Treasure hunting! A mid-century chair at the auction

I went to an auction yesterday at the village hall in lovely Tarland, Aberdeenshire, and guess what - I came back with a chair. The room was full of Edwardian chairs, big mahogany chests, sideboards, hideous pictures and lots of bric-a-brac but this chair caught my eye as it's mid-century and very elegant. Couple of chips in the varnish and a hideous stained seat must have put people off bidding for it, because I snapped it up for £12. Bargain!

Not sure whether to completely strip and revarnish it or to repair it (need to have a closer look at it tomorrow). I do quite like the idea of lightening the wood somehow, as it's a bit too mahogany-like for me (I think the frame is a mixture of maple and teak). I can already picture the end result though: a beautiful modern chair with a nice, new seat. I am thinking black and white fabric, something with a graphic pattern. What do you think? (fabric images Marimekko)

Here's some more images of the auction. Almost bought the leather suitcase (I love those!), but didn't want to bid over £10 for one with a broken lid.

This always happens to me: I end up buying stuff without realizing the size of my car. Amazing how much DOES fit in though. Friends helped me push it in (having to zip open the roof to accommodate a chair leg) and I was still able to drive ;-)