The turned collar, swelled reeded shaft, flattened disk and marlboro legs of the footposts of this bedstead relate to similar example made of Dover merchant William Hale. Attributed to the shop of Portsmouth cabinetmaker Langley Boardman, Boardman is also associated with another bedstead which he made for his neighbor james Rundlet in 1802 ( Jobe, ed. Portsmouth Furniture (SPNEA, 1993), fig. 111). A similar birch version with unreeded posts shares the same serpentine cornice as the Hale bedstead, which likely would have surmounted this bedstead as well and either been covered in fabric or decorated with paint (Jobe & Kaye, New England Furniture (SPNEA, 1984), fig. 141).

This example retains the original rosehead nails and sailcloth edging that when complete, originally supported a hair mattress and feather tick. Langley Boardman operated the largest cabinet shop in Portsmouth and through mortage agreements with artisans to whom he sold land, he attained goods and services from craftsmen outside his shop. Two of these???? were sailmakers Joseph Walker and John Nelson. From ???? Boardman received 'bedbottoms of sailcloth' which he in turn would have secured to his bedsteads (Joseph Walker to Langley Boardman, Deed 176:85, July 11, 1806; John Nelson to Langley Boardman, Deed 188, 350, October 10, 1809, Rockingham County Court House).