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wilroda
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
 Posted - 15 Jan 2007 : 19:54:29
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Hi
I am new to this forum and am hoping that you will be able to give me lots of help and advice.
I have what I believe to be a Bergere chair which is on a very sorry state but I have fallen in love with it! I would love to post a picture on here for you to see and advise me on but I am not sure if this is allowed.
I am quite a " crafty" person but have never tackled upholstery before... I have just ordered your recomended book from Amazon!!
I have yet to investigate the chair fully as I have only just acquired it ( it is very "solid" though) and am wondering if anyone can give me any basic hints and tips before I start....
Thanks so much and I am sure I will be back here many times in the future!!
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oldsofas
264 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jan 2007 : 08:52:37
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| Just like buses - this chair is very similar to the one in the Louis XV post. |
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wilroda
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jan 2007 : 21:29:22
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Thank you for posting my picture.
I have received your book- brilliant!!
Before i make a start on this project i have the first of many questions.
The chair has a well fitting foam seat cushion ( not shown in the picture) Do you think that this would have been there originally or was it a later addition? |
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jean
France
198 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jan 2007 : 18:52:57
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I would have said yes to the cushion being original but I keep forgetting to look it up when I'm in the workshop. However, have a look at this on ebay uk: 4450204582 - it seems very similar...and no cushion!
Just one thing - I was looking at a Bergere in a chateau the other day (as one does!) and the outside back fabric was put on INSIDE the wood (ie it was the first thing on when the inside back was done...with me?). Therefore the two back struts were outside of this fabric. I believe this is correct but it may be a question of age or personal preference. Oh, and there was a cushion.
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wilroda
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jan 2007 : 20:49:21
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Thanks very much for that Jean. I wasnt sure about the cushion...I am somewhat concerned about how i will make the seat flat enough to take it ( if you know what I mean!!)Your ebay listing is interesting...however i did find what I belive to be a very similar chair on there....take a look at .... 330074600162.... I am keen to know how much the chair is worth!!
Thanks so much for your help and advice
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oldsofas
264 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2007 : 10:39:20
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| That cushion looks dreadful! Wilroda let me have a picture of you chair when it's stripped I'd be interested to see the arms. |
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jean
France
198 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2007 : 17:23:06
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Got it together at last! I THINK, and could easily be wrong, that this would have had a cushion. However, the base under the cushion would have been done with virtually no stuffing except at the front which has a raised edge to keep the cushion in. I'll send David a photo to illustrate what I mean and perhaps he can load it up. It will be in French so a bit of vocab to help you along the way (if you're French or lived there until you were 103 and speak it like a native forgive me!)
Tissu: top fabric
Toile d'embourrure/toile forte: scrim & hessian (t. forte goes over the springs and t.d'emb is the one you'd put over the stuffing - I always get them confused)
Toile blanche: calico
Toile bisonne: cheaper fabric that won't be seen as it's under the cushion - so perhaps even calico?
Couture: stitched
Sangles: webbing
In this illustration they don't appear to have used springs however, they say that if you do use springs they should be 10cms - the point being that the seat can then be flat.
Incidentally, I don't know if you've taken yours apart yet but you may find there's a piece of wire to hold the back and side fabric.
I'll now try and get the picture sorted - It may take a while as my two computer sons are away!
Keep us posted, Jean
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wilroda
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2007 : 19:45:53
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Jean..... Thank you so much!! It is all becoming clear to me now!!
I have stripped the chair and have not found any wire that you speak of - or any evidence of it.There was webbing on the base and back and the chair seems to have been strengthened at some time in the past- adding some sort of ? support to bring the lower back area forward.
I have to hand the stripped chair over to my husband now to strengthen it further as the arms are a bit wobbly and some of the previous work needs redoing.I shall then look to cleaning the wood- what would you use? I have read that a mix of ? meths/turps/linseed oil works well
I will look forward to keeping in touch with you for more advice!!
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jean
France
198 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2007 : 20:32:17
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That's a good mix but be gentle using it. It cleans the wood up and "moves" the polish around once it gets through the dirt. Whilst it feels tacky you still on dirt, but as soon as the tackiness stops you should too!
Looking at your picture again I can't see if it's stained wood or polished wood. I don't know if that mix is so good on stained wood - it might take the stain out a bit. My French book says for painted wood to use 1/3 "alcali" and 2/3 water - not sure how alcali translates and anyway it's for reviving painted wood. Still, might be worth a try - whatever you end up doing try it first in an invisible corner. |
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Veronica
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2007 : 22:10:30
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Alcali is french or ammonia .
Regards Veronica |
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Veronica
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2007 : 22:15:14
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Supposed to for ammonia not or ! Too many vin rouge ce soir !
Sorry |
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wilroda
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
Posted - 09 Apr 2007 : 14:20:57
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Hi again!
