Facebook Marketplace Finds | Antique Dining Chairs

Happy Easter Sunday, dear friends! It’s a nippy day here on the East Coast, perfect for a slow morning. The coffee is brewing and the smell of a freshly baked orange cake (the only one I can successfully make with my eyes closed) is filling the kitchen, and I have an unusual moment of quietude and desire to write. I’ve been procrastinating a little on sharing my latest Facebook Marketplace haul (per your request), in part because most of it is in the basement and the lighting down there is not the best for taking pretty pictures, but also because I was otherwise preoccupied. But yesterday the sun was out and the vibes were right, so I started work on the latest set of dining room chairs I got from Facebook Marketplace. I’ll share them in their raw state today, and hopefully remember to snap photos as I progress in their makeover. 

I must say, out of the many items I purchase vintage or antique, these chairs were the filthiest I have ever gotten sight unseen. The price was ridiculously affordable for five mahogany antique chairs, and the owner quick to deliver, but the upholstery was in such bad shape that I feared bringing them inside without setting them on fire first, right there in our driveway. 

The wooden frames were all grimy and sticky, and the upholstered seats ripped and covered in an assortment of hairs of all colors and sizes, both animal and human (I assume), and so much dust. Cringe. Luckily, I did catch a break from the rain the day they were delivered and managed to remove the old upholstery and give them a thorough cleaning before bringing them indoors.

 I was in a hurry to get the upholstery off so I didn’t think of taking any pictures. I left some of the bottom tacks on but yesterday I managed to remove all traces of the old upholstery, and I’m hopeful. Next comes restoring the mahogany finish – a pleasing prospect – before moving up to upholstery. I love the design of these chairs so much that, if they turn out half as good as I imagine them to, I’ll keep them as our permanent dining chairs. 

What do you guys think? Do you happen to know the name of this particular design / style of chair? I haven’t had the time to do the necessary research yet, but the intricate carving of the wooden frame and the old method of upholstery suggest significant age and charm.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by! I hope you’re doing well and enjoying a peaceful Easter Sunday.