Rocking Chairs
Late 20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Wood
1960s Danish Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Teak
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood, Pine
1850s English Antique Rocking Chairs
Steel
1940s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Steel
1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Pine
1960s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Beech, Oak
1960s American American Craftsman Vintage Rocking Chairs
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood, Rush
1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Pine
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Cane, Mahogany
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal
Mid-19th Century Unknown Victorian Antique Rocking Chairs
Wood, Paint
1910s Swedish Arts and Crafts Vintage Rocking Chairs
Mohair, Oak
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Papercord, Beech
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Beech
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Steel
Early 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Rattan
20th Century European Art Deco Rocking Chairs
Metal
Early 1900s American Arts and Crafts Antique Rocking Chairs
Leather, Oak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood, Hardwood, Beech
Early 20th Century American Rocking Chairs
Wicker
Mid-20th Century Rocking Chairs
Cane, Bentwood
1980s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Plywood
Mid-20th Century Swedish Rustic Rocking Chairs
Sheepskin
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Brass
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Walnut
1970s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Canvas, Oak
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Plastic
1940s American Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan
1970s Scandinavian Arts and Crafts Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood, Pine
Mid-20th Century American Craftsman Rocking Chairs
Wood
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rattan
18th Century Welsh Georgian Antique Rocking Chairs
Mahogany
20th Century Rocking Chairs
Oak
20th Century American Mission Rocking Chairs
Leather, Cherry
Early 20th Century European Rocking Chairs
Pine, Plywood
Late 20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Bamboo, Wicker
1950s Norwegian Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Birch
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
1960s Norwegian Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Foam, Beech, Teak
Mid-20th Century Costa Rican Campaign Rocking Chairs
Wood, Leather
1910s American Arts and Crafts Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Oak
1980s Norwegian Post-Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Zinc
1970s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Chrome
1980s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather, Wood
1920s Italian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rattan, Wood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Beech
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wool, Oak
1960s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wool, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Rocking Chairs
Bentwood
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Lambskin, Rubber, Walnut
1970s Vintage Rocking Chairs
Bouclé
Late 20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Cane, Wood
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Beech
1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Steel, Chrome
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.