Antique Anglo Indian Colonial Raj King Size Bed (Circa 1880)

This is a fine quality antique 5ft 7” Victorian king size four poster bed, of colonial Raj Anglo-Indian origin, circa 1880, which will fit a standard UK king size mattress (5ft wide by 6ft 6” long), in excellent original condition.

Summary:
• Item: Victorian King Size Four Poster Bed
• Circa: 1880
• Period: Victorian
• Provenance: India
• Wood: Sissoo (member of the Rosewood family)
• Maximum mattress size: 5ft 7” wide by 6ft 9” long (maximum size)
• Fits a UK king size mattress (5ft wide by 6ft 6” long) if slats are lowered
• Luxury quality mattresses available
• Superior two-tier structure
• Protruding moulded canopy
• Four elegant barley twist posts
• Grape vine & floral carved mirrored crown
• Blind fretwork bed side rails & frame – sign of quality
• Ring turned spindles
• Stunning quality carvings
• Ring turned footboard rail with spindles
• Turned baluster legs
• Dismantles for easy transportation and access
• Original polish & patination
• Rich dark red & brown colours
• Excellent condition
• Muslin draping service available
• Free delivery to England, Wales & southern Scotland*
• 14-day free UK returns policy

Description:
This is a fine quality antique 5ft 7” Victorian king size four poster bed, of colonial Raj Anglo-Indian origin, circa 1880, which will fit a standard UK king size mattress (5ft wide by 6ft 6” long), in excellent original condition.

This bed will fit a mattress size up to 5ft 7” wide by 6ft 9” long, although, it will accommodate a standard UK king size mattress (which measures 5ft wide by 6ft 6” long), if the slats are lowered.

The Victorian king size four poster bed boasts a two-tier structure, which is superior in quality than that of a single tier design. The bed also boasts a single panel carved headboard depicting grapevines and flowers, flanked by ring turned spindles below an arched headboard. The carved open fretwork detail to the headboard and crown is spectacular; this is evident in the floral and grapevine carvings seen on the crown, and the rectangular panel, which sits below the crown. The crown also incorporates a pretty oval small mirror, flanked by beaded frame.

Decorative blind fretwork detail is visible to the side rails and rails, along with the headboard and rails. To the bottom of the Victorian king size four poster bed, the two-tier footboard incorporates multiple ring-turned spindles below a horizontal ring turned rail. Above the bed frame, four elegant barley twist tapered posts support a protruding moulded canopy. Decorative foliate motifs sit at the top and bottom of the posts. The bed terminates on ring turned baluster legs. The superstructure lends itself to being dressed with romantic fabric drapes.

Retaining the original polish and patination, the Victorian king size four poster bed boasts a rich dark rich red and brown colour, with a mid satin polish finish. The bed is constructed of sissoo wood (a member of the Rosewood family) and has a superior structure. This bed would look stunning in either a contemporary or traditional setting. It dismantles for easy transportation and we can provide affordable good quality custom mattresses. This is a superior quality centrepiece for any bedroom and ideal for those who prefer a wider bed.

Provenance:
The style of Anglo-Indian beds dates from 1840 until 1947 (until Indian Independence). The beds were constructed for the British Raj, their families and the British Military in Colonial India. The beds were designed to collapse and be transported “flat pack” so could easily be moved whilst on military exercises and to their summerhouses in the hills. They were made when the Raj was at its height. The size, style and quality of the bed depict the status of the occupier or the military rank of the owner. They were made from the finest wood usually Mahogany, Teak or Sissoo wood (a member of the rose wood family).

Teak and sissoo wood were used extensively in the construction of these colonial four-poster beds because they had the advantage of only minimally expanding and contracting when exposed to extremes in temperature and humidity. They were resistant to woodworm, termites, and the occasional splash of seawater!

