Chinese Wood Day Bed

Wide daybed with a railing on three sides and a decorative skirt.

This day bed is from Shanxi Province, China, and dates to the late 19th century. It is elm wood & bamboo. Collectors generally weigh aesthetics, age, condition, design, origin and provenance when judging antique furniture, though the article argues that scarcity ends up with the greatest influence on value. Broad flat platform edged by low open rails along the back and sides. Beneath, a scalloped apron runs between straight legs joined by stretchers. The top is orange-brown with plank seams, and the frame is darker and worn. It is 77 inches long, 27.5 deep and 25 high.

Made for lounging, with a safety rail for the overly relaxed.