What determined the accessibility of different styles of beds throughout history. You need look no farther that the socio-economic climate of that period in history…….as is the case of today. It was not only necessary to offer the more affluent specter of society fancy scrolled beds………it was also necessary to offer the rest of society practical designs that cost less and provided the public with affordable utilitarian styles. Lets say there were Volkswagons and there were Rolls Royces. Old bed catalogues show that they offered styles that were extremely simple in design with few castings and no ornamental brass, for as little as $2.00. They also showed extremely ornate iron beds, that could go for as much as $18. to $20.
Some foundries specialized in Austere institutional beds that were more utilitarian than anything else. Then there were foundries that only manufactured high end scrolled fancy designs, which would only look appropriate in an elaborate home. Antique iron beds were no different from any other commodity that was getting it’s “legs” in the Industrial revolution…….design for the masses and design for the few, and price accordingly.
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