AMERICAN VICTORIAN ROCOCO REVIVAL CARVED WALNUT NEAR "TWIN" TO THE WHITE HOUSE LINCOLN BED,circa 1860, probably by Mitchell & Rammelsberg, Cincinnati, Ohio. Carved open-work crest, with leafy-twig arching assemblage and perching exotic birds over carved headboard with twin oval panels flanked by pointed pilaster-posts adorned with fruits; one rail incised with maker's number "141"; open-work side brackets; substantial paneled side rails and similarly carved cartouche-form foot board with bird decoration - Exterior 111 1/2 in. x 85 1/2 in. x 70 in. Interior: 82 in. x 62 1/2 in. Estimate $8,000-12,000
NOTE: Right bird tail is inscribed with the following: 'Restored by Patrick G. Bassett, Glanmire, County Cork, Ireland, Feb. 1986.'
PROVENANCE: Acquired in the 1970s from a prominent Washington, DC, interior designer who had purchased the bed from an antiques dealer on Capitol Hill. The most recent owner had transported Lot 1367 to his castle in Ireland.
This bed had long been regarded as the original Lincoln bed, the bed now in the White House considered the second bed. This bed is identical in every stylistic detail to the bed in the White House. However, this bed is walnut; the other is rosewood. According to popular lore, a first bed was originally ordered by Mary Todd Lincoln during her redecoration of the White House in 1861. The bed was allegedly rejected by President Lincoln as too elaborate and ostentatious (and possibly too short) The bed was returned to the merchant who sold it to another party. Subsequently, Lincoln succumbed to his wife's wishes to retain the bed. However, since the first was no longer available, the merchant agreed to procure another – the legendary rosewood bed in the Lincoln Bedroom today.
Good general condition: oval headboard top, with light age crack to molded edge (near center); recessed oval panel, with several light horizontal age cracks; twin oval recessed panels, with considerable light shrinkage (from top to bottom center) of each panel; lower headboard has light age crack extending horizontally, 3/4 of the way across base. Lower center of headboard has shrinkage at seam of molding and has pulled away from backboard; side rails have small veneer losses; footboard exhibits similar shrinkage with hair-line horizontal age cracks; the whole with wear from use and scattered slight UV damaga; Lower left carved openwork crest (near post) has small loss of twig carving .
