DetailsReligion is not something you’d normally associate with iron beds. But……..throughout time there is very little that religion hasn’t had some influence in in some way or another. Whether in architecture, furniture design or clothing, we have always chosen to display our beliefs in a visual manner……be it subtle or demonstrative. The two topics most…
DetailsOver the years I’ve sold iron beds to people that have had every imaginable style home, apartment, estate, farmhouse, beach house,adobe, penthouse , etc. that you can imagine. But I’ve never sold a bed to anyone with a more unique home than a couple in upstate Maine who happen to live in a “lighthouse”. From…
DetailsNot something traditionally seen in this country…….but the Butler’s bedroom was a common setting amongst the upper class throughout England. Because the butler held a rather important role in the families day to day living, it was important his private sanctuary be befitting his station in life. Often great pains were taken to make his…
DetailsAntique iron beds came in every possible design and after having been in the business for forty years I continue, to this day, seeing designs I’ve never come across before. But there is one consistency when it comes to styles and designs that you can count on. Iron beds will always fall into one of two…
DetailsWhat, you ask is “gendered iron beds“…….. Quite simply it means taking any antique iron bed and establishing it’s gender by the “finish” you apply. It’s actually quite simple. You can take a beautifully scrolled Victorian or Art Nouveau bed that has soft flowing feminine curves and design……. and make it look masculine. Maybe not…
Details“The Hills are Drying Up”, has become the catch phrase for every antique picker that is still in the business. When I started as a wholesale “picker”, over 40 years ago back in Washington DC., the “hills” were load with merchandise. The “hills” are the backwoods, that are away from cities and densely populated metropolitan areas.…
DetailsAs you probably know, the largest size bed being made back in the 1800’s was a double/full. And you probably know that these old iron beds can be converted to accommodate a modern queen size mattress. But did you know that it can be done in two ways: The most difficult is done by cutting…
DetailsQuite often I have people come to me that are looking for that “special” bed for their master bedroom. If you know anything about antique iron beds, you’ll know that they came in more shape’s and designs than you could count. I’ve been in this business for around 40 years and continue to see beds…
DetailsOver the years plain Austere iron beds have often been referred to as “hospital beds”. The reasoning for that is quite simple…….. many of them were. Straight “soft shoulder” beds with straight interiors were a perfect bed frame for the continual use that a hospital bed receives. So it was surprising when I came across…
DetailsIron beds have been used throughout history in institutional settings for one main reason…….durability. No other material, wood, plastic, fiberglass etc. etc., can match up to the durability and strength of metal beds. Often referred to as “hospital beds”, some form of metal bed has always been used in these institutions. They are also easily…
DetailsWhen we think of log cabins and the appropriate decor for them we usually think more Austere and spartan. Although that is probably what most people that built these rugged homes used in them. As time went on and the west was opened up with the railroad, fancier furnishings became more common place. Iron beds…
DetailsCan you remember trips to your grandparents house when you were younger? Is there anything that sticks out in your mind? For me it was my grandma’s bedrooms and the antique iron beds she had in each of them. They stuck in my mind for a couple of reasons The first was an accident I…
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