Deep buttoning is an upholstery technique in which the covering fabric or leather is drawn deep into the padding with buttons tied through to the frame, forming a regular grid of diamond-shaped pleats. The method holds the stuffing in place, prevents it from shifting with use and creates the characteristic quilted appearance associated with Chesterfield sofas, club chairs and Victorian armchairs.
The technique became widely used in the Victorian period, when coiled springs and generous horsehair stuffing allowed upholstered seating to become much deeper and more comfortable. Skilled upholsterers mark out the button positions carefully, fold the pleats by hand and dress each one so that the diamonds are crisp and even. Deep buttoning appears on sofas, chaises longues, nursing chairs, library chairs, headboards and bench seats, often in leather, velvet or wool. When buying a deep-buttoned piece, look for evenly spaced pleats, intact buttons, sound springing and a frame that has not been weakened by repeated re-upholstery. Original Victorian buttoning in leather with a good patina is especially prized, though many pieces are expertly re-covered using traditional materials.
