Brass bedsteads were invented in late Victorian times, and soon became popular. Design reformers and health enthusiasts praised their use. They thought that it would result in simpler, lighter and more hygienic interiors, with much less drapery. But this design for an elaborate bedstead shows that middle-class bedrooms were not always quite as full of light and air as the enthusiasts wished.

This particular drawing was one of a pair, framed and hung in the managing director’s office. It showed the most elaborate lines available to prospective wholesale customers. The bed frames were actually cast and finished in the Globe Foundry in Charlotte Street, Birmingham.