Saturday, July 9, 2011

The Reveal-The Elegant Seat

Oh dear, next time I decide to refurbish anything, please stop me! You may remember on our joint blog, Gals About Town, I spent the day in Peddler's Village and found what may have been a Sheraton chair for a whopping $75! Well I decided for the upholstery it called for a trip in town, so yesterday I went exploring on Fabric Row in the Queen Village, shocking, neighborhood in southeast Philadelphia's Fabric Row, which is like a mini version of the NYC garment district. There are 25 or so shops all concentrated on a few blocks of South 4th Street from South Street to Catharine Street. I pretty much knew I'd end up at Kincus Fabrics.





It is probably the Mood of Philadelphia. A local tidbit is it's where most of the Mummers get their provisions for their stunning outfits for the parade. And they even had some sale barrels outside.



Once inside it was overwhelming where to start. But the lady said it was 50% off all fabric considered upholstery. Magic words.




I found a beautiful fabric and it almost matched my bedding. In the meantime, I really set out to see if the chair is a Sheraton piece. Since I have a degree in interior design and had many courses of furniture history ,and knew what to look for, I still wasn't sure since few pieces actually built by Sheraton survive today. But his designs and ideas influenced entire generations of furniture-makers, especially in the young U.S. Thomas Sheraton is known for its light, elegant appearance, especially delicate, compared to earlier Queen Anne and Chippendale styles. Pieces are embellished with small, low-relief carvings or painted designs, along with intricately patterned and detailed marquetry and veneers, often in dramatically contrasting woods, which this chair has. Common motifs include drapery swags, lyres, ribbons, fans, feathers, urns and flowers, which their is a lyre of sorts of the back. Still confused, a friend who knows antiques looked at it, and said it is not a Sheraton as old as it is, but it is a damn fine reproduction and probably worth alot more then the lady sold it for. He guessed a ball park figrue of $500-$600! I really did get a steal!!!! I felt like I was on Antiques Roadshow y'all! I showed him a picture of a desk of my mother's I also thought was Sheraton. Sheraton is credited with popularizing the placement of gathered silk behind the glass doors of desk, cabinets and sideboards. He also had a penchant for including secret drawers and mechanisms for sliding sections on secretaries, tables and desks which her's does. She hates the thing. It was my father's great grandfathers. My friend thinks by the pictures, she may well have a fortune sitting in her living room! He wants to see it sometime in person. But annnnnywho the chair meanwhile turned out beautiful. Not a professional job, but it looks perfect for me.


The before-



And now the after-





Now I don't know about you, but I sure could use a cock-a-tail! After all, there is always time for a cock-a-tail! Tootles!

21 comments:

  1. I love it when I can learn something and see something pretty all on the same day!
    I have my Great-Step-Aunt Eunice' desk - made by the zillions in the depression - and it has a secret drawer. She left a note in it 'ha! ha! my fortune is elsewhere!' :-)
    And actually it was and allowed us a down payment on this house.

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  2. What a very nice post, I really enjoyed this. That chair looks spectacular Mistress. It looks like night and day!

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  3. Wow! What a difference! It's beautiful!!! And what a treasure you got now.

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  4. The fabric made a huge difference! And the wood much richer! Your chair looks wonderful. I like how you changed up the faric. Well done! Cool post too.

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  5. Honey, I wouldn't even know where to begin on something like this. And another reason not to get rid of anything before you know what you got. Very nice Mistress.

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  6. Wow, Maddie, that came out gorgeous! I love it.

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  7. I agree with Froggy, I enjoy the pictures with learning something along the way. I LOVE the chair you upholstered! Amazing difference! And it seems to fit the spot perfect.

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  8. Fun! I love before and afters! Mistress you got some talent I swear. I wouldn't know where to start on something like that.

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  9. DAMN MISTRESS! You really do just amaze me. It turned out wonderful. I so need your help with my place for sure! And is that a huge vase behind the chair? If it is, damn, that thing is huge!

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  10. My jaw dropped. Great post!!! So inspirational!! Thanks so much! It does get those creative thoughts flowing! And not to mention what a find!

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  11. Anonymous7/10/2011

    What a great piece! ...the chair!!! Wonderful post -both educational and a demonstration of your keen eye/awesome talent. "Bravo!!!"

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  12. Thanks everyone for the nice and kind comments! It was afun project I admit.

    Cali-boi- I just love big things you know. Good eye, it is indeed a huge vase I got for $5 at one the the department stores I bought from the prop department. And it is heavy as hell. Two people to move it!

    Skill -why thank you for commenting on my nice piece!

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  13. Love it all! Looks like a fun afternoon too I'm so inspired! Thanks for sharing...

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  14. Wow, totally breathed new life into the piece. You may need to hide from me before i give you a list of things to do for me! LOL

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  15. Wonderful post! I love the fabric by you got. I just bought some fabric to redo my kitchen chairs...we'll see how that goes!

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  16. I'm much like you, I've redone one piece and I've only gotten in over my head a couple times,and had to hand it over to my friend Barry to finish professionall). It never hurts to be friends with an upholsterer ;) Chairs like that are a great "pick me up" for a room. And the history was fun to learn, never knew these were sherathon details and I know I've seen them before.

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  17. Can I just come live with you for some time, I could learn so much, plus you would open my eyes to ALOT! That chair is really nice, can believe the difference. And that vase!!!!!! I bet your place is something to see!

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  18. Great job, Girl!!

    XOXOXO

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  19. Wow, you really can do it all! That looks great. And I admit it really does look like a sheraton. It took lots of furniture history also.

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  20. Love your fabric choice. When I win the lottery and buy a new house, you are so coming out here to help me decorate. And maybe we'll have a cocktail or two as well.

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  21. Very nice indeed! Looks like a brand new chair! Good taste with the fabric and the chair does look Sheraton to me also, but hard to tell. Beautiful none the less!

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Go ahead darling, tell me something fabulous!