Boston Rocker
Antique 19th Century American Rocking Chairs
Maple, Pine, Hickory
Antique Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Rocking Chairs
Oak
Vintage 1980s American Modern Rocking Chairs
Wood, Oak, Cane
2010s American Prints
Paper
Vintage 1940s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Birch
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2010s Austrian Jugendstil Chandeliers and Pendants
Silk
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Metal
Antique Early 19th Century American Federal Beds and Bed Frames
Maple
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Teak
Early 20th Century Spanish Baroque Clocks
Maple
Late 20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Cane, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Beds and Bed Frames
Maple
Vintage 1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Fabric, Plywood
Vintage 1950s American Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
Steel
Vintage 1930s Elizabethan Beds and Bed Frames
Oak
Vintage 1950s American American Craftsman Sofas
Poplar, Tulipwood, Walnut
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Patio and Garden Furniture
Iron
Vintage 1960s American Rocking Chairs
Pine
Vintage 1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Brass
Mid-20th Century Ecuadorean Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Wood, Hardwood, Leather
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Oak
Recent Sales
Antique Mid-19th Century American American Colonial Rocking Chairs
Wood
Antique 1830s American American Classical Rocking Chairs
Mahogany
20th Century American Folk Art Rocking Chairs
Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century American Country Painted Furniture
Pine
Antique Mid-19th Century American Classical Rocking Chairs
Maple, Bentwood
Antique 1850s American Classical Rocking Chairs
Oak
Antique 19th Century Folk Art Rocking Chairs
Hardwood, Paint
Antique 19th Century American Rocking Chairs
Pine
Antique 19th Century American Rocking Chairs
Mid-20th Century Rustic Rocking Chairs
Hardwood, Paint
Antique 19th Century American Rocking Chairs
2010s American Prints
Paper
Antique 19th Century American Industrial Wall-mounted Sculptures
Steel
Antique 1840s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Birch
Vintage 1940s American Rocking Chairs
Birch
Antique 1840s American Rocking Chairs
Oak
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.
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