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Empire Four Poster Bed

Antique Queen-Size Carved Four-Poster American Empire Bed, Philadelphia, c 1825
Antique Queen-Size Carved Four-Poster American Empire Bed, Philadelphia, c 1825

Antique Queen-Size Carved Four-Poster American Empire Bed, Philadelphia, c 1825

Located in INTERLAKEN, NY

An extraordinary American empire four-poster bed in cherry wood from the Philadelphia area that

Category

Antique 1820s American Empire Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Cherry, Poplar

American Empire Mahogany Four-Poster Bed
American Empire Mahogany Four-Poster Bed

American Empire Mahogany Four-Poster Bed

$5,500

H 54 in W 76 in D 43 in

American Empire Mahogany Four-Poster Bed

Located in Queens, NY

American Empire-style (Probably 19th Century) mahogany four poster twin size bed with acorn finials

Category

Antique 19th Century American American Empire Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Mahogany

American Mahogany Classical Acanthus Carved Four Poster Tester Bed.  Circa 1815
American Mahogany Classical Acanthus Carved Four Poster Tester Bed.  Circa 1815

American Mahogany Classical Acanthus Carved Four Poster Tester Bed. Circa 1815

By Anthony Gabriel Quervelle

Located in Charleston, SC

American mahogany Classical carved four poster bed with molded edge tester, flanking swan necks

Category

Antique 1810s American American Empire Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Brass

Recent Sales

Brass Four Poster Bed c.1831-1836 by R W Winfield for Prince of Ottoman Empire
Brass Four Poster Bed c.1831-1836 by R W Winfield for Prince of Ottoman Empire

Brass Four Poster Bed c.1831-1836 by R W Winfield for Prince of Ottoman Empire

By R. W. Winfield & Co.

Located in Wrexham, GB

An important museum quality brass four poster bed made by R W Winfield circa 1831 to 1836 as a

Category

Antique 1830s British William IV Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Brass, Iron

Mid-19th Century Empire Style Mahogany Four Poster Single Bed
Mid-19th Century Empire Style Mahogany Four Poster Single Bed

Mid-19th Century Empire Style Mahogany Four Poster Single Bed

Located in Tarry Town, NY

Mid-19th century empire style mahogany wood four poster single bed with hand carved design details

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century North American Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Mahogany

American Empire Four Poster Bed with Acanthus Carvings, circa 1820
American Empire Four Poster Bed with Acanthus Carvings, circa 1820

American Empire Four Poster Bed with Acanthus Carvings, circa 1820

Located in INTERLAKEN, NY

A very finely carved American Empire four poster bed. At the top of each post is a carved pineapple

Category

Antique Early 19th Century American American Empire Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Mahogany, Poplar, Hardwood

American Four Poster "Field" Bed w/ Arched Canopy, Carved & Turned Posts, c 1815
American Four Poster "Field" Bed w/ Arched Canopy, Carved & Turned Posts, c 1815

American Four Poster "Field" Bed w/ Arched Canopy, Carved & Turned Posts, c 1815

Located in INTERLAKEN, NY

. The bed's headboard has two downward scrolls, with four vase-and-ring turned posts; with the two foot

Category

Antique Early 19th Century American American Empire Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Maple

English Four-Poster Painted Tester Bed, circa 1880
English Four-Poster Painted Tester Bed, circa 1880

English Four-Poster Painted Tester Bed, circa 1880

Located in Los Angeles, CA

This late 19th century painted English tester bed with distressed finish features four carved

Category

Antique 1880s American Empire Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Linen, Upholstery, Wood

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Grand 19th Century English Marine Painting in Stunning Light

Grand 19th Century English Marine Painting in Stunning Light

By John Wilson Ewbank

Located in London, GB

John Wilson Ewbank (1799 - 1847) Shipping in the Harbour, South Shields Oil on canvas 39.5 x 58 inches unframed 47.75 x 66.5 inches framed Provenance: Christie's October 2002; L...

