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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.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 17 parts.
(Some alternative part names are also shown below)
  • Bed
  • Mattress
  • Mattress Cover
  • Bolster
  • Pillow
  • Pillow
  • Blanket
  • Counterpane
  • Sheet
  • Sheet
  • Bolster Cover
  • Pillow Case
  • Pillow Case
  • Valance
  • Bed Hanging
  • Curtain
  • Bed Hanging
  • Curtain
  • Bed Hanging
  • Curtain
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 createdApril 2, 2009
Record URL
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