Leather repair Brooklyn Heights: two antique leather club chairs by a fireplace

Leather repair Brooklyn Heights You Cannot Buy Another One

Some chairs in these townhouses have stood in the same parlor for generations. For antique leather, we do the least that works and nothing that cannot be undone.

Book a free visit Call (347) 310-7483

BrooklynDUMBOCobble HillManhattan

What makes it worth keeping

What We Leave Alone

Every leather repair Brooklyn Heights estimate starts with what stays exactly as it is.

Original brass nailheads on an antique leather seat
NailheadsThe original brass

Cleaned in place, not pulled and replaced.

Deep patina on old brown leather
PatinaDecades of darkening

Fed and protected, never sprayed flat. Aniline.

Carved wood frame under a leather seat
FrameCarving and finish

Masked off, then touched up by hand. Wood.

Easy to do, impossible to reverse

Four Things We Avoid

Each of these is quicker. None of them can be taken back once done.

Worn, dull topcoat on oxblood leather
Stripping it bareThe old finish carries the age.
Color rubbed through on a rolled arm
Painting it overOne flat coat erases the patina. Color.
Oxblood leather cracked through the fibers
Cutting out a panelNew leather starts its life at zero. Panels.
Row of brass nailheads on black leather
Pulling the nailsOld holes never close again.
The gentlest step first

Least First, Then Stop

We start with the mildest step and stop as soon as the piece looks right. Conditioning often does more than people expect.

Soft brush dry-cleaning antique leather01Brush

Dry cleaning first, no water.

Flexing leather to see if a crack closes02Test

If a crack closes when flexed, it only needs feeding.

Gloved hand feeding oxblood leather03Feed

Conditioner worked in by hand.

Hand coloring worn spots on antique leather04Tint

Only where worn through, by brush. Cracks.

Before anyone touches it

Photograph Before You Clean

  1. No waterA drop in the wrong place can leave a ring.
  2. No household cleanersThey strip the old finish.
  3. Lift from the frameNever by the arms. Ask us.
Restored, still old

Before And After

Leather repair Brooklyn Heights work should look cared for, not new, so the character stays in each after.

Antique leather armchair before and afterArmchair Scratched antique settee before and afterSettee Antique club chair before and afterClub chair
A dropped seat is not the leather's fault

Under The Leather

Hand-tied springs in an open club chair
SpringsRetied by hand, the old way. Reupholstery.
Chair frame clamped with reglued joints
Frame jointsReglued with glue that can be undone.
Cracked seat on an antique chesterfield
The seatOnce the base is sound, cracks stop spreading. Cushions.
Pieces with a past

Settees, Desk Chairs, Footstools

Antique tufted leather setteeSettees Antique leather library desk chairDesk chairs Tufted antique leather footstoolFootstools
Also in the parlor

More Parlor Pieces

Antique leather fainting couch
Fainting couchButton tufting kept intact.
Antique leather settee in a parlor
Parlor setteeSeams restitched with matched thread. Seams.
Worn antique leather club chair
Club chairWorn, and meant to look it. Full grain.
Brooklyn's oldest streets

Brooklyn Heights And Nearby

Leather repair Brooklyn Heights visits come to your parlor floor, from the Promenade to Brooklyn Bridge Park and Court Street. Nearby:

Antique leather chairs in a lamp-lit library
Asked before every estimate

Common Questions

Will repair lower its value?
Careful work that can be undone rarely does. Heavy repainting or new panels can.
Can the original leather be saved?
Usually, if it still flexes without tearing. We test before we suggest anything more.
Should I oil it myself?
Not before we look. Some oils darken old leather for good.
Is the visit free?
Yes, with a written quote and photos.
Do you work on benches and stools?
Yes. Benches, footstools and other leathers too.
Can it be done at home?
The cleaning, feeding and color, yes. Springs and frames go to the bench.
What if a seam has opened?
It is restitched through the old holes where they hold. Protection follows.
How do you know it is old?
The frame joints, the nails and the way the leather has aged tell us a lot. We say so plainly, even if it is newer. Chairs, sofas.
Deep button tufting on an oxblood chesterfield
Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn

Send Photos, Not Cleaning Products

A wide shot and a close one. We'll quote from there. All services, cleaning.

Book a free visit Call (347) 310-7483
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