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19th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings

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A French Louis XIX/XV Style Giltwood Carved Figural Queen-Size Bed with Cherubs
A French Louis XIX/XV Style Giltwood Carved Figural Queen-Size Bed with Cherubs

A French Louis XIX/XV Style Giltwood Carved Figural Queen-Size Bed with Cherubs

Located in Los Angeles, CA

A French Louis XIX/XV Style Giltwood Carved 'Baroque Revival' Figural Queen-Size Bed with Cherubs. The tall ornately pierced carved headboard, crowned with an allegorical pair of che...

Category

Late 20th Century Baroque Revival Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Silk, Giltwood

Art Deco Sofa by Munna Design Studio with Velvet Upholstery
Art Deco Sofa by Munna Design Studio with Velvet Upholstery

Art Deco Sofa by Munna Design Studio with Velvet Upholstery

$15,439 / item

H 32.68 in W 110.24 in D 40.56 in

Art Deco Sofa by Munna Design Studio with Velvet Upholstery

By Munna Design Studio

Located in NEW YORK, NY

This sofa features a wonderfully elegant fan-shaped motif, with its accentuated curvy lines with decadent and lavish finish. The feminine curves are ravishingly enhanced by the diffe...

Category

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Huge Restored Antique Victorian Howard & Son's Brown Leather Chesterfield Sofa
Huge Restored Antique Victorian Howard & Son's Brown Leather Chesterfield Sofa

Huge Restored Antique Victorian Howard & Son's Brown Leather Chesterfield Sofa

By Howard Chairs Ltd., Howard and Sons, Howard & Sons Ltd

Located in West Sussex, Pulborough

We are delighted to offer for sale this very fine, fully restored Howard & Son’s Berners Street London, large Baring sofa upholstered with vintage brown leather that has Thomas Chipp...

Category

Antique 19th Century English Victorian Sofas

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19th Century Walnut Pair of Bookcases Boiserie de Bibliothèque
19th Century Walnut Pair of Bookcases Boiserie de Bibliothèque

19th Century Walnut Pair of Bookcases Boiserie de Bibliothèque

Located in Vosselaar, BE

A rare pair of heliocodal French Directoire library bookcases in solid walnut. This type of bookcases is also known as 'boiseries de Bibliothèque' as they often, together with pannel...

Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Bookcases

Materials

Walnut

Rare 19th Century Italian Memento Mori Bust / Sculpture Carrara Marble Vanitas
Rare 19th Century Italian Memento Mori Bust / Sculpture Carrara Marble Vanitas

Rare 19th Century Italian Memento Mori Bust / Sculpture Carrara Marble Vanitas

Located in Ijzendijke, NL

Masterfully carved Italian Vanitas / Memento Mori bust in solid marble from late 19th century. White Carrara marble skull combined with masterfully carved hood & robes all from one...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Italian Renaissance Revival Busts

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A beautiful Celestial Table Globe produced by Gerard & Leonard Valk
A beautiful Celestial Table Globe produced by Gerard & Leonard Valk

A beautiful Celestial Table Globe produced by Gerard & Leonard Valk

By Gerard and Leonard Valk

Located in ZWIJNDRECHT, NL

A magnificent and very rare early 18th century celestial table globe produced by Gerard and Leonard Valk. Established at the end of the previous century by Gerard Valk, and assisted ...

Category

Antique Early 18th Century Dutch Dutch Colonial Globes

Materials

Other

Erhard & Sohne Art Nouveau Jugendstil Arts and Crafts Jewelry Box Casket c. 1905
Erhard & Sohne Art Nouveau Jugendstil Arts and Crafts Jewelry Box Casket c. 1905

Erhard & Sohne Art Nouveau Jugendstil Arts and Crafts Jewelry Box Casket c. 1905

By Erhard & Söhne

Located in London, GB

A beautiful art nouveau casket made by Erhard and Sohne in Germany in c. 1905. The casket is exquisitely executed with foliate detailing, made in the Gothic revival style in both p...

