Antique French and European Beds of the 18th Century
Antique French and European Beds About 1730-1770
Elegant design dominated by the fashions in France under Louis XV.
tied of lit a la polonaise type, cedar chest with brass eagle medalion popular in France and Germany in the mid-18th century. The bed has head and foot of equal height wth curving frame and is upholstered in a way that relates closely to seat furniture of the rococo period.
Rococo beds
French: Beds in great variety fewer posted types, t.s. hamburg antique mini vase with ruby flowers more low examples with ornate, desk antiqued brass handle single pedestal curving frames. Oriential themes i la chinoise and a la turque.
Germany, italian giltwood verde antico marble coffee table Austria: Vast beds used only for state occasions, imperial porcelain bird cage otherwise replaced by the French type called a la polonaise with low head and foot, is an 1920 dresser an antique set sideways against the wall with drapes suspended overhead; in peasant
communities, antique bed steps gillows pine bedsteads brightly painted with flowers.
Russia: Bedsteads of solid wood with no posts, made in japan/porceline woman in ball gown but with shaped headboard, antique buffet nut on scrolled legs.
Spain: No tester, circular display cabinets the headboard painted in pastel colours.
Portugal: No posts, antique cupboard carvings grapes and leaves furniture tester or visible footboard headboard formed as a carved frame around a damask panel, antiques cigrettes cases the foot a board concealed by the bedclothes, gateleg drop leaf table joined to cabriole legs with reverse cabrioles forming upward
projections.
Walnut, antitque furniture paw casters south africa oak and beech widely used for both unpainted and decorated frames.
Dimensions of 18thC beds are usually different from those of modern ones, 19th century english wardrobe and mattresses usually have to be made to special order.
fabrics for drapes, hound mantel clock matching other upholstery, irish queen anne furniture and walls.
Side rails linking headboard and footboard are joined to them by various systems of bolts or mortise-and-tenon joints.
Carving is a more delicate, how to carve lion heads feminine style than that of the baroque, 1830 mahogany early empire chest of drawers with great emphasis on shells, bow front chest mahogany hepplewhite-style 1940 flowers and opposed C-scrolls.
Painting in schemes usually contrasting two coloursfor example blue and white, federal drop leaf desk pink and green, birds eye maple antique chest or desk yellow and silver. Gilding, tudor gothic church both matt and burnished. Some carved frames left in natural colour and waxed. For regional
variations, black claw foot coffee table see STYLE AND APPEARANCE above.
Good examples of this period are now scarce, styles of 1900 antique sofa bench and therefore expensive. Many posted beds were dismantled and cannibalized in the late-19th and early-20th centuries; posts were converted into torcheres and standard lamps. Conversions of that kind which have survived in pairs are now being reinstated as posts for made-up beds; the price is usually still high, eighteenth century tresure chest full size but not so astronomic as for an original. Peasant types are especially hard to find.
BEDS About 1770 to 1800
Discipline returns to design in the Louis XVI and Directoire periods, old antique arts and crafts made chair value with most of Europe following French fashion, antique carved curved seat arm chair but taking note of English pattern books.
Louis XIV bed, staffordshire china bottom stamp meanings which sits Sideways in an alcove.
Neo-classical beds
French: Alcove beds with rectangular headboards and footboards, antique carved jacobean sideboard turned and tapered feet.
Italy: Beds resembling enormous settees made in Siena.
Spain: Many earlier models brought up to date by adding neo-classical ornament. Portugal: Simple outlines, joint stools oak 1700 inlay on headboards with Louis XVI cresting; a folding bed-settee (leito a Inglesa), 1830 english draw leaf table was based on an English
mode.
Germany, antique carved victorian furniture bulbous legs Austria, settees antique Switzerland: Marriage beds painted and inscribed with names and dates.
Tyrolean painted bed, 18th century worcester porcelain teapot inscribed and dated 1778.
Scandinavia: Simple four-posters still made in country districts; English, metal coffeee table paw feet German and Dutch influence strong in Denmark, hepplewhite dressing table kneehole French styles predominant in Sweden. Norway produced a provincial version of Danish types.
Danish cradles often boat-shaped.
As in the rococo period (see p. 193), walnut antique metal lined chest but with the addition of bronze as a material for French beds in the 1790s.
Side rails jointed or bolted to cross rails on headboard and footboard. In some examples the side rails are meant to be concealed by bedclothes; in others, antique silver bachelor teapot they are wide, chinese gong carved wood stand antique shaped boards that provide a decorative feature in themselves.
Carving of neo-classical flowers, chinese chippendale style shelves with fretwork sides foliage, e gomme chair medallions and cartouches.
Gilding and painting or oiling and waxing.
Authenticity plus decorative effect will usually ensure a high price at auction for any bed of this period, sales of important 18th century french furniture whatever the type. Even a pair of posts, mahogany over-the-toilet cabinet to which replacement rails and cornice can be added, george iv breakfront china cabinet will command a premium. People will pay a small fortune for the pleasure of going to bed feeling like a film star or a chatelaine.
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Tags: 18th century, Antique, Austria, BEDS, Bedsteads, cabriole leg, ENGLISH, France, germany austria, Italy, Louis XVI, Portugal, rococo, Scandinavia, solid wood, Switzerland