Cleaning Old Painted Leather

[Margrove]

Hi,

My wife had this old 24x12in ethnic painted leather cushion deep buried in a closet. We moved recently and I discovered the piece. I set myself to the task of cleaning as much as possible the painted leather while she will sew a new tissue to the leather once the later is clean.

I looked around in the Internet and there are several products to clean leather, among them Lexol. However, this is painted leather and before I destroy the paintings with some product that may damage it in the short or long run, I request advice from you ont he following points:

- Which product could be used to clean this painted leather without removing the paintings?

- In some areas the leather is pretty worn, with small pieces torn up hanging from the surface. How should I deal with them, glue them to the leather?

-There is one small hole in the leather, how to cover it, maybe setting somehow a small piece of new leather in the back of the old leather?

- Suggested product to protect the leather in the years to come.

As a side subject, does anybody has a hint from where those ethnic paintings are? The leather is thin and very flexible. I attach some pictures to show it better.

Thanks

[mrdabeetle]

I believe that is a Tuareg cushion from North Africa. Do not clean it, repair it, or attempt to restore it. It is worth between $200 -$500+ depending on the size and age. You need to see about having it restored by an experienced antique restorer if you want it repaired. Recently, the leather painting itself from such a cushion sold for $150, and it wasn't in as good of condition as this one. I wish I knew more about these, but I hope the info I have will help you.

[Margrove]

Hello mrdabeetle,

I googled "tuareg cushion" and effectively its is one of them I have here. Check at http://tinyw.in/7gDA

My wife received the cushion as a gift when she was a teenager. At that time, she found the cushion beautiful, but did not care to ask for more details about its origin or age. Later on, she stored the cushion and forgot about it for the next 23 years :-) The problem is that she lost contact with the friends that gave her the gift. We are trying to track them now, in order to obtain details about origin if from Morocco, Niger or other, and age of the cushion. Thank you for your advice and I am looking now for a professional antique restorer.

I believe that is a Tuareg cushion from North Africa. Do not clean it, repair it, or attempt to restore it. It is worth between $200 -$500+ depending on the size and age. You need to see about having it restored by an experienced antique restorer if you want it repaired. Recently, the leather painting itself from such a cushion sold for $150, and it wasn't in as good of condition as this one. I wish I knew more about these, but I hope the info I have will help you.