Over 30 years ago a truck arrived at my home delivering my grandparent’s bedroom furniture to my home. Made in the early 1930s, the cherry mahogany furniture was hand carved. The two chairs were covered in yellow silk and stuffed with horsehair, I knew that because the fabric was beginning to fray and the stuffing was coming out.
The mirrors and furniture were beautiful to see and to touch. I had so many memories of my grandparents entwined in the furniture. From my early childhood in New Jersey, when the furniture was in their apartment above the bakery. When I spent the night, as a small child, I slept in bed with Grandma. Grandpa was usually up and baking throughout the night. His bedtime began about 8 am. In the early morning grandma would leave to go work in the bakery. I knew that when I woke up. I was to get dressed and go downstairs, where Grandma would make me breakfast. I was never afraid. I was in a safe place, near the chair where Grandma sang Yiddish songs to put me to sleep and under the feather quilt in the winter. So cozy.
Later the furniture moved to their home in the Catskills where they lived after they closed the bakery. They would spend most of the winter in the Catskills, but would return to their home in West New York for a few weeks when it got too cold. The bedroom furniture, along with their other lovly 1930s furniture, stayed there after Grandma died in 1981 and until Grandpa died in 1989. The only piece that did not make the move, was the baby grand piano. (See blog below.)
The bedroom furniture was promised to me, the oldest granddaughter. And when my grandfather passed away, about 9 years after my grandmother, my parents packed up the furniture, found a mover, and sent it to me along with a few other pieces. (See blog below.)
I made some changes. My grandparents slept in twin beds. I saved the headboards, but I had the foot boards and the side railings made into a lovely television stand that matches the rest of the suite. We did not need these as we use a king mattress. The headboards are in my basement. Too lovely to get rid of, they sit waiting for some future date when they will be used.
I left the yellow silk on the chairs. All these years. It was the original upholstery, and I could not change it. In my mind when I saw the fabric, I could see my grandparents. I could remember sitting in the vanity chair and hearing my grandmother singing to me. I could see myself sitting at the vanity brushing my hair and trying out her hair adornments. I could remember Grandma sitting behind me and brushing my hair 100 strokes, to make it shine. The fabric stayed.
Over the 30 years I have had the furniture, the fabric faced the many challenges of two small children. It continued to decay, fray and split. Finally, after 86 years, I decided this fabric was done. I had to reupholster the furniture.
I did it tentatively. It took me months to find a fabric that I liked. A fabric I thought would go with the furniture, but also recall the fabric that was part of it for almost nine decades. My Grandmother liked yellow and flowers. I love teals and blues and geometric shapes. How could I compromise?
But then, the perfect fabric appeared. Amazingly it was at Joann’s, the craft and fabric store. And Grandma was watching out for me. It was on sale, 40 percent off!. I also was given the name of a fantastic upholstery, Gearhart Upholstery in Buckner, Missouri.
The mainly blue and teal woven upholstery has a bit of yellowish gold swatches. And the pattern is both geometric, but there are flowers. Lovely blue and teal flowers. Even though the colors are different, in my mind I kept the spirit of grandparent’s furniture.
Purchased by my grandparents in 1936. Sent to me in 1990. And finally recovered in 2020. I hope the furniture is loved by my family for many more decades. I hope the memories I cherish will turn into new memories for another generation
https://zicharonot.com/2020/09/02/vintage-greeting-cards-stir-my-imagination/
https://zicharonot.com/2016/08/02/a-chair-a-baby-grand-piano-and-yiddish-songs/
zicharonot 
Lovely story. You have evoked those memories so clearly and lovingly. The chairs look wonderful, but I bet in your mind’s eye you will always remember them as yellow!
As I sit and look at the desk that used to be my mother’s before we had to move her to a memory care unit, I fully appreciate the sentiment we attach to furniture.
My family always tells me that I am the sentimental one. But it is that attachment to family photos and items that pushed me to finding out about what happened to our family. And also I have a desire for future generations to know where these items came from.
I feel the same. And there’s nothing wrong with being sentimental.
Two beautiful chairs and the fabric you picked is just lovely. My children have a few pieces similar that had been my grandparents. I will be sharing your posting with them. Your posting brought back some wonderful memories for me 🙂
I am so glad I brought back wonderful memories. For me items help tell the stories that keep my parents, grandparents and others alive.