Where can I post this question about a couch?

Here it be...

coucht.jpg
 
Interesting couch CV - has the dealer given you any information?

It's hard to tell much from the photo, it resembles certain styles from the past, but it also resembles a modern, reproduction style. A good friend of mine used to get these made up in Indonesia - being repros, they sold for a lot less than the antique versions, but I've seen several similar ones turn up in antique shops and auctions so you need to be cautious.

What kind of wood is it made of? Does it look old? What fabric is the upholstery? Is it priced as an antique or a repro? I would expect the antique version to show the patina and roughness of age. It might have been reupholstered, but the wood carvings should show signs of age and wear if it were original.

Nicole

Sorry - forgot to mention that I can't help you with a forum.
 
I don't know of a forum where you can ask furniture questions, but this might be a good place to start! Like Nicole said, it would be best to see some close ups of the wood, and also the back of the sofa. This could be 1800s, possibly into the early 1900s, or it could be 1940s (would be my best guess if it's modern), or 1960s/70s! I have a repro chair from the 60s in a similar style, but also an original 1800s sofa, in a different style, but the same sort of piece.

Knowing what type of wood this is might help. And seeing the condition of it.
 
Its almost identical to my grandmother's sofa that she bought in the late 1920s for her baroque revival living room. It was supposed to look antique when it was made (like those cannonball beds from the 1970s).
 
As Nicole mentioned, these are still being made today. This style has been revived at various times, in the mid-late 19th C. and at various times in the 20C. It is not Period. The cabriole legs are too short.

The proportions, the bench seat, the amount of fill on the upholstery all point to it being fairly new - not as early as the 1920's. It may be late '20C. and recently reupholsted. You can buy very good reproductions of 18C. Provincial furniture today. I think '60's-'80's is a good guess - but a close up of the carving would help.

Linn
 
Keep in mind - I agree with Linn that this could be later - but many pieces were reupholstered or made over. I have a sweet art deco era slipper chair that someone reupholstered in the 60s, and I have a fainting couch that someone reupholstered in the 50s/60s as well. The person added a skirt to the 30s chair to match the styles of the times. And it is possible IF this was a 1920s or earlier sofa, it could have been reupholstered and overstuffed to match later sensibilities. The fainting couch/settee is older than the chair, with horse hair, et al. But its REALLY PINK now.

I have seen a version of this done in the 70s in fuzzy burnt orange (ewww. I like orange but it was REALLY BAD) and in the 90s i saw it done up in a gilt look.

I used to sell very high end furniture and was in that business awhile and these are the things I would have advised you to think about.

I think the questions you have to ask yourself are:
1) Are you interested in buying it to resell
2) Are you interested in buying it because you like it
3) Are you interested in buying it because you like it, but want to do your house up in an authentic period.

If you LIKE it, and are drawn to it, and it makes you smile, it doesn't matter how old it is. However, you may be paying a higher price if its from the 20s.

These are the things, no matter how old or new it is that I would look for:

What is the condition of the wood? Does it feel brittle (are their parts splintering off? Broken pieces?)
When you sit on it (not daintly sit but really pop yourself on there), does it creak and crack, or do you hear the frame shift?
Is the upholstery clean to the eye? Or is there a lot of soiling.
Don't be afraid to do the smell test!
If it has a smokey smell, and it is more modern, a good steaming will get it out. But if there is horsehair under there, maybe not.
Are there any springs poking through?

It is hard to tell without a closeup view. Some things are easy and worth fixing, some are not. The frame thing - it might look perfect, but the tell is when you sit and slouch.

If you want to resell it, you have to also consider authenticity, and how much was redone. But if you want it for your house, you can be a bit more lax on that.
 
I have a circa mid-1800's upholstered sofa with carved Brazilian rosewood frame. It was found with its horsehair stuffing and original upholstery fabric. My mom had it re-upholstered, including restuffed, in a period-look velvet floral print. I had it restuffed at one point as well. So, if anyone were to judge it by its stuffing and fabric, they might think it a reproduction. But the wooden frame is a key, because, as we were told at the time, rosewood was no longer imported into the States after the 1860s. Not sure if that is entirely accurate, but the rosewood is definitely not the mid-century modern type you saw in the 1950s.

So, there are many "hints" to look for when buying a piece like this!
 
Thanks everyone.. this is really really helpful.. It also has two matching chairs. Luckily my DH clicked some close-ups and a picture of the chair.. here they are:
http://img199.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=couch1s.jpg

I am looking to buy this couch for my own living room.. but I am really curious if it is a vintage piece or a repro..

Thanks again for all your inputs..
CV
 
Okay, sorry to try and hijack this thread but I HAVE to know, patentleathershoes: WHAT IS A FAINTING COUCH?!! I mean, I can guess it's a couch intended for ladies to faint onto, but I've never heard the term before. What do they look like and when do they date from?!!

