$49,500 Swedish bed makes U.S. bow

CHICAGO, March 9 (UPI) -- The Swedish-made Vividus bed, said to be super-comfortable and super-priced at $49,500 (plus tax), has made its U.S. debut.

The Hastens product is being offered in Chicago, among other sites, but even with cash in hand, there could be a nine-month wait while each bed is made to order -- and each takes 160 man hours to build, the Chicago Sun-Times said.

The company bills the bed as "the most exclusive bed in the world." The mattress is built up with layers of horsehair, cotton and wool. The double quilting and reinforced fabric "reduces noise in the bedroom," the company says on a Web site.

And, each Vividus is signed with the name of the owner and Hastens "master craftsman Jan-Erik Leander.

For each sale there's a snooze test and what's called a Bed Test with such questions as whether the customer sleeps on the back and how many people share the bed.