Rocking Chairs
1930s American Rustic Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rattan, Wood
1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Plywood, Paint
1930s German Bauhaus Vintage Rocking Chairs
Chrome, Steel
1930s Norwegian Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rope, Pine
1930s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Seagrass, Oak
1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Steel
1930s Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Iron
1930s American Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wicker, Wood
1930s American American Colonial Vintage Rocking Chairs
Maple
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Steel
1930s Adirondack Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rattan, Hardwood
1930s English Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Oak
1930s American Machine Age Vintage Rocking Chairs
Chrome
1930s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Sheepskin, Oak
1930s Dutch Arts and Crafts Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather, Wood
1930s Dutch Bauhaus Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal
1930s Norwegian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Pine
1930s French Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal
1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Faux Leather, Birch
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Steel, Chrome
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal, Steel
1930s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Chestnut
1930s American Rustic Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal
1930s Vintage Rocking Chairs
Copper, Aluminum
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Steel
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Oak, Sheepskin
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Teak
Mid-19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Rocking Chairs
Mahogany
Early 2000s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Metal
1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Pine
1960s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wool, Walnut
Late 20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Oak
20th Century Rustic Rocking Chairs
Twig
Mid-20th Century French Rocking Chairs
Chrome, Iron
1960s American Vintage Rocking Chairs
Pine
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Canvas, Cotton, Teak
Early 20th Century Rocking Chairs
Cane
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Steel
1930s German Bauhaus Vintage Rocking Chairs
Oak, Plywood
1930s Czech Vienna Secession Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rattan, Beech, Bentwood
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Steel
1930s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rattan
1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Pine
1930s Italian Vintage Rocking Chairs
Cane, Beech
1930s German Bauhaus Vintage Rocking Chairs
Steel, Chrome
1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Pine
1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Pine
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Chrome
1930s American Industrial Vintage Rocking Chairs
Brass, Steel
Vintage, New and Antique Rocking Chairs
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.
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How One Chair Rocked Its Way Into Hearts and History
The noted design historian explores the origins of the rocking chair, a quintessentially American piece of furniture that is still going strong after 300 years.