The History of Iron Beds

First used by the Chinese, cast iron pieces were made in 550 B.C. In the 18th Century there were numerous small foundries in the East and even as far west as Chicago. They took great pride and care in their designs. These small foundries could take days to make one single.
Raw iron was melted and hand poured and into molds. Finishes were varied and could range from simple white to multiple colors with gilted detail on the castings. Because of the meticulous methods used to produce iron bed frames, it is rare to find duplicate designs. Back in the mid 1800's, iron being produced in America was far superior to that of Europe. The foundries produced limited numbers of the beds but they were very high quality. That’s why today you can find beds that are in perfect condition: They have stood the test of time.
There is just no substitute for the hand-forged design from a skilled craftsman. Here at Cottage Antiques we have a passion for the beautiful, old, especially fancy iron bes. We're always hunting for good quality iron beds. When we bring them in, they don’t last long. The ornate, tall beds are the most difficult to find. I love the ones with the original paint, especially those that are chippy and aged to perfection. Here are photos of some of the beds we’ve had in or have right now.

This fancy one is still in our store, it has several layers of old paint and is aged to perfection