You could tell by the size of the bed how important the owner was. Royalty had the largest and highest beds of all, quite mammoth in size! Aristocracy would come a close second. The huge oak bed in the room would generally be covered in fine hand carvings of all manner of objects and surrounded by thick, heavy drapes with a canopy covering it (known as a tester).
The heavy drapery was used to keep the cold, dust, germs and insects out of the bed. Servants, and poor people, had to make do with a bed of hay, usually on the ground with a throw placed over it.
The wood for these beautifully carved beds was originally oak but as oak became scarce it was replaced by mahogany (walnut). Both very hard and resistant woods with an infinite life span, the furniture was often handed down from generation to generation.
Beside the bed was a spittoon which was not considered to be so revolting in those days as they were a necessity for many due to a high incidence of respiratory illnesses.
It was considered hygienic to spit into a spittoon where the germs from tuberculosis, pneumonia and such were thought to remain contained. They were also used for spitting chewed tobacco into. The vessel was washed with carbolic acid on a regular basis.
It is important to have a good knowledge of the history of contemporary bedroom furniture if you are an auctioneer, antique collector, or a furniture buff. In this article we will take a look at the eighteenth century bedroom.
The typical eighteenth century bedroom contained quite a number of items. A four-poster bed with a footstool for climbing into it, a bright, shiny copper bed warmer hanging on the wall, a vanity (or dressing) table, a chest of drawers and a wardrobe, being the main items of furniture.
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