Category

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Materials

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Antique Empire Mahogany Sleigh Bed, Cabinet Makers Example, as Dog Bed
Antique Empire Mahogany Sleigh Bed, Cabinet Makers Example, as Dog Bed

Antique Empire Mahogany Sleigh Bed, Cabinet Makers Example, as Dog Bed

$2,080Sale Price|20% Off

H 14.5 in W 34 in D 14.75 in

Antique Empire Mahogany Sleigh Bed, Cabinet Makers Example, as Dog Bed

Located in Huntington, NY

This rare cabinet makers example of an antique Empire mahogany sleigh bed, As Dog bed. With new poly foam bed covered in black & white ticking.

Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Mahogany

Antique American Empire Figural Carved Mahogany Recamier Gold Chaise Lounge Sofa
Antique American Empire Figural Carved Mahogany Recamier Gold Chaise Lounge Sofa

Antique American Empire Figural Carved Mahogany Recamier Gold Chaise Lounge Sofa

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Antique American Empire Figural Carved Mahogany Recamier Gold Chaise Lounge Sofa. Item features a carved face to lower crest ands further carved wooden frame throughout raised on paw...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Biedermeier Sofas

Materials

Fabric, Mahogany

Antique English Mahogany Chippendale Breakfront Bookcase, Circa 1890.
Antique English Mahogany Chippendale Breakfront Bookcase, Circa 1890.

Antique English Mahogany Chippendale Breakfront Bookcase, Circa 1890.

Located in New Orleans, LA

Antique English mahogany Chippendale breakfront bookcase, circa 1890.

Category

Antique Late 19th Century English Chippendale Bookcases

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Mahogany, Glass

Antique 19th C. American Empire Flame Mahogany Claw Foot Parlor Sofa Couch 85"
Antique 19th C. American Empire Flame Mahogany Claw Foot Parlor Sofa Couch 85"

Antique 19th C. American Empire Flame Mahogany Claw Foot Parlor Sofa Couch 85"

Located in Dayton, OH

Fine American Empire parlor sofa / couch with classical form and masterful carvings. Made of flamed mahogany featuring carved back crest and flared rolled arms accented with carved f...

Category

Antique 19th Century American American Classical Sofas

Materials

Mahogany, Burl

19th Century French Napoleon III Child's Bed
19th Century French Napoleon III Child's Bed

19th Century French Napoleon III Child's Bed

$900

H 33 in W 42.25 in D 22.5 in

19th Century French Napoleon III Child's Bed

Located in Winter Park, FL

A 19th century French Napoleon III Period child's bed made of solid cherry wood, with column form supports and iron curtain rails. Beautiful book matched wood panels and side rails w...

Category

Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Children's Furniture

Materials

Brass, Iron

Orientale

Henri Fantin-LatourOrientale, 1899

$28,750

H 16 in W 13.5 in

Orientale

By Henri Fantin-Latour

Located in New York, NY

Signed, lower right: Fantin Provenance: Gustave Tempelaere (1840–1904), Paris; possibly by descent to his son: Julien Tempelaere (1876–1961) and with F. & J. Tempelaere, Paris, prob...

Category

1890s Romantic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paper, Oil

Large Conversation Settee - Canapé à confident - Sofa
Large Conversation Settee - Canapé à confident - Sofa

Large Conversation Settee - Canapé à confident - Sofa

$19,204

H 39.38 in W 116.15 in D 26.38 in

Large Conversation Settee - Canapé à confident - Sofa

Located in Paris, FR

Very unusual and large conversation settee - canapé à confident. Carved gilt-wood and velvet fabric, circa 1880.

Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Canapes

Materials

Velvet, Wood

One-of-a-kind 1851 Great Exhibition Carved Armchair by Arthur Jones of Dublin
One-of-a-kind 1851 Great Exhibition Carved Armchair by Arthur Jones of Dublin

One-of-a-kind 1851 Great Exhibition Carved Armchair by Arthur Jones of Dublin

Located in London, GB

*Winner of the 2022 Masterpiece Fair Furniture Highlight* The 1851 Great Exhibition Carved Bog Yew Armchair by Arthur Jones of Dublin Carved entirely from Irish bog yew wood, ...

