Rocking Chairs
Early 2000s Hungarian Minimalist Rocking Chairs
Walnut, Birch
1980s American Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Other Rocking Chairs
Laminate
2010s Italian Rocking Chairs
Wood, Wool
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather, Oak, Walnut
2010s Israeli Modern Rocking Chairs
Polyester, Teak, Acrylic
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
Oak
Late 20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Teak
2010s Israeli Modern Rocking Chairs
Polyester, Teak, Acrylic
1970s Colombian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather, Pine
Early 20th Century British Rocking Chairs
Wood
1920s Vintage Rocking Chairs
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Birch
1960s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
Late 20th Century Pakistani Modern Rocking Chairs
Wicker, Mahogany
1970s Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Pine
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
Leather, Oak
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Oak
1950s Danish Vintage Rocking Chairs
Cherry
1940s American Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan
1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Bouclé, Bentwood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Rocking Chairs
Plastic
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal, Chrome, Iron
1940s Philippine Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rattan
2010s American Modern Rocking Chairs
Cut Steel
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Bamboo
1960s American Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rattan
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
Early 20th Century Spanish Art Deco Rocking Chairs
Cane, Walnut
1870s American American Classical Antique Rocking Chairs
Rush, Walnut
1960s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
Mid-20th Century Anglo-Indian Rocking Chairs
Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Lacquer
Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Teak
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Wire
Mid-20th Century American Craftsman Rocking Chairs
Wood
2010s Italian Post-Modern Rocking Chairs
Stone, Cement, Marble, Iron
Late 20th Century North American Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather
Mid-20th Century American Rocking Chairs
Oak
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1980s Finnish Vintage Rocking Chairs
Iron
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Chrome
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Bamboo
20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Wood
Late 19th Century American Antique Rocking Chairs
Iron
Early 19th Century English Early Victorian Antique Rocking Chairs
Iron, Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Wood
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Rosewood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wool, Oak
1960s American Folk Art Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather, Upholstery, Wood
1970s Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rattan
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Foam, Walnut
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
Early 20th Century Edwardian Rocking Chairs
Oak, Paint
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Chrome
2010s Mexican Modern Rocking Chairs
Oak
Mid-20th Century European Art Deco Rocking Chairs
Cane, Bentwood
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Teak
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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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.