Finally got the chair back from the other half - all secure and safe.It took him a while to get round to sorting it out, but got there in the end....." too many other things to do first" he said....mmm!
I have yet another question, if you look carefully at the picture of the stripped chair on the arms are what i would call "knobs" of wood supposedly to raise the arms up at the front when well padded. I am tempted to remove these....I dont really want to over stuff the arms. What is yoor opinion?
Thanks again! |
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Lorre
USA
107 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2007 : 14:40:56
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Unless the "knobs" are not original to the chair, I would leave them alone. The padding on the arms in your original picture are too high and "dreadful" as Ruth and David remarked. It's a little difficult to see from the new stripped photo, but I would try to keep the padding as close to the height of the wood as possible -- similar to the photo that Jean posted.
By the way, Jean, what is the title of the French book you are referencing from? I would love to get a copy to add to my collection. My French isn't good, but with a good dictionary, I can attempt to figure it out. Besides, pictures always speak volumes! |
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wilroda
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2007 : 08:15:09
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| Thanks very much Lorre. It is sad to see that this forum isnt being used much lately.Its my only port of call for advice! I agree with you that the chair would look alot better without the wooden bits that appear to raise the arms and I think i shall atempt to remove them. They dont look original to the chair but do look quite old.Thanks again for your help - i will be beack soon for more help. |
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jean
France
198 Posts |
Posted - 23 Apr 2007 : 16:59:36
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Sorry I've taken so long to come back to you Lorre. I've been away, we've had Easter hols and then I took a few days off with my husband in the Lot (beautiful!). Now I have a mountain of work and the tennis season has started (two matches this weekend!).
The name of the book is: RESTAUREZ TAPISSEZ VOS SIEGES by Elizabeth Auzepy It is available in France and I think is available via Amazon. However if you have any trouble and want me to get it for you let me know. I started with it because when I was learning here it was the only way I could work out the vocabulary. It is extremely good for French furniture but has occasionally odd ideas about what is English! Anything buttoned for a start!
However, please bear in mind that the French stitching is totally different. I mention this only so that you aware before you buy so to speak. French furniture is much firmer than English. They use "hay" for stuffing the seats and sometimes the backs to give it that firmness and, I jest not, you could bounce a squash ball off the seats once the first stuffing has been stitched.
As a result, I use a mixture of French and English stitching. I actually prefer the French generally, but the English stitching is very good for getting the stuffing right to the edges.
At the end of the day a chair is a chair is a chair! Choose what suits you best. If you have any trouble with the vocab let me know!
One thing I will add though - in the book you will see that the upholstery skewers have plastic knobs on the end. They are FANTASTIC! If you are used to using the usual ones with bent over pieces at the end you will be aware how often they catch the hessian/scrim etc. The plastic ones don't. I don't know why but in England they cost something like 20GBP for a box (I think of 100 but it could be 50). Here they cost something like 10Euros (6GBP). If anyone wants me to get them some let me know. Yours for the price (which I will have to confirm when I've been to the supplier) plus postage to wherever.
All the best, now back to taming that stuffing!
Jean |
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Lorre
USA
107 Posts |
Posted - 23 Apr 2007 : 22:16:29
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Well, welcome back, Jean! It's good to hear from you, as we have missed your participation! Thanks for the info on the book. I will definitely look into it. You know what a junkie I am about information!
I have not looked into finding or using hay for first stuffings, but I have a box of "excelsior" or "wood wool" that I am going to experiment with. It is essentially very fine wood shavings that almost look like coconut fiber. But a little thicker and a bit uneven. It was recommended to me by a master upholsterer -- Kim Westminster. So it will be interesting to see how it handles.
Again, good to hear from you and I'll keep you posted on finding the book! |
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flhoosier
USA
2 Posts |
Posted - 26 Apr 2007 : 13:00:07
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| the book, Restaurez Tapissez Vos Sieges, by Auzepy, is not available at amazon in usa. it looks like a good book. i also have seen those plastic tipped skewers pictured in books but have never come across them in the usa suppliers. |
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wilroda
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jun 2007 : 20:21:29
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Hello all.Just to let you know that I have now finished my chair and it has become a treasured piece of furniture! It was very hard work, having never done this before but I am very proud of the end result. I would post a picture on here but am not sure how to do it!
....on the lookout now for my next project.....thanks for all the help everyone! |
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jean
France
198 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jun 2007 : 21:03:12
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Sorry - That's NOT an excuse ... "not sure how to do it!" Uh Uh. We won't to see it and you'll simply have to find a 12yr old whizz kid to show you how to post it!
Well done finishing it. You are justly proud and whenever you sit on it will have an enormous sense of satisfaction.
But we would all like to see it I'm sure! (No pressure then!) |
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Newbie help and advice please
