So what did small independently owned foundries of the 1800’s do when iron bed sales weren’t bringing in the revenue need to keep the doors open for business? Obviously other aligned items that they could make that required similar skills to that of making beautiful beds. One item that had many of the same design elements to the bed were iron gates. They were some similar, I’ve actually seen some beds used as gates and visa versa ….. iron gates being used as headboards.
Much of the foundry work on iron gates is the same pouring process as on old beds. The curving of the iron is done in the same manner for both. If you look at the photo I have in this blog, you’ll notice the perimeter shape is very much the same as on numerous beds you’ve probably seen.
I’ve actually seen iron gates that were made at the same foundry that made beds and the design was very very similar to some of the same iron beds that foundry produced.
