Portsmouth, New Hampshire Federal Mahogany “Field” Bedstead Attributed to Judkins and Senter, working 1808-1826

A superior example of an American Federal “Field” Bedstead from the first two decades on the early nineteenth century. Though the general form is relatively conventional for New England’s neo-classical era, this graceful example emphatically eclipses other bed of the period by volumes in terms of form, materials, and condition. Found in estate in Montgomery, Massachusetts, the bed, mellowed by time, surfaced untouched and retains the original canopy, and stamped brass bed bolt covers. Unaltered American four-post bedsteads are scattered and sparse, as post 1900, there was little need for them. They were customarily fitted and cloaked with drapery to ward off drafts or deter nocturnal insects and became obsolete after the Industrial Revolution. The ring turnings on this particular bed’s two foot posts’ necking harmonize in a captivating rhythm with the bulbous reeding on the shaft. Most uncommon and alluring is the presence of a rich and deep patina that illuminates the bed’s dense mahogany and hue.
ABSTRACT:
In the early nineteenth century, there were two standards of bedsteads available to consumers. The first was classified as a “low-post” beds, which survive in relatively large numbers and were generally constructed of inexpensive soft native woods such as maple, sometime stained or painted, and were used by servants in households of affluent members of society. The second category of beds were termed “high post” bedsteads, almost always made of mahogany, and either exubertubtly carved or elaborately turned. A rare few of these were inlaid with delicate geometric designs. A “Field” Bed was a term coined from beds that were used in military encampments that were easily disassembled and exceedingly mobile. Thomas Sheraton detailed these beds when he wrote in 1803:
“Of camp or field bedsteads there are a great variety…These may be considered for domestic use, and suit for low rooms, either for servants or children to sleep upon; and they receive this name on account of their being similar in size and shape to those really used in camps”
Inventories and account books of cabinetmakers and upholsterers of the era conspicuously detail the cost of the bed hangings themselves which notably surpassed the value of the bedstead frame itself. George Hepplewhite’s remarks on the subject are very specific:
“Beds are an article of much importance, as well on account of the great expense attending them, as the variety of shapes, and the high degree of elegance which may be shewn {sic} in them…In state-rooms where a high degree of elegance and grandeur are wanted, beds are frequently made of silk or satin, figured or plain, also of velvet, with gold fringe, &c”
OBJECT:
This bed is indistinguishable in form to a Birch bedstead made by the workshop of Jonathan Judkins and William Senter of Portsmouth, New Hampshire for Jacob Wendell on May 19th, 1816 that is now in a private collection and is shown in Portsmouth Furniture, Masterworks from the New Hampshire Seacoast, by Brock Jobe. Detailed documentation of this bed Wendell ordered exists. Wendell himself pinpointed the bed as an item he acquired for his house as “1 Field Bed Stead for my chamber” and “Bed Top for my field Bedstead”. Wendell later purchased a mahogany cradle from Judkins and Senter on June 10th, 1817, which he kept in his bedchamber, one week before his first child, one of eight children he had with his wife Mehetable.
The Judkins and Senter cainetshop was responsible for a substantial output of Portsmouth preeminent and most flamboyant work. Together with their competitor’s cabinet shop owned by Langley Boardman (active in Portsmouth 1798-1833), their artistry chronicles a copious volume of stylish neo-classical Federal furniture made in the town in the first quarter of the nineteenth century.
CONDITION:
The posts have assumably lost some height from normal and expected wear, which is an acceptable and expected condition issue.
The bed’s two foot-posts are made of dense tropical mahogany which is highly figured and turned with a reeded shaft. The backposts echo this motif, but are not as elaborately embellished. As was “rig-de-jour” of the day, bedsteads of the neo-classical era were generously draped with complete disregard to the carved ornaments on the posts, and subsequently, such details were only visible to the owner when it was occupied. The rails which are original, are made of a less expensive wood, likely birch or maple, and are pierced with holes for roping to suspend the original mattress. The headboard is original, and is mortised into the two headposts. The “arched” form canopy, surprisingly exists intact, but has a small repair which is now stable. The stamped bed bolt covers appear to be the original set.
DIMENSIONS:
Height (to the canopy top) is approximately 84”
Length Overall is 76”
Width is 57”
NOTES:
The bedstead comes with an excellent period style bedspread that was made by Alex Pifer‘s, The Seraph, a firm which specializing in period textiles.
The bedstead is photographed “in-situ” from a home in Massachusetts.