External Dimensions:
External Height = 221.7cm or 87¼” or 7ft 3¼”
External length = 236cm or 92⅞” or 7ft 8⅞”
External width = 180.5cm or 71” or 5ft 11”
Headboard height (including Crown) = 175.8cm or 69¼” or 5ft 9¼”
Headboard height (excluding Crown) = 131cm or 51⅝” or 4ft 3⅝”
Footboard height = 100.5cm or 39½” or 3ft 3½”
Height from floor to top of side rails = 60cm or 23⅝” or 1ft 11⅝
Height from floor to bottom of side rails = 47.1cm or 18½” or 1ft 6½”
Side rail depth = 12.9cm or 5”

Mattress Dimensions (slats not lowered):
Length = 211.7cm or 83⅜ or 6ft 11⅜ (maximum opening)
Width (slats) = 162cm or 63¾” or 5ft 3¾” (maximum opening)
Width (including side rails) = 170cm or 67” or 5ft 7” (maximum opening)

Mattress Dimensions (slats lowered):
Length = 211.7cm or 83⅜” or 6ft 11⅜” (maximum opening)
Width = 158.3cm or 62⅜” or 5ft 2⅜” (maximum opening)

This Victorian king size four poster bed will fit a standard UK king size mattress (which measures 5ft wide by 6ft 6” long), if the slats are lowered. This may be an option if you already own a king size mattress. The mattress shown on the bed in the pictures is a UK king size mattress. However, it is advised that a custom size mattress is supplied, as this will fit the bed frame more closely and maximise the mattress space. The actual dimensions of the custom mattress will depend on whether the slats are lowered or not.

Condition Report:
This is a fine quality antique 5ft 7” Victorian king size four poster bed, of colonial Raj Anglo-Indian origin, circa 1880, which will fit a standard UK king size mattress (5ft wide by 6ft 6” long), in excellent original condition. Nominal old use marks to the leading edges and polish but nothing significant considering the age of the item. The headboard and footboard bed joints have been cleaned and glued to ensure the bed frame is solid in joint. The bed has been cleaned and French polished by hand in our workshop to a professional standard, therefore the colour and patination of the timber is of an excellent standard. Some minor foxing to the original glass mirror. The carvings are all intact, with no missing pieces or damage beyond the usual signs of age and use. The bed assembles together and all bolts and screws are in good condition. This Victorian king size four poster bed, is well constructed, solid in joint and ready to use.

Price:
The price for this item is £13,750, which includes free delivery to mainland England, Wales & southern Scotland* and free 14-day returns.

Lowering the Slats:
The benefit of lowering the slats is that you get to see more of the headboard carvings even though you are using a modern 10" - 12" depth mattress. The original Victorian mattresses would have only been 2" - 3" deep. The slats are lowered by around 3" in height. By lowering the slats, the width of the mattress will be reduced by 1" in total.

It is advised that 1" should be removed from the mattress width dimension, if the slats are to be lowered. Between 1"- 3" (in total) should be removed from the above mattress length dimension to allow the mattress to comfortably fit on the bed between the headboard and footboard.

The mattress shown on the bed in the pictures is a standard UK king size mattress, which measures 5ft wide x 6ft 6" long.

If you preferred to lower the slats, you will be able to fit a standard UK king size mattress (5ft wide x 6ft 6” long). If you prefer to have a longer mattress, we can supply one to up to 6ft 10" in length.

Our custom mattresses start from £450. The actual dimensions of the custom mattress will depend on whether the slats are lowered or not.

Mattresses:
Because these beds are individually unique and do not always conform to modern mattress dimensions, we also supply a range of customised luxury quality mattresses for these beds starting from £450. Our mattresses are constructed of natural materials (silk, wool & cashmere) and are hand made in the UK. The mattresses can have the corners removed so to maximise the mattress fit in the super-structure of bed. The price quoted does not include the mattress. Please enquire for a mattress quote.

Draping Service
We offer a separate draping service whereby we can dress the bed with any fabric of choice. This service can consist of the basic fabric being wrapped around the canopy, to hanging curtains or, providing a dressed solid roof with hung curtains. Apart from the superior style and presence, this four-poster bed had a practical purpose. The bed would have originally been decorated with a light muslin cotton material to prevent the mosquitos from biting the occupants in bed. The advertised price does not include drapes. Please contact us for a quote.

Customer Service:
We offer customer satisfaction through the following services:
• Free delivery to England, Wales & Southern Scotland*
• Free 14-Day Returns
• Full money back assurance
• Worldwide shipping
• Full insurance of items in transit

Further Information:
For more information or photographs please email or call us.

Free UK Delivery*:
We offer free delivery to mainland England, Wales, and Southern Scotland (anywhere south of Stirling). *We do not offer free delivery to locations north of Stirling in Scotland, Northern Ireland, or any British Islands off the mainland; for example, the Isle of Man, Isle of White and Channel Islands. If you live in one of the areas where we do not offer free delivery, please contact us for a delivery quote before purchasing the item. Delivery will be made by our specialised antique furniture delivery service, or in some cases we will use a courier service for distant deliveries.

