This article is a brief glimpse into the history of upholstery.
It will look at the early days of the art and some of the major advances that shaped the industry into what we see today.
It is generally accepted that this technical craft is usually passed on through the generations as a father teaches son or a master teaches the apprentice.
This is getting less and less true as textile courses abound from G.
C.
S.
E level right through to post-graduate studies.
This article is going to look at the history of the trade.
As we understand it today, upholstery started to become popular in the 1600s.
During this period of history, bedding, cushions and wall hangings all fell under the work of the upholsterer.
Most of the creations from this time were very basic and not really what springs to mind when we speak of the trade today.
Later in the 17th Century the skill was applied with more familiar uses, such as padding on hard wooden chairs and benches.
It was recognised as a great skill and the upholsterers (in those days they were known as upholders) developed The Worshipful Company of Upholders which is a recognised professional body.
This was the first trade guild established and it provided guidelines to standardise techniques and quality, for example, using goat and deer hair to stuff cushions and padding.
Failure to adhere to these guidelines would result in a fine being imposed.
Horse hair was found to be a very successful replacement stuffing material and this, along with innovations in sewing techniques, made for an exciting time in the world of upholsterers.
This craft closely followed the art movements and they incorporated the contemporary art design style into their work for the next couple of centuries.
The next major shift in the trade was the availability of steel springs.
They were mostly used in padding chairs before becoming popular for use in mattresses and eventually as box spring beds.
When they were first introduced, the products made with this technique did not really last long as comfortable pieces of furniture because the loose springs would slip and move, often resulting in uneven and uncomfortable seating.
As the steel industry advanced so did the coils that were used for this purpose.
They started to ensure that the coils were linked and less likely to move.
At this time foam also became popular and is an easy way to cover the sometimes uncomfortable closeness of the top of the spring.
It will look at the early days of the art and some of the major advances that shaped the industry into what we see today.
It is generally accepted that this technical craft is usually passed on through the generations as a father teaches son or a master teaches the apprentice.
This is getting less and less true as textile courses abound from G.
C.
S.
E level right through to post-graduate studies.
This article is going to look at the history of the trade.
As we understand it today, upholstery started to become popular in the 1600s.
During this period of history, bedding, cushions and wall hangings all fell under the work of the upholsterer.
Most of the creations from this time were very basic and not really what springs to mind when we speak of the trade today.
Later in the 17th Century the skill was applied with more familiar uses, such as padding on hard wooden chairs and benches.
It was recognised as a great skill and the upholsterers (in those days they were known as upholders) developed The Worshipful Company of Upholders which is a recognised professional body.
This was the first trade guild established and it provided guidelines to standardise techniques and quality, for example, using goat and deer hair to stuff cushions and padding.
Failure to adhere to these guidelines would result in a fine being imposed.
Horse hair was found to be a very successful replacement stuffing material and this, along with innovations in sewing techniques, made for an exciting time in the world of upholsterers.
This craft closely followed the art movements and they incorporated the contemporary art design style into their work for the next couple of centuries.
The next major shift in the trade was the availability of steel springs.
They were mostly used in padding chairs before becoming popular for use in mattresses and eventually as box spring beds.
When they were first introduced, the products made with this technique did not really last long as comfortable pieces of furniture because the loose springs would slip and move, often resulting in uneven and uncomfortable seating.
As the steel industry advanced so did the coils that were used for this purpose.
They started to ensure that the coils were linked and less likely to move.
At this time foam also became popular and is an easy way to cover the sometimes uncomfortable closeness of the top of the spring.
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