Bentwood Rocker Chairs
Mid-20th Century Victorian Rocking Chairs
Cane, Bentwood
Early 20th Century American Mission Rocking Chairs
Oak
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Cane, Bentwood
Mid-20th Century Swiss Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Chrome
Early 20th Century Austrian Vienna Secession Rocking Chairs
Bentwood
Vintage 1970s Italian Bohemian Rocking Chairs
Cane, Bentwood
Mid-20th Century Spanish Art Nouveau Rocking Chairs
Cane, Bentwood
Antique Late 19th Century Aesthetic Movement Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Oak
Antique Late 18th Century Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
Wood
Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Bentwood
Vintage 1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Cane, Beech
Vintage 1960s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Bentwood
Late 20th Century Unknown Bauhaus Rocking Chairs
Chrome
Vintage 1970s Norwegian Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Rosewood, Leather
Vintage 1970s Canadian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Metal, Aluminum
Antique 19th Century American Country Children's Furniture
Wood, Cane
Vintage 1960s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Bentwood
Antique Mid-19th Century German Belle Époque Rocking Chairs
Bentwood
Antique 1870s American Victorian Chairs
Wood
Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Wood, Velvet
Antique Early 1900s Austrian Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
Cane, Beech
Late 20th Century North American Rustic Rocking Chairs
Ash
Late 20th Century Adirondack Sculptures and Carvings
Bentwood
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Vintage 1970s Norwegian Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Birch, Bentwood
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Metal
Early 20th Century Unknown Bauhaus Dining Room Chairs
Oak
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
Leather, Oak
Mid-20th Century American Vienna Secession Rocking Chairs
Cane, Bentwood
Vintage 1960s Norwegian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Canvas, Birch
Antique Late 19th Century Late Victorian Rocking Chairs
Oak
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood, Teak
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Sets
Bronze
Antique Early 19th Century British Chinoiserie Prints
Wood, Paper
Mid-20th Century Victorian Rocking Chairs
Bamboo, Cane, Bentwood
Late 20th Century American American Classical Table Lamps
Acrylic, Ceramic
Vintage 1960s American Rocking Chairs
Rattan
Antique 19th Century American Rocking Chairs
Maple, Pine, Hickory
Antique Early 1900s Victorian Rocking Chairs
Cane, Walnut
Recent Sales
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Bentwood
20th Century American Folk Art Rocking Chairs
Wood
Early 20th Century North American Rocking Chairs
Vintage 1970s French Rocking Chairs
Chrome
Early 20th Century Austrian Vienna Secession Rocking Chairs
Bentwood
Early 20th Century American Adirondack Rocking Chairs
Bentwood
Vintage 1920s American Adirondack Chairs
Bentwood
20th Century European Rocking Chairs
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Stools
Leather, Bentwood, Plywood
Antique 1870s Austrian Art Nouveau Toys and Dolls
Cane, Beech, Bentwood
Vintage 1970s American Rocking Chairs
Early 20th Century Czech Rocking Chairs
20th Century American Folk Art Rocking Chairs
Wood
Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Rocking Chairs
Cane, Wood
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Cane, Bentwood
Antique 19th Century Austrian Chairs
Early 20th Century American Adirondack Rocking Chairs
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Cane, Beech
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Cane, Bentwood
Early 20th Century American Rustic Rocking Chairs
Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Cane
Antique 19th Century American Rocking Chairs
Hickory, Leather
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Rocking Chairs
Bentwood
Vintage 1930s French Rocking Chairs
Bentwood
Early 20th Century Austrian Rocking Chairs
Bentwood, Cane
Vintage 1930s American Rocking Chairs
Twig, Oak
Vintage 1970s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Bamboo, Rattan, Bentwood
Antique 19th Century American Rocking Chairs
Hickory, Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century American Classical Rocking Chairs
Maple, Bentwood
Mid-20th Century Spanish Art Nouveau Rocking Chairs
Cane, Bentwood
Vintage 1930s American Rocking Chairs
Hickory, Wood
1990s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Upholstery, Oak
Vintage 1960s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Oak, Bentwood
Antique 19th Century American Rocking Chairs
20th Century American Adirondack Rocking Chairs
Bentwood
Antique 19th Century American Rocking Chairs
Early 20th Century American American Classical Lounge Chairs
Oak
Mid-20th Century Norwegian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Antique 1850s American Classical Rocking Chairs
Oak
Vintage 1970s Organic Modern Rocking Chairs
Cane, Rattan
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Teak
Vintage 1950s Swedish Rocking Chairs
Bentwood, Upholstery
Antique 19th Century Austrian Chairs
Wood, Cane
Vintage 1960s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Bentwood
20th Century American Country Rocking Chairs
Wood, Bentwood
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Chrome
Vintage 1970s Unknown Modern Rocking Chairs
Chrome
Vintage 1980s American Art Deco Chairs
Enamel, Metal
Vintage 1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Chrome
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Iron
Vintage 1970s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Mahogany, Oak
Early 20th Century American Adirondack More Folk Art
Wood
Late 20th Century American Patio and Garden Furniture
Late 20th Century American Armchairs
Antique 19th Century Austrian Late Victorian Rocking Chairs
Wood
Late 20th Century American Vienna Secession Rocking Chairs
Cane, Beech
Early 20th Century American Rustic Rocking Chairs
Vintage 1980s Rocking Chairs
Bentwood Rocker Chairs For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Bentwood Rocker Chairs?
