vintage slunk skin lcw  

Wood
Hard to tell without a photo.
And I don't know if you'll be able to find "slunk skin" anywhere these days...

I know they no longer use...
I know they no longer use slunk skin but was wondering if it could or should be replaced with what they use now or would that totally devalue the chair?

Because
Because it's such a rare and valuable item I would research a leather repairman first, before doing a full replacement.

how rare and valuable is...
how rare and valuable is this chair? i know some have sold at action for thousands but the skins were in better condition than mine, someone did offer me $1000. for it.
other than the skin it is in great shape, the shocks look amazing and sturdy, the guy was the original owner and never touched the chair, he didn't know anything about it other than he had it since he was a kid in the 1930's which he was off by a few years...

I dont know
I dont know exactly how valuable, but I do know the upholstered chairs were discontinued fairly quickly, and the slunk skin was a specialty option.

thanks for taking the time...
thanks for taking the time to share your info 🙂

Here's
the proper link to your photo, it's somehow impossible to embed it here.
Go with Lucifer's advice and ask a specialist, maybe the holes can be filled.
I think the parts where the hair has gone are part of the patina and should be left as they are.
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2771331870060260495fUbbxt

I don't recall...
Seeing it there.

yes, i pulled it because we...
yes, i pulled it because we accepted an offer but then decided to keep it

Whatever you do
don't touch it.
It's worth more in poor original condition than it will be if you try to replace the hide on the seat.

thank you, that's what i...
thank you, that's what i have been hearing, it's just in such bad shape i never imagined it still had such value. but even if the hide was in tact i wouldn't sit on it in fear of damaging it, it's more like a piece of art than furniture.

I'm curious as to why you say that the hide isn't available,
tynellbuyer. Is unborn calf really so hard to come by?
I've never examined one of these slunk-upholstered chairs up close, but I'm guessing that the hide is simply glued to the seat and backrest then trimmed (perhaps the hide edges are then finished off with dye?). Why would a redo be so difficult, for the sake of argument?

a matter of desire
Lisa you said you emailed them, but they have yet to reply. I would suggest that you try the "old fashioned" method called a telephone. When I want anything done I exhaust all possiblities in my pursuit. How bad do you want an answer from Herman Miller. Also money talks and everything else walks. When I appeal to peoples greed I usually get whatever I want.

I did get info and advice...
I did get info and advice from a museum curator/Eames specialist who told me to leave the chair in its current condition. That it is worth more as is and still desired by serious collectors and museums that would love to have it being that it is a very rare chair.