Delivery times are usually 1-4 weeks depending on location; we aim to deliver the majority of items within 2 weeks. All items are professionally packaged and fully insured in transit; therefore, we can assure you, your items will be securely protected in transit and arrive safely with you.

Once you have purchased an item, we will contact you by email and/or telephone and provide you with a provisional delivery date, in order for you to confirm if it is suitable for you. Once you have confirmed you can accept delivery on the provisional delivery date, we will book the delivery in with our shippers and it then becomes a confirmed delivery date.

We will also provide you with our shippers' contact details, in case you need to contact the driver on the day of delivery. It's helpful if you can provide us with both the landline and mobile telephone number, in case the driver cannot reach you on one of the numbers on the day of delivery, they can contact you on your alternative number.

In order to be able to offer you free delivery, it is based on a 1-man delivery only. For any large items that require 2 people to lift the item, we ask that you are available at the time of delivery to be able to give our shipper a lift off the van and into your house with the item. If you are not able to lift items yourself, we ask that you have someone on hand at the time of delivery to assist our shipper with lifting the item.

Free 14-Day UK Returns & Refunds:
A free 14-day "no quibble" returns policy (from the date you receive the item) is available if you are not happy with this item. We will collect the item free of charge from you (we do not charge a return fee / collection fee). You will be given a full refund as long as the item is returned in the same condition. We will collect returns using our own specialist furniture delivery company. We will not accept returns via a courier service (due to experience of damaged items in transit). This refund policy only applies to deliveries to the UK.

UK Buyer Payment:
For UK buyers, we accept cash on collection or delivery; cheque, credit card, BACS (free bank to bank transfer) or PayPal. Payment is requested within 5 days of the sale. Payment must be cleared before the items are collected or delivered.

International Buyers:
If you live outside the UK and you would like to purchase this item, please contact us before purchasing it, so that we can obtain an accurate shipping quote and delivery lead-time. The shipping quote provided is a global estimate only. The actual shipping cost will vary by country and postcode. We ask that you have a minimum feedback score of 50 to buy this item. Due to the distances and costs involved with shipping outside the UK, a returns policy is therefore not available for international buyers. Before placing your order(s) please make sure this is the item for you. We request payment by bank transfer (we do not accept payment via PayPal, credit or debit cards for international purchases). Payment is requested within 10 days of the purchase. Payment must be cleared before the items are collected or delivered to our shippers. The advertised price of the item does not include the shipping cost, sales tax, import duty or custom fees.

Important information regarding PayPal payment:
We only accept payment from fully verified PayPal account holders with confirmed addresses only. Items will only be sent to the confirmed address registered in PayPal. If you purchase an item and your address is not confirmed, your payment will be refunded and the purchase cancelled. It only takes a few moments to verify and confirm your PayPal details.

About the Seller:
This item is being sold by Yola Gray Antiques who is an accredited member of LAPADA (the UK's largest Trade Association of Professional Art and Antique Dealers) and CINOA. CINOA is the world association of Art & Antique dealer associations. All LAPADA & CINOA members abide by their strict code of practice by adhering to reputable standards of quality, expertise and integrity.

Yola Gray has dealt in fine art and antique furniture for over 45 years. Yola Gray has a special interest in colonial furniture, specifically Colonial Four Poster Beds. Yola Gray also provides a variety of fine English Antique Furniture, Art and Fabrics to clients in the UK, Europe and further afield.

Please visit the Yola Gray website for further items and information.

Ref. A251 / 16590

Condition report:

This is a fine quality antique 5ft 7” Victorian king size four poster bed, of colonial Raj Anglo-Indian origin, circa 1880, which will fit a standard UK king size mattress (5ft wide by 6ft 6” long), in excellent original condition. Nominal old use marks to the leading edges and polish but nothing significant considering the age of the item. The headboard and footboard bed joints have been cleaned and glued to ensure the bed frame is solid in joint. The bed has been cleaned and French polished by hand in our workshop to a professional standard, therefore the colour and patination of the timber is of an excellent standard. Some minor foxing to the original glass mirror. The carvings are all intact, with no missing pieces or damage beyond the usual signs of age and use. The bed assembles together and all bolts and screws are in good condition. This Victorian king size four poster bed, is well constructed, solid in joint and ready to use.