I suspect it would have horsehair and yes the springs might need re-tying or replacement, You'd have to see inside. springs do weaken with age so if they are bad they can be replaced. there are places that just make new springs. There is likely some webbing under that cloth that is stapled on.
to glue up a chair like that and to do a thorough job you'd be best to take it right apart and clean any old hide glue out of the joints, then re glue it with hide glue. The glue up would involve a lot of wood clamps all used at once pulling in all different directions and keeping it all square and concentric. woodworkers like this will own a whole pile of clamps.
also if the clamps can't be put on to hold securely it might be best to use a bandsaw to make plywood shapes to go between the clamps and the piece so that the clamps are able to pull in the correct orientation for the joints.
how the clamp up is done is an art in itself and requires time and planning.
the clamping fixtures should of course be padded to protect the piece. after that you could worry about upholstery. If it's an investment you might be ok to sell it as is or to invest in the restoration.
Go easy on the finish , I wouldn't go putting waxes and things on but I'd just use a mixture of linseed oil, turpentine and vinegar. Its an old recipe. the vinegar isn't soluble in the linseed and turps. just shake the bottle , dampen a brush or cloth , wipe it in and wipe it down with soft cloths get all you can off but gently. don't rub hard, don't scour the surface, you are just reviving the surface and basically cleaning the dust and grime off, but other than that leave it alone unless there is some mark that is really bad. and if so keep any repair localized.
ok so thats what I would do and others suggest gojo and super fine steel wool and I think we are actually on the same page in just saying "be gentle" cleaning an antique is ok, scouring the crap out of the surface and removing the patina isn't ok. don't use car wax or other stuff with silicone in it or miracle furniture restoring formulas if you don't know what they put in it.
maybe you could speak to Al who restores furniture, he posts sometimes and restores radios and things, I think he makes chairs, He'd have the skills. Maybe you guys could work out a deal for the restoration of the woodwork? that would involve shipping too. If you look locally, look for antique furniture restorers, don't let just anyone touch it. I'd look for someone who can make chairs, it is a specialized area of joinery. because chairs have many angles and it isn't simply like making boxes for cabinetry. You might find an older cabinetmaker with lots of skills and pride in old style true workmanship.
A lot of modern upholsterers would try to treat it as a new piece and use foam and pneumatic staple guns, you don't want any of that. You might source appropriate tacks and if you need brass buttons you could use ones from other old pieces, they are easy to re-use and maybe you'd need to research to find what they should look like if they should exist. There are upholsters who only specialize in antiques.
I've got some old tacks and old webbing but the webbing is quite wide. Ive got some white canvas and I thought I might be able to use that to hold things in prior to upholstery. I've got a Victorian chair I've had waiting for similar repairs. it's all torn and the arm is broken and I still paid 200 at auction some years ago. Ill probably attempt it myself but it will be a long slow project and I'd learn as I go but I wouldn't touch someone else's piece. but that's me, I like doing whatever I can myself. Horse hair should be available or can be taken from other pieces.
before you do anything I'd think about weather you'd prefer to flip it or if it is important to you to keep it. I know Gothichome has a lot of furniture of similar style that would compliment it. If you aren't in love with it you wouldn't have a hard time to find others who are.
I think its a special piece and I'd be careful if you hire it out and maybe don't expect the cost of restoration work to equal profit. I think you might make more just flipping it if it's about money. high end antique stores might like it because it is small. people with antique stores only want so many giant dining sets in their shops and they might be likely to slap a huge price on a piece like that and not care if it doesn't move as it adds so much interest to their display. It won't depreciate from what you have if you don't spend on restoration until you have things thought through and a better idea of it's actual value. maybe you could consider an appraisal after doing some groundwork? no one expects a cloth covered chair that old to have original upholstery so I think you could say the value is separate from the covering and others who are serious about antiques would instantly see through that.
a lot of people who love antiques would prefer to handle their own restoration work. for example I know a lot of radio collectors and to sell a beautifully restored one to them to them is difficult because they buy it to have the fun of restoring it. If it's high end and valuable because it is a famous one, then there are some collectors with bags of money who snap that stuff up to add to their prized collections. Most of the "commoners" I know are like me and will buy old broken down stuff but aren't interested in 500 dollar restored ones.. so to them being un-molested or at least as original as possible is what they seek. same with old cars. many would prefer to buy an old car that had been sitting in a barn and is complete, than one already restored because they like doing it. They often sink more into cars than they can ever get back and that's the nature of the hobby.
I think its nice that you found a neat thing and it will surely give you something more positive to focus on than worrying about the gas station stuff.. Cool find Willa.
I went to a thrift store and as I left this guy got out of his car and put a super neat 1920's lamp outside the back door to donate. I felt like swooping it up, that would have been easy. they have lots of vagrants who take stuff from their donation pile. Technically I think its not theirs until they receive it. I knew that would be dishonest and I'm not a thief so I went back into the store and told them it was there and that I was interested in it. They went and got it and said they couldn't give me a price, "so and so" had to see it, then they would call and they took my number but never called back. I bet the people in the store took it home. oh well
you win some and you lose some I legitamately bought two singer featherweight open arm sewing machines there years back for about 100 and they are now worth 2000 each so these things happen , just not often. it takes a lot of trips and hoping and looking to find stuff like that.
