Where did the Jenny Lind crib come from?

Who was Jenny Lind and why does everyone want her cribs? Jenny Lind cribs, changing tables and high chairs, rocking chairs and just about any other piece of furniture for the nursery are among the most sought after and popular styles of nursery furniture.

Jenny Lind cribs are characterized by turned spindle posts rather than flat slats. The style is airy and light with a hint of its antique influence. Nearly every manufacturer of baby furniture carries a full line of Jenny Lind furniture, including several styles of Jenny Lind cribs. Which still doesn't answer the question - who was Jenny Lind and why are we still buying Jenny Lind cribs?

Billed as the Swedish Songbird, Jenny Lind was born in Stockholm in 1820, and by the time she was 17 was singing opera on stage. Her singing voice was so unique that even Queen Victoria commented on it in her diaries after attending one of her concerts. P.T. Barnum brought Jenny Lind to America in 1850, where - between her incredible talent and his incredible marketing - she literally took the country by storm. She was, by all accounts, the first female pop singer icon in history. Which gets us a little closer to how her name became associated with Jenny Lind cribs.

Like celebrities today, Jenny Lind's name was used to market all sorts of products. Classified ads from the New York papers during her concert tours there often invoked the name of Jenny Lind to sell gloves, gaiters, kid boots and more. Her doings were widely reported on in the newspapers and magazines, and like today's pop legends, everything she did was subject to public scrutiny. And like many pop legends of today, everything she did was subject to wide imitation.

Think Madonna here, and the sudden popularity of black lace and ruffled socks after her public appearances. When a popular ladies' magazine of the time reported that Jenny Lind slept in a bed with turned spindles at the head and footboard, furniture manufacturers around the country scrambled to produce 'Jenny Lind beds'. As time went on, the Jenny Lind name became associated with any furniture that used turned spindles as part of its major design accent. The look is especially popular in nursery furniture, where Jenny Lind cribs have been the best-selling style of cribs for decades.

Jenny Lind cribs remain popular because of their classic lines and antique styling that recalls the charm and fashion of the Victorian era. If you choose a Jenny Lind crib for your baby's nursery, you'll have no trouble matching the style with other pieces - you can find Jenny Lind changing tables, rockers, high chairs and more from just about any manufacturer in the country in nearly any kind of wood.

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