Upholstery

Lore & Background

The term 'upholder' is an archaic word historically used to refer to an artisan who made and sold upholstered furniture, not exclusively repair work. The analogy to a cobbler vs. a cordwainer is misleading. In 18th-century London, upholders often acted as interior decorators, managing all aspects of a room's decor, and were members of the Worshipful Company of Upholders, a guild whose traditional role before the 18th century was to provide upholstery, textiles, and fittings for funerals. Notable furniture-making partnerships of the time paired a cabinet-maker with an upholder, such as Vile and Cobb, Ince and Mayhew, and Chippendale and Rannie or Haig.

During the reign of James VI and I (1603–1625), stitched edging allowed bespoke shapes to be created by stitching cushion pads on wooden frames, introducing design and artistic flair to upholstered furniture. Farthingale chairs, named after the large hooped skirts of the era, were introduced, and velvet became popular. The Baroque style, however, had already emerged in Italy in the late 16th century (c. 1600) and was established in mainland Europe before James I's reign. Under Charles I, the Baroque style, characterized by abundant ornamentation, took hold in mainland Europe, promoted by the Catholic church as a response to the Protestant reformation, and was slower to be adopted in Northern Europe and the British Isles.

Traditional upholstery traces its roots to ancient civilizations, but flourished as an art form during the Renaissance. It relies on manual craftsmanship, using solid wood or webbed platforms, springs, lashings, animal hair, grasses, coir, wools, hessians, scrims, and other materials built up by hand. In the Middle Ages, domestic interiors became more comfortable, with simple platforms of webbing, canvas, or leather for stools and chairs. By the 17th century, chair seats were padded with stuffings like sawdust, grass, feathers, and animal hair, though in England the Livery Company forbade goat and deer hair. The 18th century saw classic upholstery shapes and techniques flourish, with frames of elegant line matched by expertly executed upholstery. In the Victorian era, excesses of stuffing and padding arose, aided by mass production and better-quality steel springs.

Reader's Guide

Upholstery has evolved from a manual craft using natural materials like animal hair, coir, and hessians to a modern industry incorporating synthetic materials such as dacron, vinyl, and polyurethane foam. The term 'upholder' historically referred to an artisan who repaired furniture, distinct from creating new pieces, and in 18th-century London, upholders served as interior decorators and were members of the Worshipful Company of Upholders, which originally provided funeral fittings. The craft saw significant developments during the reigns of James VI and I and Charles I, with the introduction of stitched edging, farthingale chairs, and Baroque ornamentation. Traditional upholstery, rooted in ancient civilizations and refined during the Renaissance, relies on hand techniques that distribute and shape stuffing using twine stitches and blind stitching. The Victorian era brought mass production and steel springs, while modern upholstery uses lightweight polyurethane foam. Today, reupholstery remains a thriving industry in the UK, with centers of furniture manufacture in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Hickory, North Carolina; and Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire, where companies like Webs Training Ltd train apprentices. The legacy of upholstery lies in its blend of artistry and functionality, preserving both antique and contemporary furniture for future generations.

Did You Know?

• The word 'upholstery' comes from the Middle English word 'upholder,' which referred to an artisan who makes fabric furnishings.
• In 18th-century London, upholders were members of the Worshipful Company of Upholders, a guild whose traditional role was to provide upholstery, textiles, and fittings for funerals.
• During the reign of James VI and I, farthingale chairs were introduced, but the Baroque style had already emerged in Italy around 1600, not during his reign.
• Ladder-back chairs did not become popular under Charles I; they were a later development, gaining popularity in the 17th and 18th centuries.