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marieconley3
Upstart Joined: 20 Aug 2007 Posts: 8	Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 10:08 pm    Post subject: Mattress   What was a mattress made out of in around 1813? I know in America that many were made of straw. But this was in a small cottage. I want to know what ladies slept on. If all the linens were removed would the bed be itchy?
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NoirFemme
Upstart Joined: 11 Jun 2007 Posts: 25	Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 10:54 pm    Post subject:   Here's what I got from wikipedia: Quote: # Early 18th century: Mattresses are stuffed with cotton or wool. # Mid 18th century: Mattress covers begin to be made of quality linen or cotton. The mattress cane box is shaped or bordered, and fillings include natural fibers such as coconut fibre, cotton, wool, and horsehair. The mattress is tufted or buttoned to attach the stuffing to the cover and the edges are stitched. # 1857: The steel coil spring is invented and is first patented for use in chair seats. # 1865: The first coil spring construction for bedding is patented. # 1871: The German Heinrich Westphal invents the innerspring mattress. He later died in poverty, never having profited from his invention. # 1873: Sir James Paget presents a waterbed designed by Neil Arnott to St. Bartholomew's Hospital as a treatment and prevention of pressure ulcers. # 1895: A few waterbeds, which resemble large hot water bottles, are sold via mail order by the British store Harrod’s. # Late 19th century: The box-spring is invented, making mattresses less lumpy. # 1900: James Marshall invents the pocket coil mattress # 1906: Sealy Mattress Company forms after buying all patents and knowledge from a local inventor.
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Candice
Queen of the Board Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 2731 Location: Minneapolis, MN	Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 11:16 pm    Post subject:   There were also feather beds, ie mattresses stuffed with feathers or down. The mattress "sacks" were made of ticking as far back at the 15th century, though wool was the preferred material. One of my favorite stories about mattress stuffing comes from Knole, the great country estate of the Sackvilles in Kent. A few years back, in the process of conserving the State Bed in the Veneitan Ambassador's Room it was discovered that the mattress was stuffed with lawyers' wigs! _________________
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havenrich
Countess of the Manor Joined: 15 Sep 2006 Posts: 1567 Location: Hammond, La	Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 12:51 am    Post subject:   That's a hoot! Could you imagine such a thing? I don't know about ya'll, but I want a huge bed...like the one featured in Scarlet (the movie). I once saw a real bed that I wanted...it was a canopy in wood, lots of detailing and I drooled!! It was at one of those antique furniture places and they were selling for $4000 from the starting price of $12,000...all because it had a small scratch on it from when they moved it into the store. Strangely enough, I happened to have had just a tad over that in my purse, in cash at that moment. Sadly, I didn't buy the bed *sigh*. Much like this one Sorry to have gone way off topic...but to include this above rambling with the topic... I couldn't imagine having a straw mattress on something so beautiful.
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marieconley3
Upstart Joined: 20 Aug 2007 Posts: 8	Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:59 am    Post subject:   So the bed was like a large pillow? I like the story of the wigs.
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Candice
Queen of the Board Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 2731 Location: Minneapolis, MN	Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 12:58 pm    Post subject:   marieconley3 wrote: So the bed was like a large pillow? Exactly. _________________
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