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    The Practical Upholsterer Giving Clear Directions for Skillfully Performing all Kinds of Upholsteres' Work: Leather, Silk, Plush, Reps, Cottons, Velvets, and Carpetings also for Stuffing, Embossing, Welting, and Covering all Kinds of Mattresses
    The Practical Upholsterer Giving Clear Directions for Skillfully Performing all Kinds of Upholsteres' Work: Leather, Silk, Plush, Reps, Cottons, Velvets, and Carpetings also for Stuffing, Embossing, Welting, and Covering all Kinds of Mattresses
    The Practical Upholsterer Giving Clear Directions for Skillfully Performing all Kinds of Upholsteres' Work: Leather, Silk, Plush, Reps, Cottons, Velvets, and Carpetings also for Stuffing, Embossing, Welting, and Covering all Kinds of Mattresses
    Ebook135 pages1 hour

    The Practical Upholsterer Giving Clear Directions for Skillfully Performing all Kinds of Upholsteres' Work: Leather, Silk, Plush, Reps, Cottons, Velvets, and Carpetings also for Stuffing, Embossing, Welting, and Covering all Kinds of Mattresses

    By Fred T. Hodgson

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    About this ebook

    This vintage book contains a complete guide to upholstery, with information on leather, silk, plush, reps, cottons, velvets, carpetings, stuffing, embossing, welting, and covering all kinds of household furniture. Including interesting historical information and simple, beginner-friendly directions, this volume is perfect for beginners with an interest in practical upholstery and would make for a fantastic addition to collections of allied literature. Contents include: "Tools and Materials Used", "Upholstering a Chair", "Plain Seats", "Parlour Furniture", "Bedroom Furniture", "Bed Draperies", "Bed-Hangings", "Cutting of Shades", "Miscellaneous Hints", and "History of the Art". Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction. First published in 1897.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOwen Press
    Release dateSep 6, 2017
    ISBN9781473340336
    The Practical Upholsterer Giving Clear Directions for Skillfully Performing all Kinds of Upholsteres' Work: Leather, Silk, Plush, Reps, Cottons, Velvets, and Carpetings also for Stuffing, Embossing, Welting, and Covering all Kinds of Mattresses

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      Book preview

      The Practical Upholsterer Giving Clear Directions for Skillfully Performing all Kinds of Upholsteres' Work - Fred T. Hodgson

      CHAPTER I.

      HISTORY OF THE ART.

      WE have heard it stated that in former times upholsterers were called upholders; and it appears to be not unreasonable when we bear in mind the principal work of upholsterers in olden times, such as the application of tapestry to walls and to articles of furniture.

      We have ample proof that the art is most ancient. Monumental records of the very earliest periods in Egypt reveal the fact that the ladies of the City of the Sun were wont to repose on couches and chairs that were stuffed and covered with rich materials of the most costly description; and yet it is possible that they acquired the art from India, the cradle of humanity, and, we might almost say, of all the beautiful arts. It would be futile for us to inquire whence the suggestion of a comfortable seat or carpet emanated. A glance at Nature will suffice to show a common instinct for a soft and warm retreat; and under the rude tents of the inhabitants of bygone ages this instinct would be imperatively exercised.

      The Ninevites, the Hebrews, the Greeks, the Tuscans, and the Romans, successively exercised the art of upholstery, as we know from their records; but it is impossible that the materials used could last for ages, hence most of the examples of upholstery are confined to the last few centuries. Perhaps the most luxuriant display of seat coverings and curtains was in the reign of Louis XVI. Many articles produced at this period remain with us, and are being continually reproduced. There are numerous specimens after this style of work to be found in many of the art publications of the past and present day; and with the aid of this work the operative upholsterer in the United States will experience no difficulty in turning out work equal, if not superior, to the furnishings of the days of the luxurious French monarch.

      FIG. 1.

      FIG. 2.

      FIG. 3.

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      FIG. 5.

      FIG. 6.

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      FIG. 8.

