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Chippendale Mahogany Bed
Specifically designed for the 5th Earl of Dumfries by Thomas Chippendale
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this luxurious bed is that it was specifically designed for the 5th Earl of Dumfries. This is indicated by the fact that the bed was designed, built and delivered to Dumfries House three years before it was included in the 1762 edition of Chippendale’s “The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker’s Director”.
In need of an heir, and therefore a wife, the Earl spared no expense in commissioning this gorgeous bed. The imagery used in its details promotes fertility, with the use of palm fronds entwined up the length of each of the posts. Originally hung with “18 yards of green silk & worsted damask” it must have struck an extremely romantic and seductive note. Given that the bedroom was a room to receive guests in the 18th Century, the message must have been loud and clear. “You will be loved and looked after tenderly and well”!
