{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O368577"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O368577/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JT9451/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JT9451/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2017JT9451","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O368577/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O368577","accessionNumber":"CIRC.37:1to7-1962","objectType":"Bed","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This single bed was designed by the architect Thomas Edward Collcutt (1840-1924) for one of his daughters in the 1890s.  Collcutt was celebrated for buildings such as the Savoy Hotel and the Palace Theatre, both in London, but he also designed furniture throughout his life, initially as a private interest. The bed base carries a stamped metal label of the firm of Smee, with two patent numbers, for the design of the base, so it is likely that the bed was made by the firm of Smee &amp; Cobay, Furniture Manufacturers, Upholsterers and Decorators, who were at different times in Moorfields and in New Bond Street (with workshops in Balls Pond Rd and Bloomfield Place.  It seems likely that the patent was taken out by the earlier firm of William Smee &amp; Son, who published designs of furniture in the 1850s. William Smee had been in business from 1806, worked from 1838 with his son and the business continued until at least 1880, when Arthur Smee entered into partnership with William Cobay, a partnership which lasted until 1905. ","physicalDescription":"The single bed has a panelled headboard and footboard, both with carved ornament, the carved panels set between horizontal rails that are moulded on their outer faces, the sides of the carved panels separated from the continuous uprights, which are turned in the visible sections, with complex rings and urn shapes, ending in ball finials. On the headboard, a plain lower panel, hidden when the bed is made up, occupies the full width between the uprights, which at this height are square-sectioned and moulded only on the foot face. The upper panel of the headboard is plain on the head side, flush-panelled between its framing sections. The foot face of the headboard shows moulded inner edges to the framing panels, surrounding a main panel that is carved in low relief with a central rectangular cartouche, framed with renaissance 'leather' ornament of small, tight, scrolling sections. Outside this is a symmetrical design of scrolling leaves, with a large flower-head each side, on which is perched a collared monster, with the head of a dog and the claws of an eagle. The central cartouche looks as if it were designed to carry a monogram or other device but has been left plain. On the footboard, the inner, or head face, shows simple mouldings to the frame and heavy chamfering to the panel. On the outer or foot face, the panel is fielded but plain, but the main top rail is ornamented on the outer (foot) face with <i>guilloche</i> ornament of interlaced circles. The panel of the footboard is lighter in colour than the framing sections. \n\nThe headboard and footboard are of frame and panel construction, with mortise and tenon joints, pegged. The panels are fixed with sliding tenons at top and bottom into the rails. On the footboard, the section of guilloche carving is in fact a separate piece of wood, inset into the rail. The posts of the headboard and footboard are hollowed out under the base and fitted with brass castors, which are hidden except for the wheels. \n\nThe side rails of the bed are of rectangular section and are cut with short, full-height tenons that engage with mortises in the bed posts. They are fixed with four bed screws, long steel screws that screw longitudinally through the tenons and engage with captured bolts.  On the joints at the foot end, the steel bed screws are set within tapering recesses, and engage with fixed nuts set within the foot posts. These screws are pointed, the upper end with a broad, drum head, pierced twice to offer four holes to permit tightening and loosening of the screw.  These screws cannot easily be removed from the rails.  On the joints at the head end, the screws are of a different (more standard) form, with squared heads, a flat collar and narrow shanks and are screwed through the posts of the headboard from the head side, to engage with captured nuts within the rails. These screws show evidence of black japanning on the shanks. The side rails are chisel-marked with a curve-bladed chisel to allow them to be placed correctly in relation to the posts, which are similarly marked - '(' at the right (PL) foot corner; '((' at the left (PR) foot corner; '(((' at the left (PR) head corner; '()' at the right (PL) head corner. \n\nThe base of the bed is of patent construction, and labelled by its patentee 'SMEE' (see under 'Marks). It is built in pine, with leather straps and steel springs. Two side rails, 7.5 cms deep are joined at either end by flat rails running across the top of the rails. Just beyond this, each end is also joined by a narrow rail jointed low down between the side rails.  Each of these supports a round, wrought-iron rod, held above the rail by two arched, pierced supports of galvanised metal, one at each side. Along each rod are placed ten coiled springs, each with a long end that rises to support one end of one of ten flat pine slats, which together create a sprung base for a mattress. Each splat is but with a recess at each end through the centre of the splat. A short leather strap is fitted into each one and secured with screws.  The end of each strap extends beyond the end of the splat and is punched with a hole, which fits over the upward curling hook at the end of one of the springs.  At the head and foot of the bed base, a leather strap runs from side to side, with eyelets at either end, fitting over steel hooks on the inside of the side rails.  These keep the slats level with each other and prevent the springs from causing them to rise too high.   