The headboard is the only part of the bed that has canopy extensions on it. Instead of the canopy going completely down from the head to the foot board, it curves across the width of the bed about two feet from the headboard..
The nice thing about the “half tester” is that it still has a beautiful visual effect in a room without taking up so much of the space as a full canopy does.
There was in fact a practical side to the “half tester” bed. Originally the half tester canopy bed had drapes across the top, down the back and along the sides and front. At night the people in the bed would pull the curtains across the front. Those curtains would hang down around the waste of the people in the bed. With the enclosure of the curtains, the occupants body temperature would be held in by the curtain’s in an almost “tent” effect. Back in the old days people used thick heavy drapery fabric to retain the heat better. The lacy see through fabric people use today to decorate canopy beds and half tester iron beds would never have been used because it wouldn’t have served the whole purpose of the
warmth factor.
So if you’re looking for the “Wow” factor with antique iron beds and a canopy. But you just don’t think it will look appropriate in your small bedroom…..try a “half tester” bed.
Cathouse Antique Iron Beds
Cathouse Antique Iron Beds specializes in antique iron bed frames, and conversions. Cathouse Antique Iron Beds has the largest selection of antique iron beds in the country.
