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Mystery vintage fabric

Discussion in 'PUBLIC Most Wanted - Looking for something?' started by William Steele, Aug 20, 2021.

  1. William Steele

    William Steele Registered Guest

    Hello. Need help identifying fabric believed to be Knoll and produced in the 1970s or 1980s. I contacted Knoll but they could not identify it. Was used to upholster a Knoll sofa.

    Thanks for anyone's help!!!
     

    Attached Files:

  2. denisebrain

    denisebrain VFG Vice President Staff Member VFG Past President

    Hello!

    You've done the right thing in contacting Knoll. What was your source of information about it being made by Knoll in the 70s or 80s?
     
  3. William Steele

    William Steele Registered Guest

    Hi. It's a Knoll Pfister sofa, has original label. But the label doesn't specifying anything about the fabric. I do know that Knoll started producing the Pfister sofa starting in the early 70s, so it's possible that it was recovered with a n0n-Knoll fabric at some point. Hard to tell.
     
  4. Rue_de_la_Paix

    Rue_de_la_Paix VFG Member

    That is a great looking sofa. The fabric does not strike me as 1970s, so maybe it has been (as you say) re-covered. There may be something on the selvages if you can get to them.
     
  5. William Steele

    William Steele Registered Guest

    Thank you Barbara. What is selvages?

    Bill
     
  6. Rue_de_la_Paix

    Rue_de_la_Paix VFG Member

    The selvages are the 2 side edges of the fabric. Often it has the name of the maker, pattern or numbers on it. If you look maybe under the sofa for loose ends of fabric, or in the seams of the pillows (without damaging the sofa of course), you might find some info. Not always, but sometimes it is there.
     
  7. Joyatri

    Joyatri VFG Member

    The fabric looks later than 1970s to me, too. Tagging @Linn who may recognize the pattern given her career in interior design.
     
  8. William Steele

    William Steele Registered Guest

    Thanks to both of you. I will take a look at the insides of the cushions to see if I can find any info. There is nothing under the sofa that I can see.
     
  9. William Steele

    William Steele Registered Guest

    No luck finding the selvages unfortunately.
     
  10. William Steele

    William Steele Registered Guest

    Last attempt ... anyone out there recognize this fabric?
     
  11. Avantbo

    Avantbo Registered Guest

    Hi,

    It is a nice sofa, like yourself and Barbara I think it has been re-upholstered, late 80s into 90s.

    Maybe another approach is required, its a trek and many variables but where did you get the sofa from, its previous history?

    Its a largish sofa, not something you would want to cart off to the upholsterer so am wondering, if you can narrow down where the sofa had been before you owned it, or during the 80s-90s, to contact the made to measure companies if still in existence.

    However gut feeling it was customers choice of fabric, so it could have been carted off but I don't suspect that far, again if still in existence--for that area, contact local upholsterers, say 25 mile radius.

    Its a trek and a half I know.

    The annoying thing is you can view many fabrics and know you have not seen them before but your material is vaguely familiar.

    It is also the type of pattern seen on flock wall paper of the day.
     
  12. William Steele

    William Steele Registered Guest

    Thanks for the note. I purchased the sofa from the RetroInferno furniture store in Kansas City in 2007. I asked the shop owner recently if he remembers where he found the sofa but he couldn't remember. I think you're right that the sofa was probably re-upholstered in the 80s or 90s. I did a search online but came up empty. Well, even if I did find out what the fabric is, I imagine it might be hard to find NOS. Time to move on and find a different pattern. Thanks for the great input, much appreciated.
     
  13. Rue_de_la_Paix

    Rue_de_la_Paix VFG Member

    The pattern reminds me of sprigs, maybe that key word might help in a search?
     
  14. William Steele

    William Steele Registered Guest

    Thanks. I checked using that key word and it didn't come up. It feels very close, however.
     
  15. Avantbo

    Avantbo Registered Guest

    Sprig of Pussy Willow maybe?
     
  16. Avantbo

    Avantbo Registered Guest

    A quick check and I came pretty damn close, check out Laura Ashley Pussy Willow fabric designs. I did a quick check for upholstery fabric too.

    There are shed loads of Willow designs out, I think you are going to go squint, good luck.
     
  17. William Steele

    William Steele Registered Guest

    Many thanks. I checked and came close, as you did, but no cigar. I'll keep looking, there must be a roll still out there, somewhere ...
     

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