Confused ????? Imagine how the public felt back in the late 1800’s. Well the manufacturer of this bed frame was equally confused and thought he’d offer a little of both worlds to his clientele. Most people don’t realize the difference between “brass beds” and “iron beds“,and why a manufacturer would produce a bed farme that was a combination of the two.
Structure : Brass beds DIDN’T have the structural rigidity and strength that iron beds did. Brass is a much softer alloy than pure iron. The pieces that connected to one an other on a brass bed were held together with threaded screws that tightened with small, threaded, brass balls. In theory this would seem fine…….except over time a tightly screwed brass ball, will work itself lose. When that happens …….. a brass bed starts sounding like a rhythm band. Brass beds have a terrible reputation for making noise and squeaking. One of the most important questions I’m asked by my clients are will the bed frame the get from me “squeak” ? Nobody wants there activity in bed, announced to the rest of the house.
Now with “antique iron beds”, there were many “perks” the public fell in love with back in the 1800’s……..structure and rigidity was one of them. The designs on iron beds were much more curved, scrolled and fluid, than that of brass beds. One of the main reasons was that when an interior rod or tube touched or connected to another one, that connection point had a casting poured around it, in a foundry, with hot liquid iron. When that iron cooled, it formed a bond that inhibited any friction………….Hence……..NO NOISE. The strength and rigidity was as good as it gets. Thats why antique iron beds have survived for close to 200 years and also why brass beds are now few and far between.
So why would a manufacturer, back in the 1800’s want to deal with attaching brass to their otherwise indestructible iron bed frame? Easy…….it was, at the time, to attract the more popular and expensive brass bed market. It was an effort to appeal to the middle class, who didn’t want to spend the extra money, even though at the time it may have only been a few dollars, to buy a brass bed. It seemed as though iron beds with brass trim, presented the public with a great alternative.
Hope you’ve found this blog informative and will circle back around and revisit our website , to see all we have to offer, when it comes to antique iron beds.
