Vintage and Antique Beds For Sale

Antique and Vintage Bed FAQ’s 

Are antique beds valuable?

Beds have always been one of the most prized and used items in any home. Antique and Vintage examples were usually very well constructed and thus expensive to purchase. Today these old beds remain just as desirable and useful as ever. Like any item they can be quite valuable costing many thousands of pounds for larger sized quality examples such as four poster or half tester beds, but you can also pick up great examples from al sizes at a fraction of that cost also.    

What is a half-tester bed?

Traditional four poster beds or canopy beds were originally called ‘tester’ beds as derived from the Latin word ‘testa’ meaning ‘head’. Over time the fashion and need for fully enclosed beds changed with a desire for more open airy beds instead. Often the two tall bed posts by the head were retained with a small pediment above and purely decorative drapes to create a visually elegant look. This form of bed with only two tall posts and small pediment are called ‘half-tester’ beds.   

What are common antique bed sizes?

Although people have always slept on different sized beds from small to very large, popular terms such as Queen, King and Empire did not become universally recognised until the middle of the 20^th Century. Instead, most antique beds were created in very similar proportions to our modern terms such as single, double and larger, but were not all exactly the same to the millimetre. Indeed, it was the invention of uniform sprung mattresses in the mid 19^th Century which made a universally recognised scale useful. Today, most antique beds can either accept modern mattresses directly or bases can easily be made to fit.

What is a French Style Bed?

Naturally a French Bed will relate to those beds made originally in France, but it is also a term to describe certain classic styles of bed originally made popular in France. These include the very traditional ‘Lit Bateau‘ with tall or Sleigh style ends and box sides, as well as elegant 18^th and 19^th Century designs with head and footboards finished in a variety of materials including cane work, upholstery and carved from Walnut or Oak. These French designs remain extremely popular today.