24 March 2010

Woven Rope Bed




Instead of a hammock why not try Pfeifer Studio's Woven Rope Bed for an afternoon nap in the sun? Also known as charpoi, this handmade bed is an ancient furniture style still used extensively today throughout India.

References to them can be found as far back as the 14th Century, when Islamic explorer Batuta describes them "every traveler should have his own bed, which his slave carries about on his head. Consist(ing) of four conical legs, between they plait a sort of ribbon of silk or cotton. When you lie on it you need nothing else to render the bed sufficiently elastic."

The frame of the bed is constructed from solid Margosa wood using mortise and tenon joinery. The art of weaving the Jute rope mattress is called manjaa unena. This process starts with the tying of a Jee (Life Knot) at one corner of the bed, followed by the main weave and finally the addition of the tension strings. The finishing process of tightening is rigorous and repeated many times in order to get the tension perfect.