Rocking Chairs
1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Chrome
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Oak
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rattan
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Bentwood
1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Pine, Lambskin, Birch
Late 20th Century North American Rustic Rocking Chairs
Ash
2010s Brazilian Modern Rocking Chairs
Wood
1910s Vintage Rocking Chairs
Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Rocking Chairs
Upholstery
1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Bamboo
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
Leather, Oak
Early 20th Century Austrian Vienna Secession Rocking Chairs
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Chrome
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Rocking Chairs
Aluminum
Late 20th Century Swedish Futurist Rocking Chairs
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Rocking Chairs
Metal
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Cherry, Wood
2010s South African Modern Rocking Chairs
Steel
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Faux Bamboo, Rattan
1950s Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
Early 19th Century American Folk Art Antique Rocking Chairs
Wood
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Oak
1960s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood, Beech
1940s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Beech
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Cane, Hardwood
Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Rocking Chairs
Beech
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wool, Oak
1930s Dutch Arts and Crafts Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Post-Modern Rocking Chairs
Sycamore
Early 1900s Austrian Vienna Secession Antique Rocking Chairs
Bentwood
1940s European Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Pine
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Wrought Iron
1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Oak, Bentwood
1880s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Rocking Chairs
Leather, Cane, Bentwood
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather, Plywood, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Rocking Chairs
Plastic
1940s Scandinavian Vintage Rocking Chairs
Beech
2010s Brazilian Post-Modern Rocking Chairs
Steel
2010s Italian Post-Modern Rocking Chairs
Other
2010s Spanish Rocking Chairs
Aluminum
1970s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal
1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Faux Leather, Birch
1980s American Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
Early 20th Century American Victorian Rocking Chairs
Cane, Walnut
1930s American Rustic Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal
19th Century American American Craftsman Antique Rocking Chairs
Wood
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Steel
18th Century English Country Antique Rocking Chairs
Oak
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Chrome
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Velvet, Oak
1980s Vintage Rocking Chairs
Walnut
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wool, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary American Rocking Chairs
Metal
Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Beech
1960s Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Walnut
1950s North American Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fiberglass
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Hardwood, Rosewood
Late 20th Century Philippine Rocking Chairs
Rattan
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.
Read More
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The 'King of Slovenian Design' is getting discovered anew, thanks to reissues of his sleek and inventive postwar designs.
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.