Few iron beds have the bells and whistles this one does. Made by the E. Simmons Co., that today makes a top line of mattresses. Beds of that period were in strong competition with the more expensive brass bed market. This elaborately designed bed was the Simmons Co all out attempt to put as much brass as possible yet still maintain it’s iron bed pedigree on the perimeter tubing and side rail hitches. Over sized beautiful castings give this bed a weight that’s hard to believe.
I’ve seen old bed catalogs with this bed in them. But I’ve only ever see one in person before. This particular one has the original antique finish on it from the factory, back in the mid 1800’s. Subtle gold guilding has been used to accent the castings. Larger than normal diameter thick wall tubing was incorporated to give more of a massive look and feel from most generic beds of the same period. Iron beds were actually suppose to display a more delicate airy look. So for an foundry that usually made metal beds for the masses, like Simmons did……..they must have felt they were missing a large part of the brass bed market with the thinnner metal beds they’d been producing. This is one of the top 10 antique iron beds I’ve ever seen. ….and that’s saying something.
