Featured What is this bench?

Hi, I have the opportunity to purchase this bench for $10 as an obvious project piece. But what was it used for? Seems small for a settee. I thought it was a nursing bench but I haven't found examples online. Let me know what you think it is. As always, thanks for your thoughts!

 

Eastlake settee - the asymmetrical form giving ladies plenty of space for voluminous skirts...

~Cheryl

 

What she said.... Looks like the original horshair uphostery fabric.

 

Great to see the original upholstery. So much easier to evaluate the piece as it was meant to be seen.

Debora

 

I'd dust it and otherwise let it sit. But Eastlake is in the tank these days and it's not a unique piece. No great crime to mess with it. The seat does need all the help it can get if you actually want to sit on it. (the nearest cat would like it as it is, probably!)

 

Please do not “mess” with this piece. There must be a way to scrub and shine up the wood. I am gobsmacked that the original horsehair is still there. It went out of favor for a reason, so maybe the right thing to do is change it out.

 

Nice!

I took some 19th C chairs I’d purchased to my favorite upholstery shop. They said it was a good thing I got rid of the horsehair, as it was flammable. Both had unattractive upholstery that was well past its prime.

As this wood is so dark, if it were mine I’d clean up the wood and then give it some new upholstery with a lighter shade and color. That would show off the wood nicely.

 

I"m weird; I want to put mud cloth on that something fierce. In a room with brightly colored walls..bingo.

 

I looked it up. It says horsehair will burn but won't give off toxic fumes like so many modern fabrics. If I had that I'd buff up the wood and leave it. It may be common elsewhere but it's not around here.

 

ya Bev...clean the fabric , polish the wood and let it live out it's life as it was born to !

 

Well, I have five or six Eastlake pieces that would welcome another piece. LOL!!

 

@joe blowski , did you purchase it?