An old Danish trundle bed, imported by Danish Country Antique Furniture in Boston.
It found its way to the Salvation Army Thrift shop some fifteen years after it was brought over to the USA from a town west of Copenhagen. How I know this to be true is an interesting part of any antiquing adventure. But lets start off by saying I wasn't looking for a new old couch....
it just happened that it was looking for me. I often think that is the way things work
out around here when it comes to old things like furniture and decorative accessories.
After loading up my Jeep with things to donate to the thrift shop, I took an obligatory walk
through the furnishings aisle and this white painted wooden country sofa was sitting there amidst a bunch of 1970s cast offs. I stopped. I brushed the arm of the sofa and looked at the back.
Then the legs...and then I snapped a picture and went home. Without it.
I didn't think hubs would be in favor of a less comfortable sofa, even if it was antique, and maybe from his homeland, Sweden and even if it was really cute. So I shared the photo with a bestie, who texted me back, " Go get it!".
And so I did.
On the way there I worried maybe it was gone, off to its forever home with the wrong person.
Ugh.
I called the Salvation Army to inquire if an old white sofa with blue and white stripes was still sitting there?
Yes it was I was told. Could I put a hold on it? No, I could not, I was told.
Ugh.
Nerves set in, but I told myself, no one else could see the beauty
in this old country piece like I could.
When I got there, she was waiting for me. For me!
I gave her a good look over. She was an old girl for sure.
I had borrowed hubs pickup truck and as I purchased it, I was told by the manager
that no one would be allowed to help me load it, as they were worried about liability.
What?? I had a little furniture shop, and I loaded furniture into peoples cars all the time.
The manager asked if I wanted to return with helpers to load it. No, I would wait in the parking lot
until I saw some other shoppers I could ask to help me put it in my truck.
Fine, the manager said, all business like...and thats when he called two guys to bring it out to the parking lot and put it next to my truck. Not to load it.
And that is when I realized how damn heavy the thing was.
OMG it weighted a ton!
That is also when I noticed an upside down sticker on the back of the wooden frame
showing where it came from: Danish Country Antique Furniture, in Boston.
The guys brought it outside and without further adieu they hoisted it up into the bed of the truck.
Chivalry and common sense was not dead after all!
It sat in the pickup truck til hubs and one of my sons got home to carry it inside.
Of course I had to rearrange the furniture somewhat, and I couldn't be happier
with how the room looks now. My old painted tea table seemed to be the perfect companion for it.
I contacted the Danish Antique guy and he remembered the
old country sofa. I wondered if it was Swedish, but he said he clearly recalled getting it west of
Copenhagen. It was a trundle bed made around 1860, painted white.
These trundle beds were made for country houses. It is a charming piece
of European furniture but it could use a bit of better padding on the bench seat, which
I will do at some point soon. And one day it may get a bigger makeover when it moves to
our country home in the future!! Of course we have a tiny run down lake cottage, and I could
imagine a piece like this in a breakfast room or on a screen porch overlooking the lake.
One more thing...today is my granddaughter Reeve's first birthday.
To mark the occasion she took her first swimming lesson with mommy and daddy.
I put a big pink tissue ball in the silver punch bowl.
One day I can see little Reeve sleeping in the trundle at the lake house.
It makes me wonder how many other little Danish girls and boys slept
in this charming and cozy trundle bed over the last 150 years.
That is what I love about antiques...the story they carry and the secrets they
can tell, if you know how to look and find them.
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