Old Timer Arm Chair

This piece of furniture has been around for many years.

The joint glue has either dried out or loosened over the decades & the left arm is busted in a couple places. 

It's been upholstered twice at least with one coat laid over another.

The wear on the arms (patina) is really nice.

 I got all the layers of tacks and staples out of the frame.

Every joint & finished wood really needs attention.  So I'm gonna send it out of house.

 I'm real happy how it was glued up, the arm repaired & the wood freshened up without removing all that nice patina.

First up lets get some traditional webbing on that base.

 The coils installed, anchored in place & hand tied.

 Fresh burlap covering & new cotton nosing.

Fresh cotton before the pre sewn designed liner.

 Two full coats of hand sewing on three sides.

 All the old cotton disposed, the horse hair dusted out & reset of course.

 A half coat of cotton and set the liner.

 Another half coat of cotton before the final covering on this 3 sided base.

 Looking thin, crisp & tight.  With a nice proud nosing on the front & sides.

Now onto the inside back.

 Discarded all the old cotton & reset all the horse hair & straw.

 A little more hand sewing.

 Dabbling with the stuffings now, really pays off with a nice job later.

 A nice full coat before the liner.

 Ready for a half coat of cotton & tailor up this inside back.

 Time to knock the outside back.

Down proof ticking I have seen last 50 years or more.  When the cushion starts to look lazy stop in an upholstery shop & have more feather & down added.

Tightly sewn with interior compartments.

Patterned, cut, stitched & packed.

Chosen decorative tacks.

 Custom plugs for the arm screws.

Ready to serve.

Practical Upholstery
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1850's Buttoned Slipper Chair

Below is a pic with no touch-up that I took out the shop window while restoring this chair.

Winter arrived in Southern New Hampshire.

 This old timer could be dated at 1850 or earlier.

 Time to glue up any loose joints & rebuild the base.

 Fresh spring twine.

 And traditional burlap.

 This animal hair is in the same shape it was, when it was originally set before the American Civil war.

 I hand sewn around the base 3 times.

 Fresh cotton & horse hair behind the belting.

 Smaller decorative tacks work well with this small piece.

 18 buttons set in the inside back.

Thanks for looking!