Incredibly rare and stunning Tim Stead free standing headboard
Incredibly rare and stunning Tim Stead free standing headboard
Description: Free standing sculptural headboard in ash. Lovely organic shape and incredibly tactile. The headboard is in two pieces so the gap between can be altered to allow for a double or king size mattress / futon base.
Purchased from the family of the original owner who commissioned the bed from Tim Stead via InDesign, Chester.
Designer: Tim Stead (1952-2000) - signed and dated 1982.
Biography: Tim Stead was a British sculptor and furniture maker. His furniture has a wonderful organic, sculptural quality and is incredibly tactile. His work shares a deep understanding and an underlying philosophy to that of George Nakashima - ‘The soul and spirit of the tree, and the dedication of the woodworker to his or her craft’, and a belief that a tree that has lived a good life deserves a second life as a beautiful and considered piece of furniture. For Tim, furniture and sculpture are part of the same conversation, there is no distinction. Sculpture is furniture, furniture is sculpture.
Like George Nakashima, Tim Stead respected the natural properties of the wood. Rather than discarding the edges, cracks and knots, traditionally considered imperfect, he preserved and highlighted them turning these features into the focal point of each piece, allowing the inherent beauty of the wood to speak for itself.
Tim Stead’s home ‘The Steading’ in the Scottish Borders is a total work of art - a complete, harmonious interior, fully furnished. In some respects it is the fulfilment of an artistic vision and a devotion to a life of creative exploration. In 2020 the house, interior, adjacent sawmill and workshop was designated Grade A Listed status by Historic Environment Scotland. The house and archive are now managed by the Tim Stead Trust.
Date: 1982
Dimensions: Width 245cm; Depth 40cm; Height 80cm; width between bedside tables 160cm (this can be widened as required).
Condition: Excellent original condition. Lovely colour and grain to the ash.
According to the Tim Stead Trust he only made 8 beds, so this is a very rare example of Tim’s work.