Horsehair Stuffing, Springs, and Silks: Upholstery Through the Ages

🪑 Upholstery Techniques & Materials

18th Century Upholstery

This period marked the transition from purely functional seating to luxurious, status-symbol furniture.

• Horsehair Stuffing:
  • Used for padding due to its durability and resilience.
  • Often layered with softer materials like wool or feathers for comfort.
• Traditional Stitched Upholstery:
  • Craftsmen used hand tools to build up layers: webbing, hessian, horsehair, scrim, and calico.
  • Techniques like bridle ties, stuffing ties, and edge stitching created sculpted, long-lasting seats.
• Springs:
  • Not yet common in the early 18th century. Comfort was achieved through stuffing and tensioned webbing.
• Frames:
  • Often made of oak or mahogany, with carved details in Rococo or Neoclassical styles.

19th Century Upholstery

The Industrial Revolution brought innovation and mass production, but traditional craftsmanship remained prized.

• Coil Springs:
  • Introduced mid-century, revolutionizing comfort.
  • Tied into webbing and lashed together, then covered with hessian and stitched into place.
• Rubberised Hair & Latex:
  • Later 19th-century substitutes for horsehair, offering more flexibility and ease of use.
• Machine-Made Nails & Plywood:
  • Allowed for more intricate curves and faster production.
• Hybrid Techniques:
  • Many artisans combined traditional hand-stitching with newer materials for durability and cost-efficiency.

🧵 Fabrics & Textiles

Damask Silks

• Damask is a reversible patterned fabric, often woven from silk or cotton.
• In the 18th century, silk damask was a hallmark of aristocratic interiors — richly colored, often in crimson, gold, or blue.
• Used for wall coverings, curtains, and upholstery, especially in formal drawing rooms.

Silk Velvet & Cut Silk Velvet

• Velvet offered a plush, opulent texture, favored for armchairs and sofas.
• Cut velvet featured raised patterns — often floral or geometric — created by cutting the pile in specific areas.
• Popular in both centuries, but especially in the Victorian era, where deep jewel tones and elaborate motifs dominated.

Horsehair Cloth

• A tightly woven fabric made from horse tail hair and cotton or silk warp.
• Known for its lustrous sheen, durability, and resistance to wear.
• Used extensively in Chippendale and Hepplewhite furniture, and still woven today by specialists like John Boyd Textiles.

Handmade Fabrics

• Prior to industrial looms, fabrics were woven by hand, often in small workshops.
• These included embroidered silks, linen damasks, and wool tapestries.
• Each piece was unique, reflecting regional styles and artisan skill.

🏛️ Style & Influence

• Rococo (early 18th century): Curved lines, floral motifs, and pastel damasks.
• Neoclassical (late 18th century): Symmetry, classical motifs, and muted damasks.
• Victorian (mid to late 19th century): Plush upholstery, dark velvets, and ornate carved frames.
• Arts & Crafts (late 19th century): Return to handcrafted simplicity, often with natural fibers and stylised patterns.