Good Night, Sleep Tight
QUESTION:
 I
have a large heavy bed with beautiful wood carved designs. It looks like
a large dresser, very tall. But it pulls out and opens up and makes a
bed that probably had a feather mattress. When pulled up and pushed back
in it looks just like a dresser. It has little key holes and pulls to
look as if it has drawers. And on the top it has shelf on each end and a
round mirror in the center. It isn’t a Murphy Bed, so what is it?
Peggy
Red Rooster Antiques, of Woodbury, TN
_______________________________________________________________________
ANSWER:
What Peggy had (she has
since sold it) is what’s known as a cabinet bed. Murphy Beds were
invented in 1900 and hung on a door, swinging down for use. And that
design is patented.
 Cabinet
beds, like sofa beds, are another innovation along the same lines.
Essentially, when the cabinet folds down, it changes shape revealing a
bed. You'll also notice that the design of the furniture is similar to
that found in early Sears catalogs, so this piece most likely offered
through Sears. Many of these pieces were manufactured in Indiana.
In fact, Peggy found a
picture of her bed in a reproduction 1908 Sears Catalog, which sold for
less then $30. She sold her bed for almost $1,500.
If anyone knows
anything more about these types of beds, please send me an E-mail
with your comments.
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