Tester bed
Category
Furniture
Date
circa 1770
Materials
Oak-tipped mahogany posts, iron bolts; walnut and softwood side rails; softwood, iron and brass ratchet mechanism; metal and lignum vitae castors; textile
Measurements
256 x 132 x 195 cm
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Erddig, Wrexham
NT 1147202.1
Summary
A mahogany tester bed, English, circa 1770. The textile elements all later and with an unusual adjustable mattress, the head of the mattress rising on an iron, brass and softwood triple ratchet mechanism. The headboard lined with later cotton, and with oak feet fitted with lignum vitae and iron castors. The footposts lengthened at the top, and tipped with oak, fitted to the walnut and softwood side rails with iron bolts. The footposts of mahogany, and topped by leaf-carved capitals above a stop-fluted column, a riband-wrapped collar and an acanthus-wrapped baluster. All on square posts with sunken centres carved with an urn with paterae and garlands of husks.
Provenance
Given by Philip Yorke III (1905-1978) along with the estate, house and contents to the National Trust in 1973.