Bed

A prized possession in a household of the upper class, a bed was a way of making a statement. It was not just the ornate carvings that would signify the skill of a craftsmen who had been employed to make the bed, but lavish textiles, highly sought after trade items that were found on long voyages overseas, were hung on the bed in the form of bed curtains and a bedspread. They served as warmth on cold winter evenings but also to showcase the wealth of the owner, and bed textiles were often more expensive than the bed itself. This highly carved mahogany bed, c. 1825, is also made with secondary woods of birch and pine. The bed is now shown at Rundlet-May House with reproduction copperplate printed toile bed hangings. The crown of the bed is painted as part of an ensemble with the pelmets that adorn the windows in Gladys May’s bedroom.