Old Settee Information

[al]

I need help determining the age, wood, builder, etc. on a settee that was willed to me by my aunt about 40 years ago.  According to her, it was also
willed to her by another relative.  She was told it was rosewood and was well over 100 years old, but in looking at other rosewood pieces, I am not so sure.  It is covered with the same material that was on it some 60 years ago when I first saw it.

[D&b antiques]

We could certainly debate the manufacturer. It does appear to be Mahogany also English in design. mid 1870's or so.

[KC]

Maybe my eyes are deceiving me...but it looks REALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLY red!

I would love to see a closer view of the settee.

[regularjoe2]

Welcome to the forum , al .

It sure does appear to me to be mahog. , as D&b noted , from your image .

Nice little unit , Mr.

[al]

Close up for your review

[talesofthesevenseas]

Beautiful settee! Looks like you, your aunt and the early owner all took great care of it!

[Chinese Antique Furniture]

Tales got it right.  It's a stunner!!

I also agree that it is mahogany.

My guess is that it was made right around 1900 +-20 years.

Can't tell from your pictures how worn the covering is, but it seems very well taken care of. 

The $ value?  Probably not all that high; I'd GUESS $200-$500 range. 

It's value to you, however, should be substantially higher, as it has been in your family for such a long time.  You've got a beauty, and I hope you enjoy it for many years to come.

[KC]

Oh my goodness.....what a beautiful piece of wood!!!!!!

Agree with mahogany!  The delicate carving is beautiful!  Also agree that it is beautiful cared for.

Can you take a pic of the underside of the seat and post?

Wonder if it has horses' hair inside like mine did!

[al]

Thanks to you all for the feedback...  I was debating getting it recovered -
should I???  I know that the covering that is on it now has been on it as long
as I can remember--at least 50 years.  Don't know how long before that - all
of my family has long since passed on, and no one to ask now. 

I will take a picture of the underside - I haven't checked to see if the inside
is horse hair?  Do you have a similar piece?  Was that common?

[KC]

The Victorian age used horse hair quite alot.  Horse hair has been reportedly used since the 1600's.

It is still being used today.  It is shiny, durable and desirable in higher ends of furniture.  It is found in $$$$$$ upholstery (woven horse hair) and in stuffing is indicated as curled horsehair - was easy to stitch into place.

It is still used in some of the finest custom mattresses for beds.

Horsehair was used to make clothing, crinolin, women's bustles into the 1800's, hats, jewelry and the finest tailors still use it and cat gut to hem the finest suits. Horsehair lassos were used in the early west. Believe it or not it was used for early wigs because it retained curls well.  The list goes on and on........

[talesofthesevenseas]

It was used to pad the seats of the ol' VW bugs too. Remember that distinctive smell the bugs had on rainy days with the heater on?!!!

[al]

I remember the smell very well.  We had a 79 VW Convertible for years.  As a matter of fact, in the early 90's, I kept noticing little piles of brown "stuff" in
the floorboard, an I found out later that it was the hair disintegrating.  Finally
had to replace with foam.

[al]

Pictures of back and bottome of settee, as requested...
This is actually the first time I have looked closely at the back of the settee.
It seems as though, at some time in its past, the covering went all the way
across the back of the settee - you will note tacks of some kind that were
not taken out.  I want to have the settee recovered. What would you recommend doing with the back?

[regularjoe2]

I personally think , since your intent is to reup this piece , that it would be best to replace the dual-pattern piece of fabric on its' back , with a single piece , following the existing pattern(s) from it's (original?) tacks .

This will , by it's nature , possibly add a bit more to the cost of the project (matching/sizing) since it's a large surface .
In the end , you'll have a piece that's covered as it was intended to be by its' designers/builders .

I've seen these furniture items displayed in large period homes in the Mid-West Mississippi River areas , where rooms tended towards being very spacious , unlike many modern homes ... have seen some used in conjunction with a flat-topped & upolstered 'chest' , which could be placed behind the settee - for additional seating & backrest (with 'flat/straight-backed' settees) .

That's just one opinion ... let's see what others say !

[luxetveritas]

Sounds good to me! I always enjoy pieced that maintain their original style and luster, if only loosely.