Fireplace Bellows Restoration
This is probably early 20th Century, the pseudo-heraldic carving on both sides of the bellows looked to be hand done.
It arrived with rotting leather and age and smoke-blackened wood.
And contained a surprise. Which wasn't Lyme's Disease, neither.
Before replacing the leather – both the bellow itself and the hinge, also of leather – I gently cleansed the two sides of the bellows, then gave them a couple of coats of shellac.
You be the judge.
Nancy – :
Thank you for posting. Nice step-by-step pictures and explanations. Very nice work! We have just purchased an antique bellows from the UK, and we are waiting anxiously for its arrival. Although the carving on it is beautiful, the leather is shot – much like this one. I noticed that you did not reuse the original tacks. Were they not useable? And the leather — goatskin?
admin – :
You are right, I did not reuse the original tacks – they were corroded.
As to the leather, the size of the original from which I cut the replacement bellow was such that it would have been a monster goat – most likely it was from a bovine.