Demic Chesterfields What are they?
Published by Steve on March 3rd, 2008 in Buying chesterfield sofas and suites, Chesterfield Manufacture, Chesterfield Sofas, Club Chairs, Leather Chesterfields, Leathers, Wing Chairs and High Back Chairs
A demic chesterfield is a sofa which uses the offcuts of leather and is not made using full hides.
Prior to upholstery, a patchwork or leather scraps is sewn together and laid over the frame. It is then applied- using more buttons that for a usual chesterfield so as to hide the hems.
The frames will usually be of lower quality too, as the point of a Demic Leather Chesterfield is not best quality but cheapest price.
The real problem with a demic, though, will only become apparent over time. The stiching can pull and work loose- leaving unfixed holes on the sofa, which then let in dirt and grime and can rot away the sofa from the inside.
For a comparison- for a full hide 4 seat sofa in good quality antique hide you can expect to pay £1,000- £1,500 whereas the value if a demic of the same basic design is only £300- £400
The old saying does stand true here- you get what you pay for!
