Kagan Rocker
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Hide, Alpaca, Walnut
Early 2000s American Post-Modern Rocking Chairs
Bouclé, Upholstery
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Teak
Late 20th Century North American Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather
Vintage 1970s American Modern Rocking Chairs
Masonite, Paper
Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Pedestals
Brass
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Dining Room Chairs
Wood
1990s American Post-Modern Sectional Sofas
Leather
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Velvet
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Floor Mirrors a...
Glass, Acrylic
2010s British Scandinavian Modern Ottomans and Poufs
Walnut, Fabric, Bouclé
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chairs
Leather, Wood, Beech, Oak
Antique Late 19th Century Moroccan Tribal Moroccan and North African Rugs
Wool
Vintage 1950s Sofas
Fabric
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
Upholstery
20th Century French Floor Lamps
Crystal
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Bouclé, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Armchairs
Brass
Vintage 1930s Victorian Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary French Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Vintage 1940s American Hollywood Regency Console Tables
Gold Leaf
Antique Early 1900s French Belle Époque Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze
Recent Sales
Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather, Walnut
20th Century American Rocking Chairs
Walnut, Textile
1990s American Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather, Wood
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs
Upholstery
Canadian Rocking Chairs
Walnut, Upholstery
Vintage 1950s Danish Rocking Chairs
Vintage 1970s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Chrome
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather, Walnut
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Oak
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Walnut, Upholstery
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Walnut
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Chrome
Vintage 1960s American Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
20th Century Rocking Chairs
Wood, Velvet, Upholstery
20th Century Rocking Chairs
Wood, Velvet, Upholstery
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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