Here is an Art Panel bed that was found in the Pittsburgh PA area. Iron beds didn’t usually filter too far west of the Mississippi back in the 1800’s. Shipping a heavy metal bed back then was much more of an ordeal than it is today, before trains and truck’s were able to bring them west.
This bed is a beautiful example of the “Art Panel” antique iron
beds that were made to display beautifully detailed floral arrangements or denote particular regional scenes. This particular “art panel” bed has some of the more detailed art work I’ve seen on this type .
I’ve had metal beds that actually had city scenes painted on them from the city them were found in. But most of the panel beds simply displayed a wide array of floral arrangements, vines etc.
I even found one that had a very large panel across the top, that had the Bonwit Teller purple “Iris” logo on it. It was the exact floral stencil that Bonwit Teller uses. It’s almost like someone from their corporate offices had seen the original from the 1800’s, when that bed I had was made, and then had their art department duplicate it.
I’ve also had beds with pastoral scenes with cows and a barn on the art panels.
I also came across an bed with cherubs and ribbons flowing in the air on the panels. There’s very little I haven’t seen on the panel of these beds.
“Art Panel” beds are some of the most sought after and collectible beds made. Collectors who come across them never pass them up.
