Four poster bed

Four poster bed

A four poster bed is a bed with four vertical columns, one in each corner, that support a tester, or upper (usually rectangular) panel. There are a number of antique four poster beds extant dating to the 16th century and earlier; many of these early beds are highly ornate and are made from oak. An example of such an early 16th century four poster resides in Crathes Castle, which was made for the original castle owners in the Burnett of Leys family.

Usually, the function of the tester was to hold bed curtains that could surround the bed to keep out draughts. In the modern Western world, this function has become unnecessary because of improvements in insulation and draught exclusion. Consequently, the posts and tester became a redundant element of comfortable bedding, and their cost meant that they gradually became less popular in favour of postless beds. Nevertheless, the four-poster bed without the tester has remained a popular style for many bedrooms because of its traditional and luxurious appearance.Fact|date=March 2008

ee also

*Canopy bed


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  • Four-poster bed — A four poster bed is a bed with four vertical columns, one in each corner, that support a tester, or upper (usually rectangular) panel. There are a number of antique four poster beds extant dating to the 16th century and earlier; many of these… …   Wikipedia

  • four-poster bed — variant UK US Main entry: four poster * * * ˌfour poster ˈbed [four poster bed] (also ˌfour ˈposter) …   Useful english dictionary

  • four-poster bed — four poster UK / US or four poster bed UK / US noun [countable] Word forms four poster : singular four poster plural four posters an old fashioned bed with four tall posts at the corners, which sometimes has a cover over the top and curtains… …   English dictionary

  • four-poster bed — four poster beds N COUNT A four poster bed or a four poster is a large old fashioned bed that has a tall post at each corner and curtains that can be drawn around it …   English dictionary

  • four-poster bed — also four poster n a bed with four tall posts at the corners, a cover fixed at the top of the posts, and curtains around the sides …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • four-poster — UK / US or four poster bed UK / US noun [countable] Word forms four poster : singular four poster plural four posters an old fashioned bed with four tall posts at the corners, which sometimes has a cover over the top and curtains around the sides …   English dictionary

  • four-poster — (also four poster bed) ► NOUN ▪ a canopied bed with a post at each corner …   English terms dictionary

  • four-poster — noun a bed with posts at the four corners that can be used to support a canopy or curtains • Hypernyms: ↑bed • Part Meronyms: ↑leg * * * ˌfour poster ˈbed [four poster bed] ( …   Useful english dictionary

  • four-poster — /fɔ ˈpoʊstə/ (say faw pohstuh) noun a bed with four posts supporting a canopy over the bed, sometimes with curtains. Also, four post bed, four poster bed …  

  • four-poster — also four poster bed noun (C) a bed with four tall posts at the corners, a cover fixed at the top of the posts, and curtains around the sides …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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