Alexander Roux Chairs With Original Label

1 comment

1. Phil August 12, 2009
   I have seen paper lables attached to the wood on the back of furniture pieces, and Hunzinger pressed his info into the frames. We have a Roux library table that has stenciled labels inside both drawers. But paper labels affixed to chair linings are new to me. I find it interesting that the label pictured in the listing photo appears to be mounted on the same light brown glazed cotton used to flat-line most women's bodices and skirts from the 1840s thru WWI. Generally, the heavier the glazing, the more serious the fiber break-down over time due to oxidation of the glazing compounds. The glazing was applied to only one side of the fabric which produced a cheap cotton with the neccessary slippery quality required for a lining. Chintz is a common cotton that has been produced similarly for centuries. There were varying chemical formulas used to accomplish the shiny, smooth surface. Some were stable and are quite sturdy 150 years later; others are quite brittle. We recently purchased a matching pair of Empire footstools. One has what I believe is the original spring lining across the bottom. It is, surprisingly, a sturdy, sheer black horse hair. That fabric does not show up in clothing in the 19th century except as a hidden hem stiffener in the 1860s, '70s, and '80s. Few upholstered pieces have the original fabrics and linings, so I am wondering what was the more common -- glazed cotton of horsehair. Any thoughts?