New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-05
THE FOLDING BED.
SOME REFLECTIONS on ITS USE AND ITS

FUTURE-vARIETES TO SUIT ALL TASTES.
The growth Of New York is suggcstvcy Illustrated
by the expansion OF the folding bed business. Beds
that be put in a small compass a necessity in
the thousands OF flats which the homes Of many
thousands OF families in this city The style
Of bed cannot said to have gone outs great
majority of fats it can be truthully said that 1t has
never come in.
There is not furniture store Of any pretensions in
the city which does not offer for sale moro
varieties of folding bed and single block Of
business street In the heart of the ctya long block to
be sure-at least half dozen stores given over to
the sale of such beds and nothing else. Supply and
demand have welestablshed habit of keeping abreast
OF each other; and where many folding beds are
offered for sale there must be multitude OF pur-
ehascrs.
1t cannot be difficult for tho most fastidous taste In
the matter Of fodingbeds 10 satisfy ITSELF The market
offers all varieties. wide In point OF elaborate
and finish and prices TO suit every pocketbook.
The folding bed is modern institution perhaps
scarcely than twenty years old The ONLY thing
Of like nature antecedcnt its advent the trundc-
bed. which some of tie rising generation NAV nave
heard Of or read about. This was low affair on
casters. standing not much than foot from the
floor and arranged that 1t could be Showed out OF
sigh. under bed OF the ordinary type. 1t was com
monty used only by children and as 1t stood near the
floor 1t inevitable that Its occupants inhaled more
than their share of the cnrbonlc acid produced the
air OF the bedroom became vitiatcd. But this was
prior TO the pOpularzatOn OF chemistry and science
generally and there record that the children Of the
former generations who spent third OF their lives,
moro or less in trunde beds in consequence
The folding bed IS wholly different matter. 1t Is
the product Of modern urban conditions. Just what
style first emerged or evolved the writer does
not pretend TO say; he deals only with the facts as
they are found Mt the present time. The Simplest
style of folding bed is probably that which doubles
together or where the mattress and bedding lifted
up and then hidden behind curtain. In n general
way folding beds may be divided into two broad
clusses-ihc upright in which the mattress remains at
fu length when the bed is closed. and those In which
the springs mattress, etc. doubled back In tho
middle when the bed IS made up and put away.
The latter have tho advantage OF lchtness OF weight
since tho machinery 10 work them Is simpler and there
are heavy weights employed to balance the bed
proper. Many people prefer the other STYLE however
and doubtless a much larger number Of the latter are
sold Judging from The number OF each class which
seen sale. in outward appearance the foding-bcd
Stimulates almost every conceivable article OF furni
Beds are made to look like desks. sidoboards
wardrohcs dressing cases. secretaries. washaDds book
cases. and on and forth. Yon pay yonr monev-if
you are bent on having n folding bed-nnd take
your choice. The snmo Is true In the matter
OF richness Of finish and decoration. Tie
most expensive tastes can easily be satisfied.
The costliost woods elaborate hanGcarvng the heayi
est platcgass mirrors. etc. are used. The simplest
STYLE OF folding bed-one with curtaincan be bought
Tor perhaps sl0 $40: substantial article warranted
for several wears may he had for anything between,
say sos and So the cOStllcSt varieties run up into
the hundreds.
Some Of the folding beds that most popular not
only simulate DESKS wardrobcs and the like. but
actually these things plus the bed. In small fats
where closets not numerous. the advantages OF
getting two articles of furniture In are obvious
The way in which this is done is By having the ward
robe FOR example in the front part o. the piece Of fur
nitnrc and the bed behind IT, One way Of getting
ut the bed Is to swing the whole thing around-t is
set on arrc caStorS and moves caslyand then 10 let
the bed down I'm the In another STYLE OF bed
the front portion Is pushed Off TO one side npon sort
OF railroad track. which can be made 20 disappear
underneath in a mysterious WY when not I'm Th,
track can be readily drawn ont and the wardrobe or
desk or bureau portion Of the affair sid gracefully OF
upon IT, leaving bottom OF the bed springs exposed
to View and the bed itself ready TO be pulled down and
put to immediate use.
Some one has suggested that there would have been
preemlncnt appropriateness in the composition Of
"Pur Me in NV Little Bed" nj n desk II this variety.
one objection to the sort Of bed lat described Is
that in many Nats there Is not and verge enough
10 allow to lie used without inmnen. danger %
cracing the walls or doing O'her damage.
The student Of civilization In all its phases may well
question whether the folding bed has come 10 stay
The answer - til' query Husl u'p'"" upon '''0 W
b. a like question concerning the permanencc OF INC
fat The two things are ineXiHcaby ih'ertWihrn
Tic nat IN fact has produced ne DedS ,l c, s ~
mi into small compass At the same tnc' the use ga
these beds IS not confined 10 ha,~. III many HosN'
IS found convenient 10 have an extra pea ~ Sl,"n-
room or large bedroom. when, Of course. fodiebeI
is procured and firm engaged IN me maui'c'u.c
Of such beds claims 10 nave sold P"os "o'n n'oi0
~ 81 IN 600 10 two well known hotels In hi city
rbe prn,cnt IS undoubtedly the era Of The iodhe Dcd
The pa5 knew Il not The future may Know II mre an
. H. thot remote period when the earth acall, gers
nroTdcd-n IL ever Shall reach that unpleasant cOhIi
~, tI ccncrol comfort will doubtless he prompted by
,,rver. al nc Of the beds hat f'd for inc "cnrIt
~ MAJ coming Zine It may he rec rdcd lne ,ic VA
, Ic6 too, lis r,c at about tho close oi the 'lI N"r
S America and tha by the end Of he nnctcenth cen
,,rx II seemed 10 be in fair way to drive all oI'cr
In p5n of comfort there IS nothing 70 be sag ngaS
c folding bed THIS IS IN important POM ioo I |on
Tcen he'd are provided with soft springs ana n,
lnxnrons mat rcsscs beds OF ordinary shape, h,a
~, can he put and kept In order with III tie uonnle