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16th Century Royal Tester Bedstead

$ 500,000.00

Brought to America by famed architect Addison Mizner for his last Palm Beach estate, Casa Nana, built for George Rasmussen, Danish Billionaire and founder of the National Tea Company, where it has sat for almost a century. Mizner traveled to Europe to meet his friend, the Duke of Alba, ferociously purchasing rare antiques to decorate this lavish estate. Mizner & Rasmussen purchased this bed either from the Duke's personal collection or one of his acquaintances, along with the marble fireplace from Chateau D'Anet and its linenfold paneling in the mid 1920's for Mr. Rasmussen's Palm Beach Chateau. 

This magnificent Tester Bedstead is of Western European origin and testing is currently ongoing to confirm provenance, age, and origin. Made from European white oak with numerous repairs over the centuries, this bed is truly magnificent and one of a kind. We believe this bed to be either from Anet or the English manor house, Breamore. The Breamore House currently has a reproduction of a 16th century bed identical in iconography to this bed. Same shields, kings faces, etc. The arched details on this bed also suggest English origin. The cockatrice was the heraldic beast of the Langleys of Agecroft Hall in Lancashire England as far back as the 14th century. In 16th century, these estates went back and forth between owners and the Renaissance styling of such was fairly universal in the Western European countries of France, England and Spain. 

Ancient wormholes present on the upper cornices and the back of panels. 19th century (1825) Pope's patent castors were added but rendered useless and snapped due to the weight of this 10' tall bed which weighs in excess of 1200lbs or 100 stone when assembled. This bed was stained and varnished a couple decades ago, somewhat disguising its original finish. There is a crack in the oak footboard due to its age, that was filled and repaired in 1926 or earlier and a few cracks in other areas that have been mended. Pre-1800 nails are found throughout. Many repairs have been done to this bed over the centuries. The King's noses on the end posts and the cornice have been worn down over time and many relocations. Many repairs have been done to this bed over the centuries to keep it whole, intact, and functional. 

Bishop & Sons Depository UK tags still attached to various pieces. Over 25 pieces make up this incredible piece of history, and we can't wait for its true provenance to be revealed through testing and authentication processes. We have a Dropbox folder filled with hundreds of detailed photos of the bed. Feel free to reach out with any questions or inquiries. 

Dimensions:

300cm Tall x 195cm wide at the Headboard's posts. The frieze on top measures 226cm wide x 244cm deep, and the mattress area measures aprox 182cm wide x 203cm deep. Widest measures are 226cm wide x 244cm deep x 300cm high.

118"High

78" Wide at the Headboard 

70"W x 80"D inside (mattress area)


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