Brass & iron bedsteads have long been part of American & British life. They were first made during the 1840's, hand forged with solid wrought iron. As the Industrial Revolution took a hold, they were then manufactured on a massive scale. By the 1880's, nearly every house in the British Isles would have had at least two or three beds of this description. If you yourselves live in a house that was built from 1860 - 1930, you can almost guarantee your home would have had this type of bed in every bedroom.
Made in America as well as France and Britain, but exported by boat to all of the colonies. Ironically, when they were first purchased, they were not necessarily bought for their splendor and beauty, but for practical reasons. For centuries the British and indeed the whole of Europe had been cursed by the bed bug, which harbored disease and sickness in the wooden beds previously available.
The health bed was born !!
Brass bedsteads, some incorporating porcelain and pearl decor, graced the finer bedrooms. More simple iron beds, adorned by straight brass rods and finials, were destined for more humble homes and servant's quarters, yet all retain individual charm today.
Designers of beds in the Twenties used whimsical curves and floral scrolls, giving way to geometric simplicity in the Thirties.
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