Category

Antique 19th Century Irish Armchairs

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Upholstery, Yew

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Empire Four Poster Bed For Sale on 1stDibs

With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the empire four poster bed you’re looking for. Frequently made of wood, walnut and mahogany, every empire four poster bed was constructed with great care. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect empire four poster bed — we have versions that date back to the 19th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 20th Century are available. An empire four poster bed, designed in the Baroque or Empire style, is generally a popular piece of furniture. (after) Henri Matisse and Henri Matisse each produced at least one beautiful empire four poster bed that is worth considering.

Finding the Right Beds-frames for You

We find relaxation and solace in our bedrooms, which are often the most cherished rooms of a home. Your antique, new or vintage bed and bed frame are integral to this oasis of personal comfort.

Beds and bed frames have long been an important part of the sanctuary that is the bedroom. For the upper class in countries such as England, the massive, costly beds of the 16th and 17th centuries were decorative and of the poster variety. Some were characterized by large painted wooden headboards, often made of oak, that featured ornate carvings and richly colored curtains affixed to each of the two or four posts — think of today’s sumptuous upholstered headboards as a distant cousin to these luxurious furnishings. The heavy fabric curtains were drawn across a fringed canopy to close out the sunlight that might’ve warmed your grandiose and opulent bedchambers. This feature could also offer privacy as desired, because, as we all know, a bedroom is for more than just sleeping

Coiled springs didn’t make their way into mattresses until the 1800s, which likely made for a far more comfortable night’s sleep for many. Bed frames of cast iron and brass were introduced during the mid- to late-19th century. Later, the 20th century brought with it marvelous innovations for slumberland, among them daybeds from the likes of George Nelson and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich as well as convertible sofa beds.

Today, you will find a range of beds geared toward your individual personality and preferred style of decor. When shopping for a bed and bed frame, keep in mind that you’ve got options. Sizes range from twin to California king. At 76 inches wide and 80 inches long, a king-size bed is roughly 16 inches wider than a queen-size mattress, and your bed frame will likely add two to five inches to each side. (The California king bed is 84 inches long.)

From dramatic bedroom designs to uncomplicated, minimalist approaches, the bedroom has evolved into the haven that it should be: a peaceful place of respite, where we begin and end every day. Take the time to create your very own oasis — you deserve it. Rest easy with an expansive collection of antique, new and vintage beds and bed frames available on 1stDibs.

Questions About Empire Four Poster Bed
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    References show that in the 14th and 15th centuries, “four-post” was the correct terminology. However, today it is considered correct to say “four-poster”. You can find a range of vintage and antique four-poster beds from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Today, the point of a four-poster bed is largely stylistic. People place them in bedrooms due to their elegant decorative appearance. Historically, four-poster beds featured heavy curtains that blocked light, preserved privacy and provided warmth in the winter. You'll find a selection of four-poster beds on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    The tester on a four poster bed is the canopy over the bed. It was usually made of wood and could be covered with cloth. It provided privacy and helped enclose the bed, making it easier to heat the bed area. On 1stDibs, find an array of vintage and contemporary four-poster beds.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    A four poster bed features four posts, one at each corner. A canopy bed also has four posts, one at each corner, but a canopy bed is covered with a cloth of some sort. They can look similar except for the canopy on top. However, canopy posts are often built differently than four poster beds so they can accommodate the fabric. Shop a collection of four poster and canopy beds from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Across the top of older four-poster beds was a wooden rail that was called the tester. The tester often held a rail where curtains were attached that could be pulled closed. Shop a collection of four-poster beds from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    You can make a four-poster bed modern in a number of ways. Try refinishing it with matte spray paint or covering the headboard with fabric or wallpaper. You can also hang fabric in contemporary prints from the frame as a canopy. You'll find a collection of four-poster beds on 1stDibs.

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