16th Century Renaissance Royal Tester Bedstead
Brought to Palm Beach from France, by famed architect Addison Mizner for his last great Palm Beach estate, Casa Nana, built for George Rasmussen, Danish Billionaire and founder of the National Tea Company, where it has been for a century. Mizner traveled to Europe to meet his friend, the Duke of Alba, ferociously purchasing rare antiques to decorate this lavish estate. Mizner installed this incredible bedstead along with a circa 1550 marble fireplace from Chateau D'Anet, commissioned by King Henry II of France for his mistress, Diane De'Portier.
Jean-Jacques Gautier, Inspecteur des collections Ministere De La Culture of France has called this "an outstanding piece of furniture". Made from White Oak, It is of Western European origin and testing is currently ongoing to confirm provenance, age, and origin of the oak, most likely of Northeast European timber. The bed is truly one of a kind and a rare surviving piece from the Renaissance. It has facial carvings depicting French Kings, with basilisks flanking Lallekonig carved into the center headboard shields. The basilisk was called the king of serpents because he was so deadly and because of the rooster “crown” on his head. Dionisis like faces, similar to those on the Italian Piazza Rotonda are carved into the footboard and its posts.
Ancient wormholes present on the upper cornices and the back of panels. 19th century (1825) Pope's patent castors were added to the 4 posts, 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. There is an age crack in the oak footboard, that was filled and repaired in 1926 or earlier. Pre-1800 nails are found throughout. Some repairs have been made to this bed over the centuries, to reinforce its tester. The King's noses on the end posts and the cornice have been worn down over time from many relocations.
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)
