Rocking Chairs
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Brass
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Oak
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather, Mohair, Teak
1990s American American Craftsman Rocking Chairs
Walnut
Late 19th Century Italian Victorian Antique Rocking Chairs
Wood
Late 20th Century American American Classical Rocking Chairs
Hardwood, Paint
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rosewood, Leather
2010s Israeli Modern Rocking Chairs
Acrylic, Teak
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Metal
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Acrylic, Teak
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Bamboo
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Velvet, Beech
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Papercord, Beech
Late 19th Century American Adirondack Antique Rocking Chairs
Walnut
1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood, Fabric
1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Cherry
21st Century and Contemporary American Rocking Chairs
Mahogany, Teak, Cherry, Maple, Oak, Walnut
1960s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal
1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Sheepskin
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Teak
2010s Israeli Modern Rocking Chairs
Acrylic, Teak
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Oak
1970s American Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rattan, Teak
Early 1900s American Arts and Crafts Antique Rocking Chairs
Leather, Oak
20th Century Rocking Chairs
Wicker
1960s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Oak
1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Faux Leather, Beech
1890s American American Colonial Antique Rocking Chairs
Wood
1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Rocking Chairs
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Wool, Pine
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Ash
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
1980s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
1910s American Arts and Crafts Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Rocking Chairs
Linen, Hardwood, Wood
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Chestnut
1910s American Mission Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Oak
1920s Austrian Victorian Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Bamboo
1960s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Bentwood
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Naugahyde, Wood
1930s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Cane, Beech
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Maple
Early 1900s Antique Rocking Chairs
Beech
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Teak
20th Century Austrian French Provincial Rocking Chairs
Beech
1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Pine
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Zinc
1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Oak
1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
1960s Mexican Vintage Rocking Chairs
Cocobolo
1960s American Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wicker, Wood
Mid-20th Century Victorian Rocking Chairs
Cane, Bentwood
Mid-20th Century American American Craftsman Rocking Chairs
Cane, Walnut
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Rope, Oak, Walnut
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
Leather, Oak, Upholstery, Cotton
1970s Ecuadorean Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Bamboo, Rattan
1970s Norwegian Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
Late 20th Century Campaign Rocking Chairs
Leather
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Pine
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Rocking Chairs
Upholstery
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rattan, Beech
1960s Mexican Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Steel
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Oak, Polyester
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.