How to clean and protect this vintage/antique seating material?

A friend called me for yet another piece of furniture that grew into a ute load but this is the most valuable to me. My initial interest was in red cedar wood but the upholstery and it's history has struck a chord with me. Now I want to clean and protect until I get it ready for use. Can anyone help me date and identify the seats? Is the a name for the fabric and trim?

How can I safely clean it and then preserve it? Any tips of cleaning the red cedar without affecting the material?

Cheers,
Nick

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The correct name for the trim is gimp. The fabric is a tapestry reproduction. Tips to clean - use warm water, little detergent or preferably sunlight soap flakes and don't get it too wet. Do not use oils/waxes etc. because they will stain the fabric, which seems to be in very good condition.

Similar fabric and gimp are still available - it but would cost much more than the furniture is worth to reupholster.

Thank you. Except for the rust on the external staples underneath I have been very surprised at the condition. The person who sold it to me told me it was heavily covered in dust. I'm also going to brush down and use new vacuum cleaner :) Being so lightweight only my wife will be allowed to use it :( unless I lose 20kgs :)

Again thank you I'll post clean up pictures later.

Sorry, I missed the request for a date for the furniture. The shape of the chairs, plus the cabriole leg shape, place these as most likely between 1900 and 1920 to me. Cabriole legs were being used right through the 1940s and as repro through the 1960s but not usually in red cedar and not with the slatted sections. The use of staples says they have been reupholstered in a repro tapestry probably after 1970 but I am not fully cognisant of upholstery techniques after 1920 (and incompletely before that!).

Losing weight is a challenge for most of us. Good luck with that.

I’d call that fabric a ‘brocade’.

A brocade is a fabric wherein there is a normal warp and weft, but one or more extra wefts are added at the time of weaving, which form the pattern. The pattern is formed when the decorative weft is forced to the top side of the cloth. So you get the effect of tapestry but all done on a loom, at once, hence low cost.

The usual method of doing this is on a jacquard loom, and hence the name ‘jacquard’ is also often used for the fabric.

Spotlight usually has masses of the stuff, which languishes because it’s not favoured for modern decor.

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Originally Posted by Arron

Spotlight usually has masses of the stuff, which languishes because it’s not favoured for modern decor.

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Thank you for that helpful information. I did quickly stop into Spotlight and agree it is left languishing

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Originally Posted by Arron

Spotlight usually has masses of the stuff, which languishes because it’s not favoured for modern decor.

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Then I wont post any pics of the roadside rescue, cos by the sounds of things, I may be rescuing the material from spotlight. that's probably why mine was 40% off...... hahahaha

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Originally Posted by Fumbler

Then I wont post any pics of the roadside rescue, cos by the sounds of things, I may be rescuing the material from spotlight. that's probably why mine was 40% off...... hahahaha

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I think I live in the wrong neighbourhood for roadside rescues. The last one was a pump and the only things to be rescued was 3 bolts, any furniture is usually water damaged Ikea wood items. Not to worry my friend sold me a red cedar tilt top oval table last week and this weekend has a red cedar captains chair for me :)

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Originally Posted by Blackout

Not to worry my friend sold me a red cedar tilt top oval table last week and this weekend has a red cedar captains chair for me :)

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I'm getting the feeling, you have a thing for Red Cedar?

And when I roadside rescue, I ensure there hasnt been raining for a few days.