One of the major draws that metal beds have had throughout history, has been their adaptability into any specific color scheme or decor. Why is that…. and what sets them distinctly apart from other antiques , that are not so flexible in its usage? The first thing is that back in the 1800’s wood furniture…
I’m often asked about what type of mattresses were used on beds back in the 1800’s. After a discussion of feather mattresses……their advantages and disadvantages, the topic invariably turns to what man used before conventional mattresses were used on bed frames. It is thought that during the Crusades, Europeans adopted the Arabic method of sleeping on cushions thrown on the…
For 40 years I have been dealing in antique iron beds. In that period of time, I have never bought or sold an old original spring unit. Is it because they are so rare and difficult to come by? Hardly…..When I started in the business those people wanting to sell me beds, throughout the backwoods…
Although the Art Deco school of design first appeared in France during the 1920s and flourished internationally during the 30s and 40s, metal beds of the early and mid 1800’s, were already displaying Art Deco styling way before they would become popular. It’s difficult to imagine what the designers of iron beds were thinking to…
Nearly all of the custom antique faux’ finishes that we do here at Cathouse Beds, came about as a result of customers, decorators and clients that happen to have something they wanted their antique iron beds “finish”, to blend with. The most common items are material swatches from items like dust ruffles, blankets, pillows or…
I’ve always been a bit of a “purist” when it comes to antique iron beds and “reproductions”. There have been a few companies that go above and beyond in their efforts to maintain the exact duplication of the original iron beds they’re copying. This can be difficult for numerous reasons, the least of which are…
Dust Ruffle or No Dust Ruffle……That is the question. If you’re looking for authenticity and historic value, then you have to opt out of the dust ruffle. Back in the 1800’s, one of the main reasons people were attracted to iron beds was the elimination of rodents in their beds because the iron side poles…
Over the years, the way people dress and appoint their iron beds has changed considerably. One of those major alterations has been the use of pillows. Back in the 1800’s a bed was strictly used to sleep in. There were no TVs to watch and people rarely ever read in bed. With that said…..pillows were…
I bought my first antique iron bed, or I should say acquired it, back in 1969. It was given to me by a farmer in the backwoods of Central Pennsylvania. I’ve been asked how I got into this business and recounted the story about how I came across it so many times, I posted the…
The major thing that give metal beds their distinction from any other type of bed, are the cast iron castings that are the decorative pieces that are poured around all the “joints” of rods and tubing in the design of the iron beds. They are the “fingerprint’ of the foundry that has designed them ,…