Wow what a nice thing to do, was he a friend?

Very lovely wishes....but what a perfectly AWFUL thing to do to a wonderful old chair. And because of the sentiment you have to keep it!!
Well....if you add a yellow and white gingham cushion the cat may sit in it.

Actually I would call him and express fond thoughts and admiration for his beautiful workmanship, and tell him how terribly touched you are by his kindness, but really you have no room for the chair and that you would really love for him to have it....but that you will always treasure the card as a reminder of how kind people really are.

Oh my. I have no other words.

nyboy-it was such a shock to be so 'blessed' by a total stranger & his wife. Bought chairs on the 10th & PRESTO, on the 17th a chair appears immediately not recognizable until I read the card. YEP, my first reaction was exactly as barnmom for about 10 minutes.. lindac 100% agree up to the gingham & cat. Yellow is my least favorite color & Fido is too old to tolorate ANOTHER CAT!!!LOL. This sweet old man is coming over tomorrow accepting the chairs return. he wants to show me the coffee table he purchased, "Fully Restored" his words. I'm scared! I dont have a complete before pic of it but I see the legs in clamps in the background in the first photo.

How sad that he has no taste.

Oh my. One of these days the chair may turn up in an estate sale yet again, someone may strip the mustard yellow paint, stain it and rush the seat. ;-) Think of this as just one leg of the chair's journey. LOL

Bless his heart, his intentions were sterling. I did the same thing to a little ladder-back, however mine was a two dollar yard sale find, cheap pine reproduction, so I felt no guilt and wasn't out much if it turned out bizarre.

What a wonderful gesture by the gentleman. You said he's coming over to accept the return of the chair. How did you handle it?

I would imagine that his joy in being able to do something that he thought would mean something to you was wonderful. That would be a very nice gift for him - to allow him to hold the joy in his heart that he did something nice.

I had an old ladderback rocker that belonged to my great grandmother. Not sure who it belonged to before that, but it's OLD!
When it came to me it was covered with chippy white paint and a breaking hickory split seat. I stripped the white and found red uinder that.....about the same color as Calliope's chair. There was nothing under the red....no varnish no shellac. I am convinced it was the original color.
I had a new split hickory seat put in and gave it to my grand daughter. It's her great great great grandmother's chair.

I agree with suzieque. The gentleman's kindness would have imbued the chair with lots of sentimental value for me! What a lovely gesture on his part.

What an extraordinarily kind thing this fellow did. Any qualms I had about the restoration would be erased by the generosity and thoughtfulness of this near-stranger, were I to be the recipient of such a gesture. I'd treasure it.