The Average Cost of a Brass Headboard

Brands

• As with all products, the manufacturer and brand is a big factor in the price of a brass headboard, with handmade brands that are geared toward the high end of the market costing more. You can often tell the quality of a headboard by simply lifting it: the heavier, the better. An example of a high-end bed maker is Charles P. Rogers, which has been hand-making beds since 1855. The company's brass headboards as of publication can range from $1,500 for a twin size to $2,200 for a California king size. Those on a budget can still get the brass bed look, with headboards that have factory-produced brass finishes over inexpensive metal. These cheaper headboards run from around $200 to $450 at online retailers such as the HeadBoard Store.

Size

• All things being equal, the size of a brass headboard determines its price. For example, the Brass Bed Shoppe sells an Oxford brass headboard with a round-top design that dates back to the American Civil War and that features decorative accents on all posts and rails. The headboard measures 52.5 inches high, with widths varying by mattress size. The twin size costs $2,480, the full is $2,900, the queen is $2,900 and the largest king size runs $3,100 as of publication. This model also has a matching footboard that when purchased with the headboard adds about $1,100 to the price.

Styles

• The material and style of a bed also affects the price, with more elaborate versions of pure brass costing more than simple ones made of combination metals. Charles P. Rogers, for example, makes a rectangular iron Craine headboard with brass finials that measures 55 inches high and costs $499 in the twin size. A similar rectangular Putnam headboard with pure brass tubing and solid brass castings measures 56 inches high and costs $1,199 in the twin size. The Solid Brass Sleigh Bed, handmade using original 19th-century patterns, features scrolled finials and has a headboard that measures 62 inches high and runs $1,699.

Shopping

• Beyond aesthetic qualities, you must consider what activities you’ll be doing against the headboard to determine what style works best for you. If you’re in the habit of reading in bed with your back propped up against the headboard, go for simple designs with no protrusions. Choose elaborately patterned examples if you never prop a body part against the metal. Find out the material composition. A solid brass headboard will be the heaviest, most expensive and longest-lasting option. A brass-plated model may be light and cheap, but it may tarnish and show scratches easily. Don’t be afraid to haggle for the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is a fiction that is heavily discounted during sales. Ask if the price includes delivery and, if you’re buying a full bed with the headboard, setup.