      UPHOLSTERERS’ TOOLS.

      CHAPTER II.

      TOOLS AND MATERIALS.

      THE tools required by an upholsterer are few in number, the principal being a pair of good hammers (those of French make are the best, and are used by most expert workmen), a web strainer, a heavy pair of scissors for carpets and similar work, a light pair for general use at the bench, a pair of compasses, a strong awl, with the handle in a socket, if possible, in order to bore for driving studs or brass nails, one each of 6 in., 8 in., 10 in., 12 in., and 14 in. double-pointed upholsterers’ needles, half a dozen assorted circular needles, a medium-sized screwdriver, a regulator to distribute the hair when tacking down to form edges, a ripping-chisel, a wooden mallet, a 3-ft. rule, a tape-line, and a 16 in. leather bag to hold the whole.

      I show some of the tools in the cut on the opposite page, and the following gives a fair description of them:—

      1. Hammer.—This is much lighter in every way than the ordinary carpenter’s hammer, being by comparison a very attenuated affair. A general size is about 13 inches long, with a head of 5 inches from end to end. The thin end is finished with a claw; the other is occasionally roughened to prevent slipping. Fig. 1 gives a good idea of this tool.

      2. Cabriole Hammer.—This is similar, but with the broad face of the head very much smaller. The workman need hardly provide himself with one of these, as, though a handy tool, he will probably not find much occasion to use it.

      3. Web Pincers.—The chief peculiarity of these is in the jaws, which are shown in Fig. 2. It will be noticed that the faces are corrugated or ribbed, in order that a firm grip may be got on the web. The use of this and the other tools will be fully explained in describing work.

      4. Web-Strainer.—There are several forms of this in use. Two of the most common are here described. Each has its own advocates, and doubtless its own. merits, but they are both good, and whichever is preferred may be adopted. Briefly, it may be said that the spike-strainer is considered by some to be quicker in action than the other, but that it has a tendency to tear the web. Properly used it does not, nor with those accustomed to the other is there much if any saving of time. The form known as the spike-strainer is to be bought; the other, sometimes called, from its shape, the bat-strainer, is not, so far as I know, on sale in shops, but is made for or by the user. Both bat and spike-strainer can, however, easily be made, and I therefore describe them fully,—measurements, &c., being taken from two before me that are in daily use in a leading shop. The spike-strainer consists of a piece of oak—any hard wood will do—7 inches long by 2 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick. The center is slightly hollowed on all four sides, and rounded to afford a comfortable hold for the hand; the ends are tapered off to 1 5/8 inch by 1/2 inch. In one end are three round spikes, in the other two. The spikes are 3/8 inch long, or rather they project that distance from the wood, and at the base they are about or a little over 1/8 inch thick. They might easily be made by driving screws in and afterwards filing them to a point, or by sufficiently thick pieces of iron fixed and pointed. A high degree of finish is not necessary. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 show the general shape of this tool, which costs about 50 or 60 cents if bought from a tool-store. Figs. 6 and 7 show the bat-strainer. It is 12 inches long by 3 3/4 inches wide by 3/4 inch thick; one end is rounded and shaped to form a handle, the other is rebated across to the depth of 3/8 inch; across the wide part, starting 1 1/4 inch back from the rebate, is cut a hole measuring 2 1/2 inches long by 1 1/8 inch wide on top. In width it tapers down to 1/2 inch at the bottom, both sides being equally beveled. In length it is the same throughout. All that now has to be done to complete it is to shape a piece of wood so that it will loosely fit the hole. To prevent this small piece being mislaid it is usually attached by a bit of string or strip of leather, or anything convenient, a few inches long, to the bat. In neither of these strainers is it necessary to adhere closely to the sizes, which are merely given to form a reliable guide to those who wish to make their own.

      5. Regulator.—This is a piece of iron or steel, one end of which is flattened and rounded, the other tapered off to a point. It is made of various lengths—my own is 9 inches—and is sold per inch. Fig. 8 shows its

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