1860"s bed warmer?

[auctionaddiction]

Hi everyone, wanted to share a couple auction finds and get your opinion. the first is supposed to be a civil war era bed warmer. i didnt see it at the preview so I didnt get to look at it but when i heard them bidding on a cival war era piece and it was about to end at $25 i jumped in and got it for $27.50. I have not been able to find one that has two spouts coming out of it. i also have a issue where it looks like the 2 spouts were applied to it. I am not sure of the technology they had in those days, but i am concerned the way its done is not the way they would have done it in the 1860's. it only really shows on one side.  I took a close up of this side.  I am wondering if it could have been a later repair . The main part is the size of a dinner plate. Even if a repro I still like it. what do you all think? The other item is a cane that folds into a stool from
1939 new york worlds fair. I thought it was neat and at $20 couldnt lose.





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[cogar]

With the bed warmer I see one (1) spout for filling/emptying water and one (1) projection for inserting a long handle into. 

That type of bed warmer would have been used to "slide under the covers", via the long handle, to warm up your bed before you got into it.

It wasn't made to "keep you warm" after you got into bed.

[mart]

Is the bed warmer one solid piece ?? 

[auctionaddiction]

hi    it does not open up. its like a canteen with 2 spouts. the up close pic shows what looks like the spouts might have been applied to canteen part. i dont know how they did it in 1860's. thanks for your response!!

[auctionaddiction]

With the bed warmer I see one (1) spout for filling/emptying water and one (1) projection for inserting a long handle into.  

That type of bed warmer would have been used to "slide under the covers", via the long handle, to warm up your bed before you got into it.

It wasn't made to "keep you warm" after you got into bed.

hi    that makes perfect sense. larger spout for handle and since it doesnt open up the smaller would be for filling it. appreciate your response.  

[bigwull]

Its just a less decorative version   of one of these...the difference being yours was filled with hot water,this one with hot embers..

[mart]

It looks like I would expect one to look from that era !! I think construction is correct !!  Both are excellent buys !!

[KC]

These wonderful combo cane/stools are still popping up quite often and you got a good buy on it.  They average $30 to $50 depending on condition/area/time of sale.

[auctionaddiction]

Thanks Mart, KC and everyone else who posted! I really appreciate the information!

[talesofthesevenseas]

Just to clarify, the type Bigwull shows above used coals from the fire rather than water to warm the bed. I have one of these that we discussed a couple of years ago on this topic:

http://www.antique-shop.com/forums/index.php?topic=5820.0

I paid $25 for mine and it wasn't missing the handle, but the coal pan type of bed warmers are really common and I see them pretty regularly on Craigslist. This one I haven't seen a water-filled one with a handle before, They usually don't have them, so I'm not sure what the value would be if it was complete, or what it would be in it's present condition. It may be a homemade one that was not duplicated. Quite clever to combine two designs!

Here's a handle-less water filled one:

[KC]

I have to agree with Talesof.  I have seen many done in the European style as shown - with no handle.  Seen many hot water FOOT WARMERS done the same way.  Just NEVER a hot water receptacle that would require a handle?!?

Been trying to figure why a handle would be needed!

Definitely novel!!!

[cogar]

Been trying to figure why a handle would be needed!

  When mommy only has 1 bed warmer ... but 2 beds that need to be warmed up.

Of course the richer dudes n' dudesses had their servants .... and their servants warmed their beds just before they got under the covers.

Ya gotta remember, pre-1950's, very few bedrooms had a "heat source" in them. And pre-1900's ...... hardly any to virtually none of them did.

For the few lucky ones, the most common heat source was a wee small natural gas (NG) burning "heating" stove. Here is 1 of the many different ones that could be purchased.

[auctionaddiction]

I am a little late replying. I have had an infection and haven't been on the computer much. I just wanted to thank you for your information/ replies. I do appreciate it.

[mart]

Could be that the handle was for heating the pre filled warmer on a fireplace !!

[bigwull]

could well be..as it looks to be made of steel, which in itself is,nt all that good for retaining heat...especially if it was only getting filled with hot water...