All
iron beds start off with the same main basic ingredients, yet, according to design,
technique and period can have incredibly different appearances. The base material for
most antique metal beds is iron. Iron, of course, is a metal extracted from iron ore
with the impurities removed. Iron is also used in the production of steel, which is not
an element, but an alloy, a solution of different metals. A combination of these metals
has provided a valuable medium for design.
Wrought iron is a very pure form of iron which allows a blacksmith to envision and hand
forge the various scrolls and shapes so recognizable in authentic iron beds. Blacksmiths
work by heating pieces of wrought iron or steel in a forge until the metal becomes soft
enough to be shaped with tools such as a hammer or can be bent around molds or forms. The
perfect material for such work, wrought iron is tough, malleable and can be easily welded
and shaped. When formed into bars or round rods, it is known as bar iron. Most of the beds
on our site utilize various thicknesses of this bar iron depending on the location and design
to allow the creation of the many shapes you see. Wrought iron has been used for thousands
of years, and represents the "iron" that is referred to throughout history and is still used
today to make some of the finest authentic reproduction iron beds.
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Another frequent metal used on our beds is Brass. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc and
generally has a yellow gold color depending on the mixture proportions used in making it. It
was used extensively for finials, tubes, spindles, casters and other details. And let us not
for get "the Brass Bed" which is, of course, made entirely of brass.
One feature of antique iron beds which often reflects not only the genius and creativity of
its maker, but is often the element which often most catches the eye are the castings.
Done in an endless variety of motifs, casting is a process by which iron or steel is introduced
into a mold while it is liquid, allowed to solidify in the shape inside the mold, and then
removed producing a decorative element. In the best treatments castings were poured onto the
iron frame itself serving not only as decoration but as fastener, making beds incredibly solid
and strong. One of the most frequent and ancient methods for casting is "sand casting." As the
term implies, sand casting uses sand molds to produce metal castings. Sand castings are usually
polished to remove much of the roughness but there always remain visible remnants of the sand-like
texture imparted by the mold. While there are more modern processes that make "cookie cutter"
injection molded castings, traditional sand casting done with precise hand carved molds produces
the most authentic and charming pieces. The authentic metal bed companies today use the original
techniques to achieve that classic and precise detailing.
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As for finishes, traditionally iron beds were finished with paints, oils waxes and a myriad of
proprietary methods, some since lost to history. Authentic craftsmen often used metal powders and
varnish to accent castings. Many of our beds have been painted layer upon layer for many years.
With years of handling and use, antique iron beds inevitably form a beautiful patina of color,
texture and character.
