I Do Like Facebook Marketplace

This past Saturday having morning coffee with the love of my life, I tapped on marketplace and front and centre was a slant top writing desk and what could be called a ladder back chair. Asked SWMBO do we have a use for the desk. Answer YES for me to do my crosswords. Ok, I will etransfer the funds. Picked it up later in the afternoon and was pleased with the purchase. Here it is

As you can see hand cut dovetails, pegged mortise and tenon joints and interesting knobs on two drawers. Guess I need to make a drawer, time to up my skills, maybe. Further inspection revelled hand cut nails, so with my limited knowledge I peg this from early to mid 1800,s or possible older ? Into the shop for a cleaning and staining the scrapes and dings to match the what I think is a shellac finish.

The ladder back chair is somewhat a problem. Looked great in the add but...

I think it was once painted, including the leather woven seat. Tried cleaning it with little success.
I need to ponder what to do next, any help is welcomed!
This is probably my best purchase as the two pieces only cost $50 Canadian dollars, 26 odd pounds, a steal any day.

Definitely two good finds there Scott, I reckon that chair could be very old, and I’ve never ever seen a woven seat where it overlaps two at a time in each direction like that. But just what is the grunge? Looks almost like cement or some other solidified powder over a long period.
Looks like a nail or something has been rubbing on the side of the drawer which as you say is nicely made.
Have you had the box off the frame yet? Could be anything hidden under there.
Ian
Ps not sure it’s ever been painted though, none to see in places that wouldn’t be worn.

There seems to be a white like pigment in the grain of the chair wood which say possibly painted. On top of the chair weave is grunge but what?
The underside of the chair shows evidence of paint. I will post a pic when I get home.
The desk is in much better condition than my pics show.
I am looking forward to making a drawer and will try to do it as was done back then. Easier said than done.

I need to look into why there is so much wear on the drawer side Ian. Not much time spent on this as I had to get the shelves done to be painted on Monday.

I really do not know much about ladder back chair history or the different seat weave patterns and materials used throughout the centuries.
Can't wait for retirement to really get into this rabbit hole of research.

Oh sorry Ian, I have not removed the box from the frame.

The hinges were a little stiff so a dab of three in one oil fixed the problem.
The hinge screws were all clocked horizontally and loose so I snugged them up, no longer clocked, sorry to the OCD members here.

Agreed, there's a lot of wear on those drawer sides and looking at the considerable ink spillage on the interior, (quill or steel nibbed pens dunked into an ink pot) I'd say it it places the date of it at some point in the 19th Century, but very difficult to be exact. The chair looks sound but I'd be inclined to strip off the old leather seating strips so it could cleaned and repaired where needed; the leather would also be cleaned and reconditioned at the same time.

Making a new drawer is pretty straight forward; I suggest you make a couple of trial attempts from old gash material in the 'shop. Don't forget you can always take plenty of pics and seek advice here on how to proceed but you'll find that it's not too difficult - Rob

Edit - potentially I reckon you've got two nice pieces there and as you say, a 'steal'. Looking at the desk again, I think they may have been two separate pieces, then the desk was plonked on top of the stand (which is too big) and the gap filled by that sloped moulding nailed in place

Would saddle soap and a stiff brush sort out the seat in situe

Woodbloke said:

Agreed, there's a lot of wear on those drawer sides and looking at the considerable ink spillage on the interior, (quill or steel nibbed pens dunked into an ink pot) I'd say it it places the date of it at some point in the 19th Century, but very difficult to be exact. The chair looks sound but I'd be inclined to strip off the old leather seating strips so it could cleaned and repaired where needed; the leather would also be cleaned and reconditioned at the same time.

Making a new drawer is pretty straight forward; I suggest you make a couple of trial attempts from old gash material in the 'shop. Don't forget you can always take plenty of pics and seek advice here on how to proceed but you'll find that it's not too difficult - Rob

Edit - potentially I reckon you've got two nice pieces there and as you say, a 'steal'. Looking at the desk again, I think they may have been two separate pieces, then the desk was plonked on top of the stand (which is too big) and the gap filled by that sloped moulding nailed in place

Click to expand...

As you say Rob the base seems to be an addition for the desk. Removal of the leather and cleaning etc., and repairs to the chair is a good idea. The joints of the chair are intact, with only a cracked front right leg which has been glued at some time.

Lurker said:

Would saddle soap and a stiff brush sort out the seat in situe

Click to expand...

Worth a go for sure. I would hate to be too aggressive and scuff the surface. The grunge is hard and caked on.

duke said:

I think it was once painted, including the leather woven seat. Tried cleaning it with little success.
I need to ponder what to do next, any help is welcomed!
This is probably my best purchase as the two pieces only cost $50 Canadian dollars, 26 odd pounds, a steal any day.

Click to expand...

You could buy leather, cut it into strips, and then reweave the chair, or have an upholstery shop do it.

If you do it yourself, you could first learn that weave using thin strips of carton as a practise material.

