Bed I (RETIRED)
Apr 7, 2019 12:30:42 GMT -5
Post by chernayakoshka on Apr 7, 2019 12:30:42 GMT -5
I need to take a moment to describe how awesome it was to receive Samantha's bed as a child. When I (and later, my sister) started seriously looking at American Girl dolls, my parents were astounded at the prices. They decided that they would buy us our first dolls, but if we wanted more from the catalogs, we'd have to save our holiday money and purchase it ourselves. Sometimes they'd get us an outfit for Christmas, though the expectation was that our dolls would be supplemented via more financially efficient means. And we were cool with that. So, with that in mind, imagine my surprise on Christmas 1997 when I opened a large box to reveal Samantha's bed! I'd received a lot of doll clothes that year to dress my Samantha, who I'd been gifted for my birthday earlier in the year, but all of them had been purchased at the various craft shows that my small town loved...to get not only something from American Girl, but a BED, was a concept that my six-year-old mind had a hard time processing. Needless to say, it was a good Christmas. My mum sometimes still brings it up: "Remember the year that you got Samantha's bed? I don't think I've ever seen you so shocked and excited!" But, anyway, on to the review...
The Frame
So, at this point, my Samantha's bed is almost 22 years old and I'm super impressed with how well it's held up! The headboard and foot board feature brass curlicues with a painted plastic knob on each corner. The frame under the mattress has brass bars to support the bedding. One of the things I love about this set is how easy it is to store - the under frame just slides into the head and foot boards. No screws, no tools needed, very easy to put together and take apart. My bed was stored flat in a plastic tub for almost 13 years and still looks great! When I pulled it out recently to display, I expected to find rust stains on the fabric and to have to polish the brass. Instead, the bed that I pulled out looked pristine! The brass has held up very well over the years and the frame clipped right together like it always has. The style suits Samantha and is so elegant and delicate in that delightful Victorian way. The frame is sturdy and mine, at least, hasn't dulled at all.
The Bedding
My mattress is thick and, I imagine, relatively comfortable. The padding in it is still evenly distributed after all these years. The comforter is plush and elegant with its pink bows and the pillow is nice and plump (though the thought of sleeping on something so nice makes me shudder). Like many of the historical beds, this one doesn't come with sheets, which always bothered me as a kid (and as an aside, my grandmother made me a complete bedding set for this bed, sheets and all, but I don't have any pictures of it). My single complaint about this set is how awkward it looks when there's a doll actually in the bed. The comforter is so plush and stiff that it looks very bulky when there's a doll tucked into it. Still, I like the look of this set and am pleased to have it for Samantha. I'd give it a solid A.
The Frame
So, at this point, my Samantha's bed is almost 22 years old and I'm super impressed with how well it's held up! The headboard and foot board feature brass curlicues with a painted plastic knob on each corner. The frame under the mattress has brass bars to support the bedding. One of the things I love about this set is how easy it is to store - the under frame just slides into the head and foot boards. No screws, no tools needed, very easy to put together and take apart. My bed was stored flat in a plastic tub for almost 13 years and still looks great! When I pulled it out recently to display, I expected to find rust stains on the fabric and to have to polish the brass. Instead, the bed that I pulled out looked pristine! The brass has held up very well over the years and the frame clipped right together like it always has. The style suits Samantha and is so elegant and delicate in that delightful Victorian way. The frame is sturdy and mine, at least, hasn't dulled at all.
The Bedding
My mattress is thick and, I imagine, relatively comfortable. The padding in it is still evenly distributed after all these years. The comforter is plush and elegant with its pink bows and the pillow is nice and plump (though the thought of sleeping on something so nice makes me shudder). Like many of the historical beds, this one doesn't come with sheets, which always bothered me as a kid (and as an aside, my grandmother made me a complete bedding set for this bed, sheets and all, but I don't have any pictures of it). My single complaint about this set is how awkward it looks when there's a doll actually in the bed. The comforter is so plush and stiff that it looks very bulky when there's a doll tucked into it. Still, I like the look of this set and am pleased to have it for Samantha. I'd give it a solid A.