Photos of No. 13 Bed.

[RichardH]

A new blog post featuring the bed in No 13.
I won't upload the images here, I will provide a link below...

Just for jolly!

https://jtr3d.com/2020/11/02/mary-kellys-bed/

[Cogidubnus]

Judging by the wooden panelling in the background the bed is placed at least roughly where it was when the famous MJK photo was taken. However, the second picture shows a skirting of some kind running into a corner.

This suggests the bed is not as close to the panelling behind the headboard as I had previously supposed.

Have I been misreading the photo all this time, or is something amiss with the second photo?

[RichardH]

Judging by the wooden panelling in the background the bed is placed at least roughly where it was when the famous MJK photo was taken. However, the second picture shows a skirting of some kind running into a corner.

This suggests the bed is not as close to the panelling behind the headboard as I had previously supposed.

Have I been misreading the photo all this time, or is something amiss with the second photo?

Something is amiss with the second photo.

[Howard Brown]

Thanks for sharing the photos, Richard...much appreciated.

[Debra Arif]

Judging by the wooden panelling in the background the bed is placed at least roughly where it was when the famous MJK photo was taken. However, the second picture shows a skirting of some kind running into a corner.

This suggests the bed is not as close to the panelling behind the headboard as I had previously supposed.

Have I been misreading the photo all this time, or is something amiss with the second photo?

A few years ago I came to the conclusion that the corner of the room we see in the bed photograph was an optical illusion caused by marks on the photo that interfered with the perception of perspective. I don't know if I'm right but it does seem like the bed was pulled away from the passage length wall with the outside door in.

That way it makes sense why a lot of the contemporary illustrations of Room 13's interior show a washstand behind the bed head on that wall. There 's an interesting old thread somewhere with those illustrations gathered together.
The bed also looks like it's on it's last legs and broken down at the headboard end and propped up on the washtub at the footboard end.

Nice work Richard

[Howard Brown]

Debs:

It might be in here :

https://www.jtrforums.com/showthread.php?t=15386

[Debra Arif]

Debs:

It might be in here :

https://www.jtrforums.com/showthread.php?t=15386

Thanks, How. I start blithering on about the strange position of the washstand behind the headboard and the illusion of the corner in post No. 50 and the illustrations I remembered showing this are on the thread.

[RichardH]

A few years ago I came to the conclusion that the corner of the room we see in the bed photograph was an optical illusion caused by marks on the photo that interfered with the perception of perspective. I don't know if I'm right but it does seem like the bed was pulled away from the passage length wall with the outside door in.

That way it makes sense why a lot of the contemporary illustrations of Room 13's interior show a washstand behind the bed head on that wall. There 's an interesting old thread somewhere with those illustrations gathered together.
The bed also looks like it's on it's last legs and broken down at the headboard end and propped up on the washtub at the footboard end.

Nice work Richard

When I was creating those photo mock-ups of the bed. I actually found out quite a bit about the REAL photo which might help explain some of the misconceptions we have about it.
The fake photo is actually a manipulation of a real photo of that bed which I found while I was searching for victorian 3/4 wooden bed frames that I wanted to use for my 3D/VR work.

The photo is actually an AMAZING coincidence because firstly it is almost the same design as Mary's bed with matching bedknobs and slatted wooden frame. But even more amazing is that the photographer has positioned himself and framed the photo almost exactly as the original photographer did when taking the photo of Mary in situ. The bed (fake) is even positioned about 2 ft away from a main wall at the head end. It is quite spookily similar.

When I started to faf with it - I had to mirror it (flip the photo) to get the proper orientation, then I had to remove some plug sockets and wires (they didn't exist in 1888!) and then grey-scale it and finally age it.

But the photo itself was not messed with and yet the angle of the headboard is identical to the angle of the headboard in the original photo.

I think that Mary's bed was not falling apart, the headboard was upright and secured to the frame, likewise, I think the foot end of the bed is supported by solid bed legs and not propped up on the time bath.

I will write up another blog post with the images shown at different stages. From the Original (fake) found on the internet going through the stages until I arrive at the final (fake). You'll be able to see that Mary's bed and the modern bed are pretty much identical and that Mary's bed was straight and true and not falling apart or propped up by anything.

The fake bed is actually for sale!

[Debra Arif]

As I said, good work, but I'm personally not totally convinced, Richard. Sorry.
The method of construction of the bed frame with bolt holes etc. seemed to be a bit modern to me. I've looked at Victorian antique queen size beds and they seem to have been jointed differently...maybe I've just been looking at the posh ones! I always enjoy looking at your work though.

[Dusty Miller]

The bed has always puzzled me. if you look at the side you can see the mattress is not sitting on the bed frame slats. There are some added pieces of wood above the slats that the mattress actually rests on. But, given the grabs between the added wooden struts, the mattress should sag a bit, but it doesn't!?!

[Anna Morris]

The bed has always puzzled me. if you look at the side you can see the mattress is not sitting on the bed frame slats. There are some added pieces of wood above the slats that the mattress actually rests on. But, given the grabs between the added wooden struts, the mattress should sag a bit, but it doesn't!?!

The mattress may have been extremely firm, say stuffed tight with cotton or other substance. I have some old mattresses that are extremely hard and probably would not fill in those gaps. I am not sure what all comprised a bed in those days, if there were things like modern "box springs"? Considering the poverty of Millers Court, if there were items like box springs, perhaps that is all Mary had.

The old mattresses I have go onto iron bedsteads and there is a metal frame with wire underneath. I do not see any sign of such a metal frame on Mary's bed but possibly there was something like that. IMO, the wire would sag if too much weight was applied, say Mary and Joe sleeping together. Thus extra slats may have been added?

(I recently bought a nice, queen sized, carved headboard and footboard. I didn't have queen sized mattresses so I bought a thin box spring and a memory foam mattress in a box. Slit the plastic shrink wrap and watch it expand. Excellent mattress! Things have really changed since 1888.)

[Debra Arif]

I agree with Anna that extra slats appear to have been added. Maybe it was a shoddy repair to prolong the life?
I think there's a good chance the mattress may have been stuffed with horsehair which would make it very firm. 30 years ago I acquired Victorian mechanical drop arm sofa with the idea of re-stuffing and re-upholstering it. It was stuffed with horsehair and was rigid and not very comfortable so I gave it away again. I wish I'd kept it now!

[RichardH]

I've posted another blog post on how I created these images:
https://jtr3d.com/2020/11/04/the-bed-mock-up-creation/