Ref 17. Colonial Four Poster Bed circa 1840

This antique four poster bed is made from very good quality hard wood probably mahogany it has beautiful barley twist posts and a fabulous hand carved headboard. There is a cornice with the bed which is not shown in the photographs. The amount of carving and detail on this particular bed is exceptional. The crest depicts the lion and the unicorn the official royal coat of arms - a favoured decoration in British Colonial India. This four poster bed will date around 1840 and is completely original. It is likely to take a mattress 5 foot 7 wide x 6 foot 6 - we are able to supply a made to measure mattress for this bed - see below. A fabulous colonial four poster bed and a fascinating piece of history. To read about the history of this Colonial Four Poster Bed scroll down to bottom of page.  

Condition report-Wonderful carving on this particular bed, in very good original condition. The usual signs of age, this bed has been well cared for over the last 160 years. The outdoor  photographs below show the bed in India before restoration, As with all these beds restoration has been kept to a minimum - careful cleaning and polishing conserving the beautiful patina   

Price of bed £3700
Mattress made to measure for this bed!
we offer large discounts on mattresses for customers buying beds - please ask for details.

Please note we do concentrate on searching out the larger sized four poster beds which are increasingly difficult to find but if you require a different size please contact us we may be able to help.

The lion and the unicorn - the official Royal Coat of Arms

colonial four poster bed in India before restoration

From the 17th century to 1911 The British East India Company had a colony in India, especially in the then capital city Calcutta. Calcutta was a very important city and trading port to protect the British interests, so a large contingent of British troops were also posted here. In 1858 the rule of the East India Company was transferred to the Crown, The British Raj.  These rulers had grand tastes and wanted British style in their homes, they were very wealthy people so commissioned the finest craftsmen to make impressive pieces of furniture including beds, none more impressive than four poster beds. The local Nawabs (land-owners) and maharajahs were also greatly influenced by European lifestyles and also commissioned furniture for their palaces.

The magnificent colonial antique four poster beds on this site are completely original, no replacement parts and date around 1850. They were built in India for the Generals and officers of the British Raj and the Indian nobility. Due to trading restriction these antique four poster beds have been stored away for over a hundred years. They are carved from very hard wood usually mahogany or rosewood in the Victorian style demanded by Queen Victoria's high ranking officers.

Four poster beds were made in various sizes sometimes very large. The large size is probably because you would have wanted to spread out during the heat of an Indian summer. Originally these four poster beds would have been covered with mosquito net, but look fabulous with traditional drapes or muslin for a modern touch. The beds are restored sympathetically, carefully cleaned preserving their natural patina then wax polished giving them a natural sheen.