We convert nearly a third of all the iron beds I sell to the modern king size from the original old double size. Craftsman style beds have become more and more popular and are now exceeding the requests we get for the fancier scrolled Victorian styles.
One of the nicer elements about converting a straighter line Craftsman style bed is that you don’t have to alter or tamper with the symmetry of the original double size . Which is not always the case when it comes to converting a Victorian or Art Nouveau style . Beds of that style and design quite often require new elongated curves be added to the original design. Although we are extremely good at keeping the same flow of the original design……… there’s no beating the transition from double size to king size , when it comes to the straight lines of Craftsman/Austere.
When trying to pigeon hole a true Austere style bed, it’s best to consider the fact that in the Depression Era most beds that were being manufactured had next to no “castings” to decorate the joints where the iron tubes were joined to one an other. So if we’re going by the strictest definition of Austere/Depression Era beds, the one I have here, although the right shape and design, could not formally be considered a bed from that era, because of the decorative castings it has. Even by the strictest definition of a Craftsman style ……these castings were made during the Victorian Period for those people unable to afford the scrolled and curved beauties that were famous for the Victorian times.
During the 1800’s there happen to be a lot of overlapping of different periods of designs. Many of the beds that were being produced were actually front runners in style for the period of design that wouldn’t become popular or even classified until dozens of years later. Some antique iron beds I’ve had that I know were made in the early 1800’s are designs that wouldn’t become popular or prevalent until close to 100 years later. That’s why foundries really coveted the designers of their beds. Because they were offering styles and designs that were not only on the “cutting edge”, but way before their time.
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.
