You know, the ones where the headboard is basically 5-15 straight metal rods pointing upwards, I haven’t seen those in forever. The only times I see them now are in old pornos where a woman will grab onto the bars while the guy is doing her from behind, which is what I always thought the purposes of those bars were for.
What happened to them, do they still make them? Is there a reason they fell out of favor?
Yes but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in the wild that wasn’t a children’s bedroom in the early 90s.
How often do you see other people’s beds? I don’t see many bedrooms “in the wild” at all.
I can’t access FairyChatMom’s link for some reason, but I assume you’re just talking about a Victorian-style iron bedstead? Because they are still readily available. I bought one with my first house, as it felt really grown up. Turns out it’s just really uncomfortable to lean against when you want to read in bed. Maybe that’s why they’re not so popular any more.
Our bed has a beautiful metal headboard that has spindles. It’s bronze in color and is scrolled on the top.
Look up metal headboards on Amazon - there are 100s.
I’ve seen a few of them in the wild and have used them as described in the OP, so no they are still being used. One of the uses of a headboard is to keep pillows from sliding off the bed, that and you can stack up pillows against them so you can sit up in bed. This type of headboard serves both purposes just fine.
Indeed. On or off Amazon. I did a fast google on “metal bed frame headboards” and turned up lots of brand new ones for sale.
Different people like different things. If you don’t want shelf space built into your headboard, those will work fine for the purpose of keeping mattresses and pillows in place, and apparently significant numbers of people like the look of them.
Is it too early to point out that Amazon is also a fine source for silk scarves to accessorize your bed? Yes? Then I won’t.
Yes, they still make them; searching for “metal headboard” on Wayfair yields dozens of varieties.
We had a brass headboard for our bed when we got married in the early '90s; we replaced it with a wooden headboard when we bought a new, Mission-style bedroom set in '96. That headboard has “rods,” as well – but they are made of wood.
(History of Victorian beds – The Cornish Bed Company UK)
I recall reading that the iron bedstead was considered a more sanitary alternative - important in a climate where woodborers were common. See the commercial link above.
Have you tried Tinder?
You’re on the right track. Much more discreet than a solid wood headboard with handles bolted on. Especially back in Victorian days.
I have one. I bought it about a year ago, at one of those chain furniture stores.
Our headboard has wooden slats narrow part pointing to the front. For leaning to read we have back pillows, triangular pillows that are perfect for sitting up. I don’t see anything quite like what we have on Amazon. They were made by my wife’s mother and aunt who were excellent at such things.
“ Probably the iron bedstead saved more women from childbed fever than the doctor’s black bag.”
-The Ascent of Man, episode 8: The Drive for Power