I was at a flea market on Saturday and found an old dark wood gossip bench that I fell in love with. The guy is holding it for me until this Saturday, so I have to make a decision as to if it is really worth it, that is why I am here to ask advice from someone who knows about these things. I checked the prices of them on ebay and other sites, and they are selling for anywheres from $150-up, and I can get this one for $25 beause the guy said he has had it for awhile and just wants it gone. The seat part of the bench is in need of being cleaned or re upholstered, it has yellowed with age. What I need to know is, has anyone ever cleaned or re upholstered anything like this before? what would be the best cleaners to use? Can you reupholster it yourself? If so how?

One other question, I purchased a small table from the same guy for $10 (I will post a pic later) there are 4 holes on the top,(one in each corner, they are about the size of a dime. I am guessing maybe there once was a shelf or something) right now I have a basket on it to cover the front holes, and unless your standing in front of it, you can't see the holes, is there anything I can do besides cover the holes with stuff to even out the top?


TIA

***** Update***** Here are pics of the bench and table

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~~~~**Maryann**~~~~

I just got a firm grip on reality....
Now I can strangle it

Without much to go on, I offer up this advice - If the bench is worth $25 to you as-is because you just like it, then buy it. If you are only thinking of getting the bench because it might be more valuable, don't buy it.

Having a piece of furniture reupholstered is not cheap. I took a class in doing it and I think I ended up spending about $200 reupholstering a chair. (I took the class to learn how to do it and to help me identify well-made stuff. I doubt I could get more than $75 for the chair if I tried to resell it.)

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

As far as the table, could you place a fancy sheer covering over it to cover the imperfections? I have done that with a side table. I don't know how you can go wrong with the $25 gossip bench. If you do decide on these, post a picture of them!

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I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!

I agree. I don't know anything about antiques but $25 is not much to pay for a piece you like, whether you have to refinish it or not. After you get it home, you can always take a picture or video of it and bring that to a local dealer or even the item itself to get a professional opinion. But I'd get it for that price if I liked it no matter what. You can't buy a new piece for that price wood or not.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

I agree if you like it buy it.

As for the table with the holes, a dime is a pretty good size, you will probably always be able to see that there were 4 holes there but you can buy wood filler to fill them in -- or you can try buying the right sized dowel and fitting it in there or they sell wood caps/buttons that would also fit in but would be raised

Thank you all for the responses. I did go and get it on Saturday. I will try and post pics later today when I get home from work. After getting it home, and cleaning it up I have to say it doesn't look that bad. I did decide that I'm not going to refinish it, the marks on it seem to give it life, and it fits in perfectly in this corner of my livingroom where I have old things, a basket of old teddy bears and a basket of old toys (coloring books, playdough, etc.) I am so happy that the table has two shelves, I was able to fit all of my old little golden books on the 2nd shelf, and can display a story book from the 1800s on the top (you will see it in the picture I took) As far as the seat part, I am going to try cleaning it, and if it doesn't look right after I do, then I may just buy some fabric and recover that. I am going to leave the table as is for now, because unless someone is standing right in front of the table and looking down at it, they won't see the holes.

__________________
~~~~**Maryann**~~~~

I just got a firm grip on reality....
Now I can strangle it

Neat piece! I'm sure you're happy with your find.

__________________
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!

They are nice, and you can't beat the prices you paid for them.

I love antiques, thanks for the pics :-)

Good finds! If you want to recover the seat on the gossip bench, it looks pretty easy from what I can see. If you turn it over, there should be 4 screws. Remove them and take the seat off. The fabric should just be stapled on. Use a screw driver to remove the staples and use the fabric as a pattern. Stretch the new fabric around and staple it on. You'll need one of those big staplers...not a desk model. Add slight padding under the fabric if you want to or if it needs it. I hope this makes sense. If you recover it, post new pictures!

BTW, I wouldn't refinish the wood either. Old has character.