The Gentleman and Cabinet-maker's Director (Chapter 1) : Beds

By Thomas Chippendale

Plate XXVII.
Is a Bed with its proper dimenfions, which needs but a little explanation. B is a different cornice to be covered with the fame as the curtains; aaa, c. is the lath with pullies fixed to draw the curtains up with.
Chippendale bed

Plate XXVIII.
Is a Gothic Bed with a drapery Curtain; the pofts are made into eight cants, and indented: B is one fourth part of the tefter; aa is the frame length as AA, whith muft go from corner to corner of the bedftead, to form the roof; this done, you have the corners or hips form'd. Divide the length AA as you fee it, and then raife two perpendiculars up to B, and divide that length into the fame number of divifions as AA below, that gives the fweep of the ribs ccc, c. The curtain is drawn up by one line on each fide, as you fee the pullies fixed at the corner. The other parts need no explanation.
Chippendale Gothic bed

Plate XXIX.
Is a Gothic Bed the same as the former, except the tefter, which is flat. This cornice will look extremely well, if properly work'd. A is the tefter lath; ccc, c. are the pullies where the lines are fixed; B is an ornament to be made of the lace or binding of the furniture.
Chippendale Gothic bed

Plate XXX.

Is a Canopy-Bed with drapery curtains and vallens, and head-board. The dimenfions are all fix'd to the defign. A is one-fourth of the tefter; C is a fmall oval dome in the infide, which begins at B; D is the outfide canopy; HH are frets or ornaments to decorate the infide; ee are the double laths; f is the bed-poft; g is the fide of the bedftead; kkk, c. is the place where the pullies are to be fixed to draw the curtains up with.
Chippendale bed

Plate XXXI.

Is a Dome-Bed, the fides of the dome and the cornice I have form'd into an elliptical form, to take off the feeming weight which a bed of this kind has. when the cornice runs ftraight. There are four dragons going up from each corner; the curtains and vallens are all in drapery. The head-board has an fmall Chinefe Temple, with a jofs, or Chinefe God; on each fide is a Chinese man at worfhip; the outfide of the dome is intended to be japan'd, and Mosaic work drawn upon it; the other ornaments to be gilt; but that is left to the will of thofe, who fhall pleafe to have it executed. AA is one quarter of the tefter, or plan with the ribs that are to form the dome; the diftance AA in the plan, is the diftance AA in the profile above, which divided in the manner you fee, will ferve to make all the other ribs. Take the diftance A bbb, C. and fet off at aa; its rife is taken from the middle of the cornice to the greateft height or pitch of the dome, and divided into the fame number of divifions; and then obferving where they interfect in the upper profile of the rib, or hip, make them interfect in the fame divifion as below, which method ferves to make all the reft.
Chippendale doom bed

Plate XXXII.

Is a Chinese Bed, the curtains and the vallens are tied up in drapery, the tefter is canted at each corner, which makes a fort of an elliptical ornament or arch, and if well executed will look very well.
F is a quarter of the tefter, with frets cut through, and the covering feen betwixt. G is one-fourth of the oval dome, and E is the profile of it. D is the outfide canopy, and the cant of the corner in the plan F is continued up the corner of the canopy, B is the lath and ornament below it; A is the profele of the cant of the corner of the tefter, which terminates into a point upon the poft; C is the bed-poft.
Chippendale Chinese bed