Red North American Rocking Chairs
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Fiberglass
Antique 19th Century American Rocking Chairs
Pine
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Fiberglass
Late 20th Century North American Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Dining Room Chairs
Wood
1990s American Post-Modern Sectional Sofas
Leather
Late 20th Century American Modern Swivel Chairs
Bouclé
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Plywood
Vintage 1950s Sofas
Fabric
Vintage 1940s American Hollywood Regency Console Tables
Gold Leaf
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Fiberglass
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Teak
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Teak
Antique Mid-19th Century American Children's Furniture
Leather, Wood, Paint
Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Club Chairs
Bouclé, Wood
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Fiberglass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
Leather, Oak
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1950s North American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
Upholstery
Recent Sales
2010s American Modern Rocking Chairs
Plastic
Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Fiberglass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Fiberglass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Fiberglass
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Plastic
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Steel, Chrome
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Slipper Chairs
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Steel, Zinc
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Chaise Longues
Vintage 1960s Canadian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Iron, Steel
Red North American Rocking Chairs For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Red North American Rocking 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.
Read More
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Chair Shook Modernism and Charmed Hollywood
The enduring appeal of the Barcelona chair is in the details.
Herman Miller Got Its Start in the Office, but Its Legacy Is in the Home
The brand that turned Charles and Ray Eames, Isamu Noguchi and George Nelson into mid-century household names is just as relevant today as it was six decades ago.
May’s Most Popular Interiors on Instagram
Our feed is filled with the world's most beautiful spaces. See the rooms our followers have deemed the best of the best this month.
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.
See How New York City Designers Experiment on Their Own Homes
There are many lessons to be learned from the lofts, apartments and townhouses of architects and decorators in Manhattan and beyond.
Jeff Andrews Captures Old Hollywood Glamour in His Cinematic Spaces
Having created extravagant homes for reality TV’s biggest stars, the designer is stepping into the spotlight with his first book.
New Orleans’ Lee Ledbetter Makes Design Magic by Mixing Past and Present
The Louisiana-born and -bred architect talks to 1stdibs about the art of making timeless places that matter.