Napoleon III 1852-1870, Louis XV style
Original overstuffed work
All seams were hand-sewn with minute stitches
"Back-stitch" from the face side
Stitching photographed under magnifying glass
Mortise and tenon joinery in rosewood and beech
Tenons are pegged in place
Hand-forged eyelet with heavy guage edgewire
Forged eyelet is clinched in the back
Shipped from an area southeast of Paris
Frame ready to upholster...
Original springing was extremely dirty
Copper plated springs polished clean, lacquered and "box tied" in place
Springs are tied in from the top so only small gathers are seen from below
Completed spring tying
Duck cloth is fastened over frame then stitched onto springing
Horse hair being built around perimeters
Hair is built to depth around the edges and leveled in the center
Burlap is strained over the hair base. A cord is used as a guide to align the weave
One blind row of stitching and two additional rows to pull hair into shape
Seven rows of stitching pull the hair into a firm edgeroll
A second layer of hair is added
A third layer of hair further evens out the seating
The lower face is filled smooth
More hair is "picked in" with a regulator to finish out the front profile
Hair is sculpted to fit the serpentined front rail
A duck cloth foundation is stitched to the lumbar wire and pulled to an arc against the back supprt
A 2" depth of first stuffing being placed
Hair is pulled to proper depth under loops of string
A framing square is important to keep the weave of the burlap in line
First stuffing partially stitched in
More stitching...
First stuffing ready for a topping of hair
A thin layer of hair levels out the stitching
Another layer of hair is applied
Second stuffing ready to be pulled down in denim
The cord is left "floating" as the denim is wrapped around and sewn to the wire
Cord is pulled tight and fastened to the inner arms to pull the cloth into a gentle arc in the lumbar area. (note shadow line)
Back view ready for outer cover
Original arm pad
String is anchored to a tack in arm center
Pulling string secured center of pad
New muslin over original
Stitching firms up and stabilizes pad
