This came yesterday and we are very happy with it. Photos are a bit meh. It is an unprotected grade three leather which is quite interesting.
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This came yesterday and we are very happy with it. Photos are a bit meh. It is an unprotected grade three leather which is quite interesting.
Attachment 12088
Thanks Duane, it was a pleasure doing business with you.
Looks great! The 916200 leather is a hand-wiped pure aniline, so it has an artistic flair to it as the outer color coat is actually wiped off the leather once the piece is made up at the factory. Then a sealer is applied to lock it all it. Will show lots of natural markings, fat wrinkles, grain variations and the like. That style of sectional doesn't have "borders" to highlight the hand-wipe effect like some other kinds of pieces. Here's an example of a wing chair in a hand-wiped leather (Hancock and Moore Painter's chair) and the outer wood frame gives a definition line for the craftsperson to define into - so its darker to the wood frame area which really highlights that effect and defines it.
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Thank you for your business!
That is a beautiful leather on the chair. I love the effect. Are there any with that effect in more neutral colors like browns, grays and whites? Or is the above sofa the same type of leather? It looks so different in a sofa, if it is. I am confused about the hand painted and hand wiped leathers. How can they still be considered pure analine if they are painted and top coat applied to seal it in? Won't they wear off over the years and have some of the same issues as a finished leather? Aren't taking a pure analine and making it into a finished leather? Would this type of leather be appropriate for a comfortable recliner or is it stiffer or slicker and not really appropriate for the more relaxed look of a recliner?
There are not many wipe-off leathers in the H&M lineup, however that effect can more or less be created by requesting a heavy burnishing on the frame edges with a burnished leather. So here's the difference:
A "Wipe Off" leather comes from the tannery with a heavy layer of color atop an dyed (pure aniline) hide. This toner coat is designed to be wiped down in the finish room at the manufacturer once the piece is upholstered. The craftsperson in the finish room is going to use a chemical or # 0000 steel wool (I'm not sure which, I would have to ask them) to remove the heavy pigmentation coat to achieve the desired effect. It's a bit artistic to do it right and I think this Painter's chair was done perfectly, leaving the edges near the frame darkened and lightening up the center portions of the hide. Clear sealer is applied when done to lock it all in.
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A Burnished leather is basically the same thing, but done in reverse. The hide comes in plain to the factory and when done the finish room artists will take toner coats and apply them to the piece rather than wiping it off. They will build the tone as they see fit. We have some success with asking for Light or Heavy burnishing by request, however that is subject to the artist's interpretation of exactly what that would be. By far, the standard burnishing is what is done most often. Once the toning is done, the same sealer coat is applied to lock it down. When I was at the H&M factory last week, I took this photo of a Weston Cane Burnished recliner being made. Remember the burnishing is done right at the end before the piece is shipped, so here's what Weston Cane Burnished looks before the toning treatment:
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And here's what an H&M Author chair looks like in Weston Cane Burnished when finished.
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A Finished leather is not the same, because remember that first and foremost, finished leathers are first sanded to remove imperfections which also destroys the natural grain pattern in the hide (which is pressed back in with an embossing machine as an artificial pattern) before being painted. Both wipe off and burnished leathers use a pure aniline base, so all natural markings are still there along with the natural grain pattern, and then color highlighted. Big difference. Yes, both leather types still have a very good hand and feel great. My recliner at home (a 1044 Sadler) is in a burnished leather and if I were to replace it, I'd get another one in a burnished hide as well. Tough, looks great, easy to touch-up abrasions and the like.
Very interesting, thank you. What about wear to the painted areas? I still have to get a recliner eventually and I would love to get something more interesting for the leather that incorporates some lighter shades as well as darker ones. I prefer not to get another finished leather for that becuase if I get a good one, it will get more wear than the sofa for years to come, since it will likely become my favorite spot.
By far - the two things that contribute to leather / recliner deterioration are user-controlled, they are:
1) Failure to do any maintenance on the leather (cleaning, conditioning, and wiping down the leather occasionally with a damp cloth) and;
2) Degradation of the leather due to UV Sunlight exposure.
You would have to use the unit every day for probably close to 6 hours a day or more over a period of twenty years plus to see any noticeable wear from just plain use on any kind of aniline hide, so it really is a non-issue.
Update, the leather is wearing very well. Windows are tinted and we applied the aniline barrier product upon arrival. Performed the first cleaning / conditioning at the 3-4 month mark and, despite three small dogs, very little dirt came up. Scratching doesn’t seem to be an issue either—if they are scratching, it isn’t showing. This was our biggest concern coming from painted leathers, so we are quite pleased.
Will be in touch soon about a swiveling, reclining chair in a contrasting color.