In ancient
Assyria, there are examples of furniture decorated with erotic
reliefs dating to the
13th century BC. According to an urban
legend, the 18th-century Russian empress
Catherine the Great collected erotic furniture, including tables with penises for legs and other items carved in relief with penises and vulvas. The 1791 French novel
Les Délices de Coblentz describes beds that are designed to increase sexual pleasure by virtue of the elasticity of their springs. The British king
Edward VII, who was heavily overweight, used a specially constructed "
love chair" () when he visited the famous
brothel,
Le Chabanais in Paris. The piece still exists and a replica is exhibited at the
Musée de l'Erotisme in
Pigalle.
Edward Gorey's
The Curious Sofa, (1961) is a neo-Victorian pseudo-porno satire described as a "pornographic illustrated story about furniture". The book consists of euphemistic illustrations with strategically deployed objects, such as potted plants and tree branches, that block the reader's view of sexual activities taking place on furniture. The British pop artist
Allen Jones has designed erotic furniture. His piece
Hatstand, Table and Chair, consisting of scantily clad female mannequins converted to items of furniture, was first exhibited in 1970. News reports during the
2024 Paris Olympics said that the bed bases provided for competing athletes were made from recycled cardboard to prevent them from having sex. However, the organisers said that the material was chosen for its
environmental impact, and the manufacturer said they "can support several people on top". In modern times, erotic furniture continues to be produced mainly by small businesses rather than large scale manufacturers. ==Types==