Warming pans, passed between the bed sheets to remove the chill and moisture, were introduced during the second half of the seventeenth century and soon became requisite in northern Europe, England, and North America. The earliest pans were constructed entirely of metal and the covers often pierced; however, before long the openings were reduced in number and size in order to retain warmth and prevent straying coals.

Notes: A socket is riveted to the pan for the wooden handle. The lid is riveted to a hinged arm.

Book excerpt: David B. Warren, Michael K. Brown, Elizabeth Ann Coleman, and Emily Ballew Neff. American Decorative Arts and Paintings in the Bayou Bend Collection. Houston: Princeton Univ. Press, 1998.