Horsehair, hessian, coil springs and twine
Antique & traditional restoration.
Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian pieces restored with traditional materials and methods so they stay honest and keep their value.
A piece that was stuffed with horsehair and lashed by hand a hundred years ago deserves the same again. Foam and staples will make it sit wrong, hold damp and knock a chunk off its value.
Traditional upholstery is a sequence that has barely changed since the eighteenth century: webbing, springs lashed eight ways, hessian, first stuffing stitched into shape, a scrim, second stuffing, calico, then the top cover. We follow it exactly, using tacks not staples, and reuse original materials wherever they are sound. Horsehair in particular can often be washed, carded and put back.
Frames are repaired in matching timber and traditional hide glue. We can re-tip castors, replace missing beading and work alongside a cabinet-maker and french polisher when the show-wood needs attention.
We photograph every stage so you can see what was under the old cover and what we did about it, and you get those photographs with the piece. If the chair has a story, it keeps it.
What is included
- Full strip-down with photographs at every stage
- Hand-lashed coil springs and jute webbing
- Horsehair and fibre stuffings, hand-stitched edges
- Frame repairs in matching timber
- Period-appropriate fabrics, trims and gimps
- Written condition report for insurance or sale
Questions we are asked
Will restoration affect the value of my antique?
Sympathetic restoration using traditional materials generally protects or improves value. Modern foam, staples and a poor choice of cover do the opposite. We will tell you honestly which approach suits your piece.
Can you keep the original fabric?
If it is sound we can clean and reinstate it, or save it as a panel on the back or under the seat so it stays with the piece. Often it is too far gone, and we will say so.
Do you work with auction houses and dealers?
Yes, we restore for several dealers in Cardiff and the Vale, and we are happy to collect from a saleroom and deliver to a buyer.
Send us a photo of your piece.
Two or three photos from your phone and the rough size is all we need to give you an honest quote, usually within two working days.