I would be a nice touch to remove the lock mechanism, if possible, and then have it keyed by a locksmith shop.

But so much spilt ink in there! Goodness! Maybe you could cover it with some nice green felt, or?

Not sure what to do about the inks stains and the felt is a good idea.
Probably won't deal with the lock unless I see a complete one at the flea market I visit.

Ian, back to your comment about the grunge on the seat got me thinking. There are signs of paint drips on the bottom, so maybe the seat was painted along with the rest of the chair and someone sand blasted to remove the paint. It has a clumped sand like texture.

Hi Scott... i gave Google a go on the paint removal from the chair, came up with some steps you may find interesting and worth considering.

GOOGLE.
To remove old, dried paint from a leather seat, use a small amount of rubbing alcohol or petroleum jelly on a cotton swab to gently soften and lift the paint without ruining the material. [1, 2]

Step-by-Step Removal Guide

• Test First: Dab a hidden spot on the seat with your chosen cleaner first to make sure it does not change the color of the leather. [1]
• Soften the Paint: Put a little 90% rubbing alcohol or petroleum jelly on a cotton swab or microfiber cloth. Dab it directly onto the dried paint spot. Let petroleum jelly sit for 15 minutes, or let rubbing alcohol sit for a few seconds to break the bond. [1, 2]
• Lift the Paint: Gently rub or scrape the paint using a soft cloth, a soft-bristled brush, or the edge of a blunt plastic card. Do not push hard or use sharp metal blades, as this can tear the leather. [1, 2, 3, 4]
• Clean the Residue: Wipe the area immediately with a damp cloth and mild soap to remove any leftover cleaner. [1, 2]
• Condition the Leather: Dry the seat and apply a quality leather conditioner to restore lost moisture and keep the material soft. [1, 2]

For tips on how to effectively rub and lift stubborn dried paint using alcohol and a cloth:

3m
How to Remove Stubborn Paint from Leather Chairs
85k views · 6 years ago
YouTube · Ergonomic Trends


If you want more specific help, tell me:

• What type of paint is it (latex, acrylic, spray paint)?
• Is the leather perforated (has small holes)?

In response to the additional questions I put in:
no idea as to type of paint. chair has weaved leather straps for the seat, shows white staining around the weave areas. old chair

And got the following;

For an older chair with woven leather straps, white staining around the gaps often indicates either dried water-based latex paint or fatty bloom (natural oils/waxes migrating out of old leather). Because the chair is vintage, the leather is likely fragile, and standard scraping can permanently warp or tear the interwoven straps.
















Safe Removal Strategy for Woven Straps

• The Warm Compress Method: If it is old latex paint, it will soften with moisture. Soak a microfiber cloth in warm water and wring it out completely so it is just damp. Press it firmly against the stained weave areas for 5 to 10 minutes to rehydrate and loosen the white crust.
• The Toothbrush Technique: Avoid flat scraping tools, which cannot reach into the gaps of woven straps. Instead, take a soft-bristled toothbrush and gently brush the white residue using a circular motion.
• Olive Oil or Petroleum Jelly: If water does not work, the substance might be oil-based. Dab a tiny amount of olive oil or petroleum jelly onto the weave. Let it sit for 15 minutes to break down the stain, then brush gently.
• Clean the Gaps: Wrap a thin microfiber cloth around the edge of a plastic credit card or a wooden toothpick to gently slide between the overlapping straps. This lifts the trapped white residue out of the crevices without stretching the leather.
• Dry and Condition: Wipe away all lifted residue with a dry cloth. Old leather dries out rapidly; always finish by massaging a premium leather conditioner deep into the straps to prevent cracking.

What if the white staining won't budge?
If the white areas feel waxy rather than chalky, or if heating the spot slightly with a hair dryer makes the white film disappear temporarily, it is not paint. It is a natural condition called spew or fatty bloom. This happens when fats inside old leather crystallise on the surface due to temperature changes. It can be easily wiped away with a dry cloth or a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water.
To help narrow down the restoration, let me know:

• Does the white residue feel hard and chalky (like paint) or soft and waxy?
• What is the natural colour of the leather straps?

................................
As I can't answer how the Residue feels, hard and chalky etc., I haven't continued further to see what Google would come up with. I thought it interesting that it came up with a photo of a chair almost identical to the one you have. I could continue with the 'discussion' with Google if you want to try to say how the residue feels.

I'm not convinced it is a bloom from the leather as it looks to match the grime on the rails under the weaving. It looks rather like many an old chair, fallen from favour, demoted to rough jobs e.g, to stand on for decorating, workshop use etc, covered in grime. Cleaning up that leather in situ looks like it would be a real labour of love to me. Depending on how clean you want it to be of course.

I'd make a new one and palm that one off on some sucker on Facebook Marketplace I think

I have another idea in mind before I pawn it off to a sucker on facebook.
If my idea doesn't work it will end up as a deck chair.