1870s/1880s Aesthetic chair - what kind of upholstery?

[1918ColonialRevival]

Some years ago, my wife latched onto this substantial (weighs in at around 70 pounds) chair at an auction barn in rural Virginia. She paid a whole $10 for it. The carving is very interesting, to the point that I'm not sure of what to call the styling beyond "Aesthetic". It is a little reminiscent of furniture made in the styling of Kimbel and Cabus of New York and there are hints of the Reformed Gothic styling that enjoyed some short-lived popularity in the 1870s. The carved griffin heads at the end of each armrest give it a bit of a British touch, though I'm fairly certain it's an American piece. I would guess mid 1870s to early 1880s for a date.

The upholstery is obviously not original. Looking at some of the other work done to the chair when it was last reupholstered, I would say the upholstery is probably from the late 1940s or early 1950s. The condition of the upholstery is much worse than what it appears in the pictures and it has the lovely aroma of mouse urine and stale smoke from cheap stogies - quite the combo! Re-doing this chair will probably be a project done in the next 6-12 months, as we have plans for it for a room we are getting ready to start.

We're looking for suggestions for types and patterns of fabric that would look appropriate on this piece. My wife was thinking a red satin fabric with traditional Japanese style decorations on it, but I'm not sure. Tell us what you think. No idea is a bad idea!

Picture:

c. 1875-1880 Victorian Aesthetic parlor chair by

[Gothichome]

Colonial, it looks very much to be A club chair or at the least the gentleman’s chair from an expensive parkour set. I think your not far off on the date and design period. Depending on your plans, maybe an ox blood leather in keeping with the gentleman’s club theme. If not leather it has to be a masculine design may be a heavy brocade of some design.

Maybe something like this.
https://www.wayfair.ca/Schumacher--Eger ... gKyuPD_BwE
Has all the aesthetic design themes in it.

[1918ColonialRevival]

I'm liking the idea of leather, especially since this will be going in our library. The current plan is to set it back into a dormer with an antique reading lamp behind it. I respect my wife's idea, but I thought the red Japanese style fabric would be a little too dainty on a piece of this magnitude.

This chair is very unusual, at least for the Mid Atlantic states. Most of the mid to late Victorian era furniture in this area is either Rococo or Eastlake with the odd Renaissance Revival piece showing up here and there. It's larger than any parlor set piece I have seen from this era (any larger and I would think it had been made for a church sanctuary), so I think you're spot on with it being a club chair. I'm thinking it may have even been a custom work. Given the area we found it in, it could have originally been in one of the old private waterfowl hunt clubs that were around the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries in the last quarter of the 19th Century.

I hope I'll find some markings once I strip the old upholstery and stuffing off, but I suspect if it was marked, it was only a paper label that disappeared the first time it was reupholstered.

[phil]

Its pretty much expected that the upholstery on a chair that old needs replacement.
To me it looks a bit overstuffed , as if someone opened it up but didnt' do the proper type of stuffing but rather just added more.
I started into my old english victorian armchair, re-did the webbing and attached new springs , but I stopped there just because other stuff took precedence. I'd really like to get it off my bench but it takes time.

one cheap source if you want leather is just cutting it from an old couch. There are a variety of places to mail order original looking upholstry, It might suit a tapestry. you might choose a color you like that fits your home. I did find a place in Germany that actually makes horsehair upholstry if you want to spend. the automated looms are only so wide because the weft is limited to the length of a horsetail. mohair might be an option too. at least it looks simple to upholster. There is a lot on Utube about how to fluff up and control the contour and different techniques of supporting the front edge such as making front edge rolls stuffed with horsehair and also the layout of the springs , if it has any springs. some used hay or wood fibers some used horsehair. foam is quick but not original and it cnt; breathe likt better more original types of stuffing. the piping might not be original. I bet some of the old stuffing is in there with a lump of added stuff giving the seat a rounded shape. I think the seat should be more square shaped as that is the style of the chair. If it has horsehair in it , it can be washed teased and used again. usually after the stuffing the thing is upholstered in muslin so you might just work to that stage while you seek out upholstery to finish it. some use modern staple guns, the older and more traditional way is with tacks.

on the underside it might have fabric and under that you may see the original webbing if that is present. once you open the seat you will see what's original and what has been added. some upholstery is more bendable over compound curves and some is more stiff. if it's stiff then maybe you need piping. Id try to visualize how you want the seat stuffing to be shaped before you go too far. If it's a parlor chair and people will be smoking in it then I'd also consider the flamability of the fabric as some of the new stuff is very flammable, whereas most of the traditional type fabrics are natural fibers and more fireproof.