How old is it?

[greg Forster]

I have a Cannon Ball rope bed. Are there some features/designs that would help narrow the range of years this bed was made? I'm sure pre-1860s, but hope to determine a more precise date.
Pictures? I'll have to borrow a better camera, so that may take a while.

[Jim Koepke]

Doing a search on > Cannonball rope bed < presents most of them as being made in the 1930-1840 time period. That is how it is in furniture sometimes, something comes into fashion, then something else comes along. I do recall something like this being in vogue also in the 1950s. People have been recycling longer than we know.

jim

[george wilson]

Have you guys ever seen a bed that has big wooden SCREWS on the ends of its stretchers. Screws together. I think it is a weak design. don't know much about them,must be early to mid 19th.C. I was called upon to make a new screw for one end of a stretcher. The male threads had completely worn out.

I always get the jobs that the furniture conservators can't do.

[greg Forster]

I've seen alot of them in Central New York State area ( around Syracuse).
Usually in the corners of small antique/junk shops, don't bring much money. Always seem to be out of poplar or maple. I see them referred to as "hired-man beds". It saves the effort of dealing with metal bed hardware and I guess if the threads were kept greased, the bed could be assembled/dis-assembled quickly and stored.

[george wilson]

The screw I had to make for the bed I helped repair was made of poplar. Seems like a terribly weak wood,and a construction that is not practical in longevity.

[Carl L Goff]

It would be nice if you can get some pictures of the bed when you have the time so we can look at it.