Settle bed
Category
Furniture
Date
circa 1740
Materials
Mahogany, deal backboards, leather, canvas, rope
Measurements
143 x 145 x 84 cm
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Nostell Priory, West Yorkshire
NT 959800
Summary
A rare mahogany folding settle bed, or couch bed, English, circa 1740. The padded back waisted and upholstered in leather, as is the drop-in seat, between outswept scroll-ended arms on curving supports which are hinged. The solid front applied with acanthus-carved cabriole legs on a plinth base. The whole unfolding to form a bed, with canvas and rope mattress support.
Full description
When this bed was illustrated in Country Life in 1952, it still retained its original yellow moire curtains. R. W. Symonds suggested in that article that it was probably purchased by Sir Rowland Winn, 4th Baronet (d. 1765) for the new Nostell Priory, designed by James Paine in 1735. He suggests that it may have come from an upholsterer of Leeds or Wakefield. It is a very rare survival of an ingenious piece of furniture, probably intended for the use of servants of visiting guests. A comparable bed, with the same engaged legs at the front corners and footboard with ogee-arched bottom edge survives in the Museu de Artes Decorativas Portuguesas in Lisbon [Inv. 656]. It has a much more ornate pierced back, and an undulating toprail carved with trailing foliage and with scroll-carved edges. It is described as an 'English-fashion bed' made in Portugal of Brazilian rosewood in the third quarter of the 18th century. (Megan Wheeler, February 2018)
Provenance
Purchased by the National Trust in 1990 from the Christie's 'Nostell Priory' sale with the help of a grant from the Purchase Grant Fund.
References
Symonds, 1952: R. W. “Pre-Chippendale furniture at Nostell Priory.” Country Life 25 Apr. 1952: p.1248., Illustrated Figures 5 & 6