Newbie with a question

[polaris]

Hello all! Firstly, thank you ((admins)) very much for allowing me to join your community. I look forward to learning from everyone here and am delighted to be making your acquaintance.

I am not a professional restoration artist. I do not even know where the closest upholstery shop is to my house. Until this point my areas of expertise have been fine arts, graphic design and dressmaking. But I found a couch, and I fell in love with it and managed to convince the thrift store to sell it to me at half the listed price.



I'm teaching myself how to restore it ((Anyone have any books they'd recommend?)) and in the process learned that it's in remarkably better condition than I had suspected. In fact ((according to one furniture restoration artist I've been corresponding with online)) it's quite likely entirely authentic and in near pristine shape. Minius the displaced springs and sunken seat of course...

He even went so far as to note that the fabric covering it was likely horsehair. I didn't believe him, but a trip to the local fabric store ((Not JoAnn's)) proved that he was correct. It is horsehair. Antique horsehair from the 1860's.

Now my conundrum is this... I bought this couch for myself. It will likely never be resold- at least not for many many years. My plan remains that I wish to refinish the frame and reupholster it in a vibrant blue. But I've got these several yards of antique, and ((Again, according to my corresponder)) very rare, expensive fabric. It seems a huge shame to just throw it away. Especially given that a lot of it could still be reused on chair cushions or something. ((Again it's in pretty darn good shape)) So my question, dear artists and hobbyists, is this:

What can I do with it? Is there a market for antique horsehair fabric? Would anyone even want to buy it? How much would it typically be worth?

Again, thank you for allowing me to join your community, and thank you in advance for all your help and advice.

Sincerely,

--Polaris

[Peppy]

I'm sorry, but I have know idea what it could possibly be worth. I have a feeling it might be priceless. Sadly that might also means it's  worthless. You have a piece of fabric in very good condition with holes every 3". I may be wrong and maybe somebody would fall all over themselves to get a scrap of that fabric but not me. And if there are I'll apologize now for throwing out some of that same type of fabric (in bad shape) last year.

Good luck and welcome aboard! A furniture type will be along shortly, I'm just a boat person so don't know much anyway ;)

[sofadoc]

Hello Polaris. Sounds like quite a find! I hope you will post some closer pics. If you don't already know how, please read the picture posting instructions so we can click on enlargements.
In over 30 years, I can't say for sure that I've ever actually done a piece that was made before 1900. And you just waltz into a thrift store and get one for half price. Good job!
Again, I'd love to see some close-ups of the insides.
Maybe some of the others here can advise you as to the potential worth. I never really got into estimating antique values.

Welcome aboard.

[polaris]

A thousand apologies.... Does this link work a little better?

https://www.box.com/s/a05d55f59d66f8eba4f1

If anyone wants to see the full collection of "I'm slowly taking this thing apart" please feel free to private message me your email and I'll send you an invite to the photo box.

It was a heck of a find. I found it in a Habitat for Humanity Restore for $150. The woman agreed to sell it to me for $75 because it was in such "bad" shape. I loved it so much and I knew I'd never find a deal like that again so I snapped it up. :)

EDIT: Actually I think just clicking the link lets you still see other pictures in the box...

[kodydog]

Interesting post and photo Polaris. Generally a piece like that would have a tufted back but with horse hair fabric it would be close to impossible to fold all the pleats into it.

I will agree with Peppy. Although the horse hair fabric is unique it is not unheard of. And in that condition I  think it would be hard to sell. BUT what the heck, nothing ventured nothing gained. You could try to sell it on E-bay or Craigslist. Weirder things have happened.

[MinUph]

Welcome aboard polaris,
  Old horse hair fabric is pretty useless. I've thrown many pieces away through the years. Generally it looks good on the surface until you strip the piece and find its rotted. And with the button holes it is even less appealing to a buyer.
  Good luck with your rebuild. And show us some pics of the process. The box only shows the one pic.

[lruthb]

I guess it gets down to restoring or reupholstering. That damb horsehair isn't impossible but a bear to work with. Restoring would have you not redoing the wood amd useing  the horsehair. Springs need to be retied if I see the picture right. Tufting the back is a skill some upholsteres aren't that thrilled to perform. Pulling back without tufting would be simpleer but not in line with restoring.That being said if you find the books on each process and have patience to do and redo. You can get the job done. The internet has many books to learn from. I prefer Jack Carr's site. There are many furniture upholsterers to ask questions and some free "how to's."