Good question: it doesn't have that shiny, slippery look I associate with horsehair, plus I can see the woven cotton backing in one place--that is clearly not horsehair. I feel like this finish was applied or painted onto one side of a brushed cotton cloth. Peggy Derrick, Curator La Crosse County Historical Society P.O. 1272 La Crosse WI 54602 608-782-1980 On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 12:10 PM, Dee Stubbs-Lee <[log in to unmask]>wrote: > Might it be that the upholstery was horsehair? That could resemble the > appearance you described.**** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > *Dee A. Stubbs-Lee, MA, CAPC* > > Conservator**** > > The New Brunswick Museum**** > > Saint John, New Brunswick**** > > Canada**** > > E2K 1E5**** > > tel: (506) 643-2341**** > > www.nbm-mnb.ca**** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > *From:* Textile Conservators [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On > Behalf Of *Peggy Derrick > *Sent:* Friday, February 15, 2013 2:05 PM > *To:* [log in to unmask] > *Subject:* Fire truck upholstery**** > > ** ** > > The La Crosse County Historical Society would like to reupholster the seat > on its 1922 American La France fire truck and I am trying to determine what > the original fabric was, and what is my best option for a correct > replacement. At first I thought it was upholstered in black leather, but > upon examination I realized I was looking at a heavy woven cotton with a > surface treatment to make it black and waterproof. The fabric itself is not > in terrible shape, but the sewing thread is rotting. Maybe we should just > stitch it back together? I'm curious to know what the surface treatment is: > rubber? It's not crumbling or stiff like old rubber. Paint? Ditto. Vinyl? > Isn't 1922 too early for vinyl?**** > > Are there any simple tests I could subject a tiny bit to, to analyze it? > And while I'm asking all these questions, does anyone have a recommendation > on what to recover it with?**** > > Thank you all so much!**** > > ** ** > > Peggy Derrick, Curator**** > > La Crosse County Historical Society**** > > P.O. 1272**** > > La Crosse WI 54602**** > > 608-782-1980**** > > ** ** >