Rocking Chairs
2010s British Rocking Chairs
Ash
2010s Brazilian Post-Modern Rocking Chairs
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Concrete, Steel
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Teak
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather
2010s Philippine Modern Rocking Chairs
Stainless Steel
2010s American Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather, Oak
2010s South African Modern Rocking Chairs
Steel
2010s Philippine Modern Rocking Chairs
Stainless Steel
2010s Spanish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Metal
1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Chrome
Early 2000s Italian Minimalist Rocking Chairs
Sheet Metal, Aluminum
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal
2010s Spanish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Metal
2010s Canadian Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather, Ash, Wood, Upholstery, Sheepskin
1970s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal
2010s Brazilian Minimalist Rocking Chairs
Stainless Steel
2010s Spanish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Metal
1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal
1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Rocking Chairs
Oak, Walnut
2010s Israeli Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Polyester, Teak, Acrylic
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Oak, Walnut, Leather
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Chrome
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Iron
2010s Finnish Modern Rocking Chairs
Fiberglass
1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
2010s Slovenian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Oak
1970s Norwegian Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rosewood, Leather
1970s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Rocking Chairs
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather
1970s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather
Early 2000s American Post-Modern Rocking Chairs
Bouclé, Upholstery
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Chrome, Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Rocking Chairs
Oak
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Oak
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Teak
Early 2000s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Metal
Early 2000s Italian Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather, Fabric, Velvet
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Chrome
1970s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Steel
2010s Rocking Chairs
Foam, Wood, Paper
1970s Country Vintage Rocking Chairs
Pine
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather, Oak, Walnut
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Oak
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Walnut, Leather, Oak
1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
2010s Israeli Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Polyester, Teak, Acrylic
2010s Modern Rocking Chairs
Iron
1970s American Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Masonite, Paper
1970s Scottish Victorian Vintage Rocking Chairs
Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Rocking Chairs
Plastic
2010s Mexican Bohemian Rocking Chairs
Rattan
21st Century and Contemporary French Rocking Chairs
Rattan
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather
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
This Niko Kralj Mid-Century Rocking Chair Can Be Folded and Tucked Away
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.