Bed
1865-1875 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This doll's bed is a smaller scale record of a full-sized one, complete with such details of bedding as a mattress cover and a bolster. The bed is characteristically Victorian, made in dark woods with ornate decoration, including a mirror panel; the presence of a canopy is a reference to more historical, and potentially more imposing styles of bed which supported a set of hangings. Bed curtains also had the practical benefit of keeping out draughts in largely unheated rooms, and were sometimes even used on children's and servants' beds in more affluent households.
A toy bed like this could have had considerable educational value for a Victorian or Edwardian girl, as well as being an attractive and fairly prestigious plaything. It could be used to teach needlework, laundry, and general household management and economy. The repairs to both the bed and the bedding suggest that it had fairly extensive use, probably over several generations.
A toy bed like this could have had considerable educational value for a Victorian or Edwardian girl, as well as being an attractive and fairly prestigious plaything. It could be used to teach needlework, laundry, and general household management and economy. The repairs to both the bed and the bedding suggest that it had fairly extensive use, probably over several generations.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Parts | This object consists of 17 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
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Brief description | Bed for a doll: walnut and mahogany, with bedding; England, 1865-75 |
Physical description | Bed for a doll: walnut and mahogany, with bedding |
Credit line | Given by Miss Verling Brown |
Object history | Given by Miss Verling Brown (RF 65/3424) |
Production | The hangings, the valence and the panel of fabric on the top of the canopy are probably later additions |
Summary | This doll's bed is a smaller scale record of a full-sized one, complete with such details of bedding as a mattress cover and a bolster. The bed is characteristically Victorian, made in dark woods with ornate decoration, including a mirror panel; the presence of a canopy is a reference to more historical, and potentially more imposing styles of bed which supported a set of hangings. Bed curtains also had the practical benefit of keeping out draughts in largely unheated rooms, and were sometimes even used on children's and servants' beds in more affluent households. A toy bed like this could have had considerable educational value for a Victorian or Edwardian girl, as well as being an attractive and fairly prestigious plaything. It could be used to teach needlework, laundry, and general household management and economy. The repairs to both the bed and the bedding suggest that it had fairly extensive use, probably over several generations. |
Collection | |
Accession number | MISC.2-1966 |
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Record created | April 2, 2009 |
Record URL |
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