A unique four-poster (also known as a lit à colonnes) from France, this oak bed was spectacularly hand-carved circa 1890 in Northern Brittany. The rectangular section that hangs at the top of the bed, is supported by wonderfully turned three-quarter columns topped by thick gadroon lobes beneath a battlement entablature with a pinecone and leaf cup finial. In between each of the posts (except the back, which has a single transom near the bottom adorned with repeating crenellation flanking a pair of demi-lune niches) are two tiers of balusters separated by a protruding cornice. The front also has a niche crest with florets carved into the arch.
All three carved sides have two more tiers of spindles beneath the open area, with the front side being aligned in a staggered fashion. Additionally, a pair of large, shapely volutes, filled with rippling leaves embellish the sides of the opening. Other motifs include a pair of recessed panels with twisting grapevines, a pair of scalloped shells atop fluted pilasters immediately inside of the volutes, and inset geometric carvings, mostly along the bottom of the frame.
The bed was recently discovered in a manoir in the French department of Cotes D’Armor, which is home to such noted communes as Paimpol and St Brieuc. Designed to be placed against a wall, as the back side is mostly devoid of framework, the bed would have originally be paired with a set of decorative steps, allowing easy access to the sleeping compartment. With interior dimensions of 47 ¼” W x 76” D, this bed would need to be fitted with a custom mattress, but it would make a fantastic accommodations for a guest bedroom.
*Please note that under the current configuration, the mattress support rests on the floor. To make entering and exiting the bed more efficient, the top of the mattress should be level with the opening of the front facade.*
CONDITION: Very good condition with minor age separations and losses, including one missing baluster. Traces of old fills and repairs coupled with more recent screwed additions to strengthen frame. Please note that the blue fabric seen in some photos (on the back side) is not a part of the bed.
