Home | Headboards | Rail Styles | Price List
Pencil Post Beds, PP-1
Height 80", 200 cm
Click on image for larger photo.
HEIGHT:80'', 203cm
1675-1800
In its best form, the pencil post bed is quite beautiful in its graceful simplicity. The test of time has proven the design superiority of this most basic of tall post bedsteads. The simple no- nonsense style harmonizes extremely well with furnishings of any period from the Pilgrim Century to the mid-1800's. Indeed, this form was produced during the very long time span of about 1690 to 1800. This truly classic form, often with variations in the posts or headboard, fits remarkably well with both country and high-style American traditional decor.
The highest type, the pencil post bed, has slender, evenly tapered posts. The octagon begins at mattress height with four neatly carved Gothic lambs-tongues. The eight sides are hand-planed, even and true, tapering to less than an inch (22mm) in diameter at the top. These well proportioned spires executed here in rare tiger maple can well be considered the finest of pencil posts. Shown with headboard HB-1.
Pencil post beds were made with various styles of feet. The most popular, then and now, is the plain post as shown above but in unfigured maple and painted or stained and finished to look like old maple. Cherry wood was also popular for posts. Less often other woods such as walnut, mahogany, oak, and of course, tiger maple were used.
The bed hangings are a cotton floral print with a pleated valance and skirt. For more information concerning styles and fabrics refer to the section on bed hangings.
| Pencil Post Foot Choices: |
| A: Plain (shown) |
| B: Marlborough Foot |
| C: Inside Taper |
| D: Strait Chamfer |
| E: Sheraton Foot |
| F: Tapered Chamfer |
Questions? email us