Four wooden turn-buttons are set within the side rails at the ends. These serve to locate the bed base on the side rails of the bed. \n\nThe bed had not retained its original mattress at the time that it was offered to the Museum. \r\n   ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Collcutt, T.E.","id":"A5635"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"oak","id":"AAT12264"},{"text":"pine","id":"AAT12620"},{"text":"steel","id":"AAT133751"}],"techniques":[{"text":"joinery","id":"x36614"},{"text":"turning","id":"AAT53158"},{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Turned and carved oak, with pine, galvanized iron and steel","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"}],"styles":[{"text":"Renaissance Revival","id":"AAT21464"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2017JT9451"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES341374"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES341363"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES341363"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES341961"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES341363"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES341363"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES341363"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Bed base","id":""}],[{"text":"Bed rail","id":""}],[{"text":"Bed rail","id":""}],[{"text":"Headboard","id":"AAT40447"}],[{"text":"Footboard","id":"AAT40444"}],[{"text":"Bed screw","id":""}],[{"text":"Bed screw","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1894-1897","earliest":"1894-01-01","latest":"1897-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Gift of Miss R. De Castro","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"65","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"36","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"78","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions taken from departmental files.  Need to be checked on object when assembled.","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"SMEE'S N<sup>o</sup>....\nSPRING MATTRESS\nPATENTS N<sup>os</sup>. 112[8?]4 &amp; 3141","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"On impressed brass label, rectangular, with rope-cast border decoration, nailed to the outside of one of the side rails of the bed base.  The number on the first line appears never to have been filled in."},{"content":"De Castro","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"In chalk, on the underside of one end of the bed base.  This is the name of the donor."}],"objectHistory":"This bed was designed by the architect Thomas Edward Collcutt (1840-1924) for his daughter's use.  Collcutt is best known as architect of the Savoy Hotel (opened 1889) and the Palace Theatre (opened 1891), both built for Sir Richar D'Oyly Carte, the theatrical <i>impresario</i> (1844-1901). He was born in Oxford. After an architectural apprenticeship, Collcutt worked with the young architect Richard Norman Shaw (1831-1912) in the office of George Edmund Street (1824-188), the architect of the Royal Courts of Justice. In 1869 Collcutt set up his own practice and in 1879 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects.  He was extremely successful, particularly in the 1890s, and from 1906 to 1908 he served as President of the Royal Institute of British Architects. Collcutt designed furniture as a hobby when a young man, and the design of interiors became an important part of his practice. On 30 April 1868 he married Emily Green (or Tagg) (1844-1906), with whom he had two sons and four daughters. He built a house for them in Ravenscourt Park in west London and in 1878 they moved to a larger house at 36 Bloomsbury Square (now demolished). Later, he also lived at The Croft, Totteridge, Hertfordshire and it was presumably for this house that the bed was designed. The plan of the house, published in Alex Koch ed., <i>Academy Architecture and Architectural Review,</i> vol. 10, London, 1896, pp. 56-7, shows a plan of the ground floor of the house. \n\nThe bed was given to the Museum (Registered File 62/189) by Miss Rosalind de Castro, grand-daughter (on her mother's side) of T.E. Collcutt, the designer of the bed.  In a letter from her uncle Hubert de Castro to the Museum 4 December 1961, he noted 'Collcutt designed almost as much furniture between 1880 and 1920 as he did hotels and theatres. This bed was made someware [sic] about 1894-97 &amp; when I last saw it about 2 years ago it was in excellent condition.'  The Museum was initially not keen to accept the bed, but did so as it wished to secure four chairs designed by Collcutt (see CIRC. 38 to 41-1962), which it considered easier to display.  Beds are difficult to show but it was decide that because this was a narrow (2'6\" or 76cm mattress width) it would be relatively easy to show and 'could be used for displaying quilts'.  With the passage of years, it is clear that this is a rare survival of a simple bed design from a noted Arts and Crafts architect and we are grateful to the donor and our predecessors for securing it for the Museum. \n\nThe bed was passed down in the family of T.E. Collcutt's daughter Mary Cicely Collcutt (1872-1961), who was baptised at St John the Evangelist, Hammersmith on 16 February 1872.  She attended the London Medical School in 1893 and achieved a degree in Zoology. On 19 July 1898 in Totteridge she married John Paul de Castro, a barrister of Swiss birth. By 1911 they were living at Sandford Lodge, Oakleigh Park, Whetstone North.  The couple had two daughters, Rosalind (born 29 April 1903) being the younger.  She became a teacher, living for some years in Cape Town, South Africa, but living much of her life with her mother.  The bed came to the Museum after the death of Margaret de Castro <i>(neé</i> Collcutt). \n\nThe bed was lent to Wightwick Manor (National Trust) from 1963 to 1990.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"A single bed in turned and carved oak, with turned uprights and panels carved with Renaissance ornament                  ","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["CIRC.37:1-1962","CIRC.37:2-1962","CIRC.37:3-1962","CIRC.37:4-1962","CIRC.37:5-1962","CIRC.37:6-1962","CIRC.37:7-1962"],"accessionNumberNum":"37","accessionNumberPrefix":"CIRC","accessionYear":1962,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Bed base","Bed rail, right (PL) side","Bed rail, left (PR) side","Headboard of bed","Footboard for bed"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-11","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}