Samuel Johnson Chair, c. 1730

We were asked to find a suitable leather to reupholster a c.1730 chair owned by the great 18th century English man of letters, Samuel Johnson (1709-1784).  

The Danish Brigatine, Metta Catherina was carrying a cargo that included tanned reindeer hides from St. Petersburg to Genoa when it sunk off the Cornish Coast in 1786.  She lay almost completely buried in a deep bed of silt off Mount Edgcumbe until she was discovered by divers in 1973.  A team of divers recorded and excavated the wreck over the next 32 years.  We were fortunate enough to find enough of this leather to handle the reupholstery.  

The chair as it appeared in a Christie's catalogue, 1928.  

Completed Samuel Johnson chair with c.1786 leather

Cedar-Lined Leather Box

Black English saddle leather box, with cedar lining.

Cabinet on Stand by Otto Schultz for Boet, c. 1940

Arts & Crafts Oak Table with Tooled Leather Top

When we found this Arts & Crafts Oak Table in the Adirondacks, only remnants of the original leather were left.  We added a new hand-colored leather top, and hand-tooled a Candace Wheeler carp on the top to give it a little more character.

Detail of Tooled Leather Top

Another Detail of Tooled Leather Top

Hand-stitched Waste Paper Basket

Hand-stitched English Saddle leather on a stainless steel frame

Hand-stitched English Pigskin Headboard

Brass Butterfly

Large brass butterfly notched into a thick slab cut from fallen Florida Mahogany trees after a big hurricane.  

Hand-stitched Arm Chair

Jacques Adnet Arm Chair we completely hand-stitched using English Saddle leather.

Hand-stitched Leather Butterfly Stools

Hand-stitched English Saddle leather seat.  Black metal frame.

Tooled Monogram

Hand-tooled monogram PJG on the top leather panel of a custom bridal chest we designed and fabricated.