Old Bed: Restoration or New Projects?

[BaileyNo5]

We are in the process of downsizing and my wife has an old bed (150 yrs?) that we have moved with us multiple times.  It's decision time regarding it's final fate.  Structurally, it is in bad shape and would take major restoration to actually use it.  I know where I am on this, but would be interested in the wisdom of this crowd.

Options are:

1)  Full restoration to usable state - I will not do this, would have to hire someone.
2) Try to sell it.  Have no idea if anyone would want it.
3) Give it away.  (but I like the wood....)
4) Chop it up into it's usable parts and make keepsake items for the family.

Here are some pictures:

   


I cleaned up some of the wood with mineral spirits, as you can see it is gorgeous.  Likely walnut, I'm guessing, although I did see a board (uncleaned) that looked like mahogany.

   

   

   

   

   

[Willyou]

If there is no sentimental attachment, I would first do some research to see if it has any significant antique value. If it does, you may be able to sell it with satisfactory results. It looks like good wood and also looks repairable for someone who knows what to do. I think junking it would be very sad. Good luck.

[professore]

Looks to be a Jenny Lind style.  I would think it would definitely have some value as a restored antique.

Frank S in IA

[BaileyNo5]

Did some research and could find nothing using verbal searches and antique sites. I finally used an image-matching search, and found that this is called a Jenny Lind (Swedish opera star in the 1850's that requested this type of bed in US hotels) spool bed. Have not seen any values yet....

[jteneyck]

I'm not sentimental about old family furniture, so I'd vote for option 3 or 4.  

John

[Tapper]

Depends on its value to your wife. There may be a good reason why you've moved it with you "multiple" times. I'd let her make the call - just saying.

Doug

[BaileyNo5]

Some good input from everyone, thanks guys. More research seems to indicate restored values of $80 - $200. Most I found were interior decorators buying them relative cheap in second hand stores to be used in little girl bedrooms, and those were all in good condition. This one is pretty bad. The worst part is where the rails fit into the bedposts. They have been "fixed" multiple times, and there's not much real wood to deal with. The feet are rotted and cracked. The turned parts have come unglued in several places. It could be made to look nice, but the time required would be more than I'm willing to invest right now.

We are in serious downsizing mode, will be putting an addition on a small house in new location soon, and my wife has released the sentiment demons and said she doesn't care. Don't like to disrespect an antique (even a beat up one), but this will go in the vintage wood pile to be used for other projects.

[hcbph]

We are in serious downsizing mode, will be putting an addition on a small house in new location soon, and my wife has released the sentiment demons and said she doesn't care.  Don't like to disrespect an antique (even a beat up one), but this will go in the vintage wood pile to be used for other projects.

If your wife is like mine, let her do the first actual move to 'undo' the bed, not just say "Scrap it".  Can't tell you the number of times my wife has  said she didn't want something so I got rid of it, then later she came back accusing me of throwing her stuff away.  She denies ever saying she didn't want it.
If you need some ammunition on why to eliminate it, I did furniture restoration and repair for many years and if a piece like that came into my shop; between me and the shop doing the refinishing you'll easily leave $500 on the table before it was done.

[Woodshop]

I have turned several beds into hall benches and one into shelves for a keep sake when it won't work as a bed

[museumguy]

This may be sacrilegious, but can it be easily repaired then painted? In which case maybe give it to another family member or put it on consignment.