Utterly intrigued....
 
Thanks CV, now that I've seen the chair I'm going to go with repro - that back cushion is just wrong. It could of course been made up when it was reupholstered, but the wood doesn't look very old to me.

Also, judging by the furniture in the background of the pics, it looks like it's being sold by a general furniture shop, not a fine antiques dealer. That, too makes me think it's not the real deal.

The price should give an indication - you can buy the repros fairly cheaply. As Linn said, the style originated in the 18th century but has been reproduced a few times since then. I think yours is modern, no more than 10-15 years old.

Nicole
 
I agree with Nicole that the sofa and matching chairs are fairly recent. The fabric is recent, but the pieces could have been recovered. They could be anywhere from late '60's - current but they are not "vintage" or "antique" in the same sense that clothing this age would be considered "vintage."

However, as Patentleathershoes suggested, if they are priced right, in good condition and you like them, they may be the perfect for your home.

Linn
 
Originally posted by GoldenAge
Okay, sorry to try and hijack this thread but I HAVE to know, patentleathershoes: WHAT IS A FAINTING COUCH?!! I mean, I can guess it's a couch intended for ladies to faint onto, but I've never heard the term before. What do they look like and when do they date from?!!

Utterly intrigued....
Click to expand...

Yep. Originally those delicate flowers in their corsets would use them, as they would get the vapors, especially in the summer. Being of a delicate constitution and wearing corset a bit too constricting for them didn't exactly lend themselves for hot weather and racing around the house. I am sure they weren't called that back then, but that is what I call them and other folks have called them. Also, even if they didn't get the vapors, it would be awfully challenging in one's heavily garmented, corsetted, and even bustled self to just sit down on a sofa in any relaxing sort of way.

One arm would be a lot lower than the other. Sometimes they would have an arm on each side and one way lower, and sometimes it would just be one high arm, that sort of wrapped around and then no arm on the other. Like a one armed sofa. You have definitely seen LOTS of these.

Mine is a bit later - i think 19teens. There are art deco versions but after that they kinda died out until modern repros and one offs.

I have one that I will take a picture of to show you if you like someday.
 
Thanks everyone.. I decided against buying it because I checked out the cost of reupholstering this couch in silicon valley and the cheapest quote was $850 labor.. :-(
 
Many thanks patentleathershoes, and I'd love to see a pic of your couch. Thanks very much for introducing me to this term.

I am fascinated by these little details of history. Your description sounds like what I would call a chaise-longue, but in checking it out further, apparently they aren't exactly the same thing, according to this helpful guide. It also says that they were called fainting couches at the time, back in the day, in the 19th century.

Imagine, underwear that requires special furniture.
 
Originally posted by cupertinovfg
Thanks everyone.. I decided against buying it because I checked out the cost of reupholstering this couch in silicon valley and the cheapest quote was $850 labor.. :-(
Click to expand...

That quote is not surprising - there's a lot of work in reupholstering a couch like that. Perhaps if you ask the dealer, they might be able to help you find one with a fabric that's more to your liking?

Nicole
 
Originally posted by cupertinovfg
Thanks everyone.. I decided against buying it because I checked out the cost of reupholstering this couch in silicon valley and the cheapest quote was $850 labor.. :-(
Click to expand...

Well it is all relative. Here's what I suggest

1) See if you can find anyone a little further out. Maybe an hour or two away or so or in the next city altogether. You may find someone who does topnotch work but doesn't charge big city prices. Even if you have to rent a pickup or something, the savings might be worth it

2) If the sofa has excellent bones, compare the sofa price and reupholstery on what it would be to buy a sofa of similar quality new at a store. I found a chair once and to get the same quality - eight way hand tied, etc at a fine furniture store would have cost me $1500 for what I really wanted. The price of upholstering the older chair which was just as good if not better construction plus the fabric was WAY less than the other chair. If the sofa were to be in your main living room, you would barely be able to buy a low end sofa at a discount furniture store for $800.

Maybe it just wasn't meant to be - and that's fine, but if you really like something you have to get creative sometimes.

Maybe just keep keeping your eyes open for another sofa you like.
 
If you're really interested in antique/vintage, check out Craig's list. I've had wonderful luck there. We found a really cool, over-sized art deco living room chair, with it's original burgundy plush upholstery. When I couldn't afford the price, the owner lowered it and ended up adding a second period chair in for free.
I also found a beautiful carved wood, matching deco couch and chair. $450 for both. Even reupholstered, its hard to say no to that. The trick is to just keep looking every few days. I'm sure you'll find something you like.
Good luck!
 
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