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Field bedstead

Field bedstead,
c. 1775,
Beech, red oak, mahogany, poplar, maple, iron, brass
Field bedstead
Field bedstead,
c. 1775,
Beech, red oak, mahogany, poplar, maple, iron, brass
Field bedstead, c. 1775, Beech, red oak, mahogany, poplar, maple, iron, brass
Status
Not on view
Label Text

George Washington's campaign furniture, like that of his English officer counterparts, not only provided him the comforts of home while in the field of war, but attested to his rank and distinction. In October 1775, shortly after assuming command of the Continental Army, he acquired "a Field Bedstead & Curtains, Mattresses, Blankets etc. etc." Designed for portability and durability, this bedstead's tapering posts, turned legs, and rails are ingeniously hinged so it can be folded into a compact bundle for easy transport.

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Datec. 1775
Geography Possibly made - EnglandPossibly made - United States
DimensionsOverall (Folded H x W x D): 11 3/16 in. x 11 3/4 in. x 36 1/8 in. (28.42 cm x 29.85 cm x 91.76 cm) Overall (Standing H x W x D): 48 in. x 36 in. x 72 in. (121.92 cm x 91.44 cm x 182.88 cm)
Credit LineGift of Birdie Washington in memory of Mrs. N.D.B. Washington, 1921 Conservation courtesy of the Life Guard Society of Historic Mount Vernon and the Guild of Professional Tour Guides of Washington DC
Object numberW-473
DescriptionField bedstead with four, identically turned posts, a rectangular headboard (replaced), and rabbeted rails. Head- and footposts are hinged in two places, so that the tapering, uncarved posts with swelled knob tops and the circular, tapered legs on tall, incurved, circular feet fold over the end rails. Side rails with iron hinges at their centers that fold inwards; a hinged, square, tapered leg (replacement) is attached at each joint for support. Iron hooks secure bedstead in open position.

Alternate names for this form include: folding bedstead, camp bedstead, tent bedstead.

Published ReferencesCarol Borchert Cadou, The George Washington Collection: Fine and Decorative Arts at Mount Vernon (New York: Hudson Hills Press, 2006), 80-1, cat. 15.

Deitz, Paula, Design Notebook: Washington slept here, often on a camp cot, The New York Times, 3 July 1980, C10.

Mount Vernon Ladies Association, General Washington's Military Equipment (Mount Vernon, VA: MVLA, 1965, 3rd ed.), 26, 28-9, fig. 21.

Mount Vernon Ladies Association, General Washington's Swords and Military Equipment (Mount Vernon, VA: MVLA, 1944), 40-1.
Mount Vernon's object research is ongoing and information about this object is subject to change. For information on image use and reproductions, click here.
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