When I got the bed I had really inspected it until a few days later I was moving some of the iron beds from that particular shipment and I happened to notice it.
The casting is of a mythical character I was able to pull up on the web called “Old Man Winter” the drawing along side the casting is the one I pulled off the web. As you can see, when comparing the two, they are remarkably similar. Few iron beds I’ve had in the past 40 years have had anything as definitive yet hidden as this one.
Iron bed manufacturers, back in the 1800’s usually wanted their unique castings to stand out and be more definitive, so they could be identified and appreciated. So it’s rather unusual that this particular foundry saw fit to pour such a large casting…….yet have it so obscure. The only possibility was that it was a very limited “pour” and may have been for a private individual who specifically wanted such a thing.
I’ve had beautiful “Indian Head” castings, “American Eagle” castings, even the popular 1800’s “Three Sisters” casting on iron beds. The majority of foundries manufacturing iron beds made back in the 1800’s took great pride in their our castings. It set them apart from their competitors. The majority of iron beds I’ve come across over the years have had floral theme’s. Some of those florals were extremely detailed and others were more stylized.
But one thing that has always set iron beds apart from their brass bed competitors are the beautifully unique castings that iron beds have…….. something brass beds just aren’t able to compete with and the reason iron beds overtook brass beds in popularity nearly 30 years ago.
I hope you’ve found this blog informative . I invite you to revisit my website
to answer any and all questions you might have about antique iron beds.
I also invite you to take a look at our company Face Book page for multiple photo albums on Custom Finishes, Canopy Conversions and a comprehensive “Before & After” King Conversions album.
