Erotic furniture , also known as sex furniture , is any form of furniture that is designed to act as an aid to sexual activity. This includes furniture and harnesses designed to aid positioning, [ 1 ] assisting with comfort, penetration level and stimulation.
The functionality may be obvious or the erotic furniture may be designed to appear as conventional furniture. Erotic furniture can also be furniture decorated with erotic art. 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 British king Edward VII , who was heavily overweight, used a specially constructed " love chair " siege d'amour when he visited the famous brothel , Le Chabanais in Paris.
Edward Gorey 's The Curious Sofa , 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. News reports during the 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.
