Finally…about that bed! In an earlier post The Romance of Metal here I revealed my fascination with antique metal. In particular, Coup d’Etat here in San Francisco had found a set of c 1750 metal dress form cages that set my heart aflutter. So when I found this metal bed with a polonaise style canopy top reaching up 114 inches and large wood wheels, when searching for old metal parts on Ebay, I bought it immediately.
It was close enough to pick up, all parts dutifully transfered to me. The hardware was fascinating. I had already started to collect 17th and 18th c iron (in background) several years ago. Where I could, I’ve replaced the original bolts with new and held these aside for study and safe keeping.
When I got it home I removed the layers of c. 1980 custom sewn fabric to find another layer of 19th c French fabric, and then a bottom layer of narrow, hand loomed rough jute or linen textile sewn to the iron oval top piece with an import stamp. My attempts to decipher it have failed so far! If anyone has any clues…please thrown them my way!
In December I dyed some of my linen/cotton Carolyn Quartermaine Script fabric for the top of the bed. I wanted to move it from perfectly ironed and white to a slightly parchment like rumpled, in a coolish neutral. Not too dark to obscure the script, but flexible enough for my antique textile mood swings!
For my Valentine’s day red mood: a trio of 19th century linen fabrics from Karin Jansky of La Pouyette. You can see some of her stock here. Above is a French linen ticking stripe mattress cover, a long length of grey and red striped Belgian linen, and an enormous German grainsack with beautiful print on both sides. To give you an idea of exactly how big the grainsack is…I stuffed it with a twin mattress feather bed that I had been trying to find a use for since my daughter tired of it on her bed years ago. I kept stuffing and stuffing and…all in!
Love the this tiny light blue edge detail on the ticking mattress.
This gorgeous 18th century block printed linen is so frail and patched, and it’s vulnerability makes it even more beautiful. From Morgaine Le Fay here and here. I am looking for the perfect piece of worn antique French chambray to back it.
The quilted linen toile is an 18th century piece called Chariot of the Dawn. Love the imagery of roses tossed before Apollo as he draws his chariot across the morning sky. Full of mythological figures. Every time I tried to buy a piece of this it would be sold. Luckily I now have this large piece which could be framed with additional fabric for a coverlet, or made into an enormous pillow…sans scissors! This was from Diane Thalmann here
My first Chariot of the Dawn piece, also 18th century and quilted, from Sallie Ead here and here, is a large, perfectly matched pelmet that I’m showing as a dust ruffle.
I have additional bolts of 18th and 19th century linen and sheets from both Karin and Wendy Lewis of The Textile Trunk so I have too many ideas bouncing around my head for this bed! To be continued! My resolution in 2013 is to buy only what I need or love. Between that and sharing all my favorite sources with you, it slows down my “finds”…which is just fine by me.
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document.getElementById('ShopifyEmbedScript') || document.write(''); Buy Antique 19th Century French Mattress Cover ~Red Ticking Linen with Blue Trim">
J’adore cette toile de Beautiran ( et Nantes), j’en ai, bien sûr…le rouge est somptueux et le grand dessin magnifique…mais il faut le protéger de la lumière. C’est très réussi…tout ce que j’aime!(j’utilise beaucoup le rouge en déco dans la maison).
M.Claude
Bonjour! Oui..je suis d’accord! J’ai toujours placer des articles abri de la lumière directe! All fabrics, even new ones, need to be protected by the light! Merci!
Trish your bed is amazing! You have such a wonderful eye and have brought everything together beautifully. I used to collect toiles years ago until I had a client upon finding out I was going to sell them bought everything then and there. I love old metal and that might be a way to go for my studio rather then a new sofa. Thank you for the fabulous eye candy!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
XXX
Debra~
FABULOUS!!! Simply fabulous!
Being rather “familiar” with this bed, remembering the early days of it 🙂 🙂 🙂 ….now very pleased to see it so well dressed!
And your lucky find the Chariot really compliments the French ticking, our Belgium linen and the German grain sack. Just perfect!
Thank you very much, dear Trish, for the link to my blog! Very appreciated. Just in the middle to sort out all my linen, still far behind with a proper inventory……
XOX karin
Trish your bed looks fabulous and I smiled as we had a rather large piece of this fabric which was sold to a client in the USA so was pleased when I saw that you bought yours from a dealer in Switzerland 😉
The 18th century toile de jouy is very sought after and as a result we are not seeing a lot of it on the markets. That said I was lucky enough to visit the owners of a chateau just up the road from us and each bedroom is full of it and she closes the volet when the sun is at it”s strongest hence it really has retained it’s vibrant colours.
It is always nice to see it in it’s original surroundings as it reminds me that each piece has just a fabulous history……..
amicalement from a rainy SW France, Leeann
Yes…your Fabulously French shop had a wonderful Chariot of the Dawn, Leeann! Loved the photo and saved it! One of the ones that got away!
I love your site! I love your blog – all of it – so wonderful – so enchanting – so real and so honest! I cannot wait for you views and knowledge to show up in my email box!!
Keep it coming! And thanks!
Barbara
That is one of the nicest comments I’ve ever received, Barbara! Thank you!
Dear Trish – Absolutely stunning collection of antique textiles! I love the basket of flowers print. And thank you for graciously sharing your sources.
Cheers from DC,
Loi
Trish,
I can’t decide which antique fabric I like best. The toile is probably number 1 and when placed on the antique bed I can let my imagination drift to a story developing of someone living in France and their life’s adventures. 😉
Great post and as always, lovely images.
Karen
Be still my heart. I collected 18thc/19th c. French and Spanish beds………..it’s was a difficult collection–used up a lot of space. Your bed, the red and the antique white toiles are reminding me of how much I love old beds….yours is gorgeous and the antique hardware has acquired a soul.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
Mary
I am just salivating over the blocked linen print…..birds and basket of flowers….YUM! The perfect fading and aged look! Love it Trish! Thank you for the sources too….N.xo
Sent from my iPad.
Kindest regards,
Nella Miller Acorn Lane Designs
Simply “magnifique” ! Stéphanie