This tired old gentleman has quite a history. It was originally made for and sat in the lobby of the old Portland Hotel in downtown Portland, Oregon. It was one of several to grace the lobby's marble floors. At that time it proudly wore gold, navy blue, white and red vertical stripes, and these were accented with big wide and shiny brass buttons which descended its arm fronts, then horizontally across just below the seat with its big feather-stuffed cushion. A Presidential look and feel!
It's been recovered once since leaving the hotel. The process you see taking place here is probably the third or fourth time. (One way you know is in counting all the upholstery tack holes that hide underneath all that fabric.) The last upholstery update was done in 1978, 32 years ago, so it's due.
An adventure awaits the reupholster who tackles an item like this. The upholstery's folds and crevices catch and conceal years of little treasures, mementos left by those who sat or curled-up between its strong upholstered arms. Wrappers from long ago savored candy bars, bobby pins--perhaps from a little girls hair--sewing whatnot from projects long completed, money never spent, evergreen sprigs and shards of an ornament sharing past Christmas joys, paper remnants of a message hastily written, and a handsome barrette from a then young woman's hair. There's even as spot where a craftsman's hastily scribbled notation still instructs from it otherwise hidden location. These are perhaps whispered sentiments of years gone bye, from a hesitant participant, postured for a discussion with anyone willing to engage such dialogue. Maybe there are some lessons to be learned by the present generation from an old, proud, and Presidential chair?
