Kjaernulf Rocking Chair
Vintage 1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Sheepskin, Oak
Vintage 1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Brass
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Oak, Lambskin, Wool
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Oak
Recent Sales
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Lambskin, Oak
Vintage 1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather, Oak
Vintage 1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather, Oak
Vintage 1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Oak, Bouclé
Mid-20th Century Danish Brutalist Rocking Chairs
Oak
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Sheepskin, Wood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Vintage 1950s Danish Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Oak
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Lambskin, Oak
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Oak, Sheepskin
Vintage 1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Bouclé, Oak
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Wool, Oak
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Wool, Oak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Steel
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Oak
Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Wood
People Also Browsed
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount
Aluminum, Steel, Brass
2010s American Flush Mount
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights an...
Enamel, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount
Brass
2010s British Mid-Century Modern Daybeds
Bouclé, Oak
2010s Danish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary American Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Bohemian Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Brass
2010s Danish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
Oak
2010s South African Minimalist Night Stands
Wood
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Stools
Hardwood, Ash
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Wood, Fabric, Linen, Fiberglass
2010s British Scandinavian Modern Tables
Mohair, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Textile
21st Century and Contemporary American Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
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.
Read More
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Design Icon Ilse Crawford on Her Colorful New Hans Wegner Chairs
If anyone is brave, humble and adept enough to recolor these mid-century masterpieces, it’s Ilse Crawford. Here, she gives us the details on her five earthy paint choices and tells us how she feels about design collaborations.
113 Chairs That Prove Danish Design Isn’t Limited to Denmark
In an innovative display, the Designmuseum Danmark is permanently exhibiting the 20th century's most iconic seats.
April’s Most-Liked Interiors on Instagram
Our feed is filled with the world's most beautiful spaces. See the 10 our followers have deemed the best of the best this month.