Finding the Right rocking-chairs for You
The phrase “rocking chair” didn’t find its way into the dictionary until the mid-18th century. While most of the sitting furniture that we use in our homes originated in either England or France, the iconic rocking chair is a quintessentially American piece of furniture.
A Philadelphia cabinetmaker’s bill for a proto-rocking chair issued in 1742, which identified the seat as a “Nurse Chair with rockers,” is the earliest surviving evidence of this design’s humble beginnings. The nurse chair was a low side chair intended for nursing women, so giving it a soothing rocking motion made sense. Rocking chairs, which saw a curved slat affixed to the chairs’ feet so that they could be literally rocked, quickly gained popularity across the United States, garnering a reputation as a seat that everyone could love. They offered casual comfort without the expensive fabrics and upholstery that put armchairs out of many families’ budgets.
Rocking chairs are unique in that they don’t just offer a place to rest — they offer an opportunity to reminisce. The presence of one of these classic pieces stirs up our penchant for nostalgia and has the power to transform a space. They easily introduce a simple country feel to the city or bring the peaceful rhythm of a porch swing into a sheltered sunroom. Although craftsmen took to painting and stenciling varieties of the chairs that emerged in New England during the 19th century, the most traditional rocking chairs are generally unadorned seats constructed with time-tested materials like wood and metal. As such, a minimalist vintage rocking chair can be ushered into any corner of your home without significantly disrupting your existing decor scheme or the room’s color palette.
In the decades since the first rocker, top designers have made the piece their own. Viennese chair maker Michael Thonet produced a series of rockers in the middle of the 19th century in which the different curved steam-bent wood parts were integrated into fluid, sinuous wholes. Mid-century modernists Charles and Ray Eames added wooden rockers to their famous plastic shell armchair, while Danish designer Frank Reenskaug opted for teak and polished beech, introducing pops of color with small cushions (a precursor to the bold works that would follow in the 1970s and 1980s).
No matter your personal style, let 1stDibs pair you with your perfect seat. Deck out your porch, patio or parlor — browse the vintage, new and antique rocking chairs in our vast collection today.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 31, 2023Bentwood rockers are made out of wood that gets heated to a high temperature with steam and then bent. Ash and beech are two popular wood species for bentwood chair production. However, other woods are also suitable for use. On 1stDibs, find a range of bentwood rockers.
- How old are bentwood rockers?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022A bentwood rocking chair was introduced in the mid-1800s by Michael Thonet. Bentwood furniture is a signature of the furniture manufacturer Thonet — Michael produced chairs out of steam-bent wood, and starting in the middle of the 19th century, he produced a series of rockers. Shop a range of bentwood rocking chairs and furniture on 1stDibs.
- Who made bentwood rockers?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Michael Thonet was the original maker of bentwood chairs. He invented the process of bending wood by using vapor to heat and then bend it into shape. You can shop a collection of bentwood chairs from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- What is a bentwood chair?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021A bentwood chair is a chair made out of wood that has been steamed and formed into its desired shape. The iconic No. 14 chair made by Thonet is a well-know chair made in this technique. There are many bentwood chairs for sale on 1stDibs.
- When were Bentwood chairs made?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022The Bentwood Chair was made by German-Austrian cabinetmaker Michael Thonet in the mid-19th century. His design is still popular with interior designers and homeowners worldwide. Shop a collection of Bentwood chairs from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
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