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Thread: Hancock & Moore leather selection

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2023
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    22

    Post Hancock & Moore leather selection

    Hello members,
    I am looking to purchase a leather sofa and Power recliner. I was looking at the following Hancock & Moore leather and was wondering if anyone has had any experience with the following grouping:

    - Nirvana - class 2 protected
    - Kismet - class 3 protected
    - Gibney - class 3 protected
    - Williamsburg - class 3 protected

    I currently have a sofa in Cavalier and I’m not happy with its ware. I’m also open to suggestions.

    I appreciate any feedback. Thank you.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
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    Alexandria VA
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    Default Re: Hancock & Moore leather selection

    Sure. we have lots of experience with leathers from H&M. "Wear" on leather is caused by two things 1) Failure to clean and condition on a regular basis 2) Friction.

    Cavalier is a FINISHED (protected) leather, that means its a painted leather. All paint wears off over time, no matter if its on leather, a car, or a house. It's a sacrificial coating. The more you use it, the faster it wears away. You can slow the wear with proper cleaning and conditioning, however.

    PURE ANILINE (unprotected) leathers do not have a painted topcoat, so there is no paint to wear away. However, they are most sensitive to sunlight fade being vegetable dyed hides, and can absorb some stains. They generally require more attention to cleaning/conditioning protocols as well, especially where the hands and head contact the hides.

    Nirvana is a finished leather, very sofa, nice drape, one of my go-to leathers in category
    Kismet is another finished leather, and its fine, but at a GR 3 price point would not be a top choice for me
    Gibney is a new leather, we have not made anything in that piece, just have a swatch and its another finished leather. It's a heavyweight hide, and looks good
    Williamsburg is an old school Pure Aniline, with deep colors, it has a hard shell to it and some gloss.

    Hope that helps!
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2023
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    Default Re: Hancock & Moore leather selection

    Dear Mr. Collie,
    Thank you for your response. I’ve seen the Nirvana Navy on the Andover sofa. It looks really nice but wasn’t on my preferred color list which is deep brown or burgundy. This same store had a Your Way sofa in Kismet gray. Both sofas sat nicely. I prefer a firmer sofa. I liked the way the back of the “Your Way” #332 sofa could be adjusted. Both not my first choice of color and I didn’t know how the leather would hold up. While at the store I saw a swatch of Gibney and the Williamsburg which looked nice. I’m really intrigued by the Williamsburg leather. I didn’t realize it was aniline. On the Hancock & Moore website it says it’s protected. Can aniline leather be coated to make it protected? If so, is that why it has a hard shell? Do you happen to know if it’s uncomfortable because of the hard shell? Does it look nice or tacky because of the hard shell and the slight gloss. The dealers near me (approximately 1 hr away) are unfortunately not very knowledgeable. Do you happen know the leather country of origin? My apologies for all the questions.

    I’m trying to talk my husband into going to the factory and showroom. Unfortunately, it’s about a 10 hour drive.

  4. #4
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    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
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    Default Re: Hancock & Moore leather selection

    Cushion cores can be made firmer upon request when ordering, you just have to let us know at time of order, there is no additional charge for that if done when the piece is made.

    Read about leather and durability in detail here on the forum. https://www.myfurnitureforum.com/sho...-FORUM-lt-READ

    Gibney is only in Chestnut color and its a handsome hide, for a finished leather I do like it. Williamsburg is an aniline base with lots of color depth and its handsome, but I don't really recommend it much, because its a bit stiff and crunchy - pretty to look at but in use I think its not very soft or supple..There are better hides out there such as Tiburon (which is on grade class higher, so a bit pricier). I'm an aniline leather person myself - can you tell?

    To the best of my knowledge, Kismet and Nirvana come from Chinese Tanneries*, Williamsburg from an Italian tannery.

    *Everything from China is being phased out, so you will see lots of new leathers coming in over the next year and many will be South American, or Italian, and as stocks from Chinese tanneries wind down they will be dropped from inventory.

    There is not a showroom at the Factory, nothing to see there. You can do a tour Mon-Thurs and see items being built, but there the only completed pieces will be those in final inspection.

    Our prices probably handily beat your local dealer as well (Florida?), you can always get a quote from us once you decide on a cover. There is a H&M sale period you can catch if you order before March 5th.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2022
    Location
    Jacksonville, Florida
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    Default Re: Hancock & Moore leather selection

    Hey there DisneyFan,

    I had to chime in here as a Florida resident and past purchaser from The Keeping Room x 2 with Delivery to Florida that Duane helped executer flawlessly. Not sure that you live in Florida...but a drive to the factory from Orlando is about 10 hours haha. If you are considering going to the factory...consider just going to DC and visiting Duane in person at his shop. Flying into Reagan airport is super easy and you can stay at a hotel down the street from his shop and even visit Mount Vernon all in a weekend!!! My wife and I did it and we ended up buying a chair and ottoman from his floor stock that we hadn't even been aware of previously.

    Duane is awesome and his knowledge base combined with his exceptional pricing is tough to beat. I have been to 3-4 different furniture shops in Florida that carry H&M...all their stock combined isn't even half of what Duane has at The Keeping Room...not to mention you will rarely ever see a burnished leather or anything above a class II leather at most shops. We love burnished leather now...and that is all from our visit to The Keeping Room.

    Cheers!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2023
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    Default Re: Hancock & Moore leather selection

    Dear Mr. Collie,
    I responded to your message the other day; apparently, I did something incorrectly since it didn’t post. Let me try again.
    I’m really not sure what to do regarding a leather selection. I did see from your posts that you prefer not protected leather. I’m hesitant because we eat and have drinks in our family room. I do know, i don’t want leather from China. We have two Austin power recliners and one Austin sofa in Cavalier Oxblood and they look horrendous. The frame is perfect though. My husband would like them reupholstered. I’m more reluctant not knowing of the quality of the leather. I’m looking for quality leather that will hold up for 20 years or so. Obviously, what we have sure didn’t! What do you think of H&M’s semi-aniline leather? What do you think about vegetable dyed leather vs chrome dyed leather?

    Another reason I’m hesitant to purchase not protected is because I’m afraid of the leather being scratched.

    Thank you again for responding.
    Last edited by DisneyFan; 03-01-2023 at 02:33 PM.

  7. #7
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    Feb 2023
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    Default Re: Hancock & Moore leather selection

    Dear Inconceivable,
    Thank you for responding. We don’t live in Florida…just Disney fans. With Mr. Collie’s help, I am confident we will be able to make an educated decision this time.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Hancock & Moore leather selection

    I have the sense you may not have read this thread I recommended, it will answer all your questions. After you study this thread I can field any questions that are not covered.

    https://www.myfurnitureforum.com/sho...-FORUM-lt-READ
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  9. #9
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    Feb 2023
    Posts
    22

    Default Re: Hancock & Moore leather selection

    Hello Mr. Collie,
    My apologies; but, I’m a bit confused. I did read the link you provided. “Aniline Leather: Only 6% of hides worldwide are fine enough to become pure aniline leathers.”

    Why would my Cavalier Oxblood look so bad? The furniture is not n the sunlight nor a heating element. According, to H&M’s website it’s aniline leather and protected.

    Cavalier Oxblood
    Class 3
    Protected
    Cavalier is a top grain aniline leather with a protective finish. Cavalier is noted for its luxurious hand.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
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    595

    Default Re: Hancock & Moore leather selection

    Click on this and READ IT ALL. TWO pages worth. https://www.myfurnitureforum.com/sho...-FORUM-lt-READ

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