Rocking Chairs
2010s Finnish Modern Rocking Chairs
Stainless Steel
20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Iron
Mid-19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Rocking Chairs
Mahogany
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rattan, Beech
1970s American Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rattan, Teak
1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Pine
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather, Beech
Early 1900s Swedish Antique Rocking Chairs
Birch
1980s Japanese Vintage Rocking Chairs
Oak, Fabric
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Walnut
1960s Colombian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather, Wood
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal
Mid-20th Century Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Teak
Early 1900s American Arts and Crafts Antique Rocking Chairs
Leather, Oak
19th Century American Country Antique Rocking Chairs
Pine
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Chrome
1950s American Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Rattan
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan
2010s Israeli Modern Rocking Chairs
Polyester, Teak, Acrylic
1950s Austrian Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Rosewood
Late 18th Century American Adirondack Antique Rocking Chairs
Leather, Wood
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Teak, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Ash
Early 1900s English Arts and Crafts Antique Rocking Chairs
Beech
19th Century American Adirondack Antique Rocking Chairs
Rattan, Wood
1970s American Vintage Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Lucite
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Straw, Oak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather, Oak
1890s American Victorian Antique Rocking Chairs
Wicker
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
Oak
1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Oak, Polyester
21st Century and Contemporary Israeli Organic Modern Rocking Chairs
Steel
1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1970s American Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Masonite, Paper
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Rocking Chairs
Steel
Early 20th Century Austrian Art Deco Rocking Chairs
Beech
20th Century English Chesterfield Rocking Chairs
Leather, Hardwood
1970s German Bauhaus Vintage Rocking Chairs
Steel
1920s Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Cherry
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather, Teak
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Naugahyde, Walnut
1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
Late 19th Century Late Victorian Antique Rocking Chairs
Oak
1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood, Velvet
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Rocking Chairs
Oak
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Acrylic, Teak
Early 20th Century American Shaker Rocking Chairs
Ash, Pine
1970s Italian Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal
Early 20th Century Czech Art Deco Rocking Chairs
Rattan, Wood, Beech, Lacquer
21st Century and Contemporary American Post-Modern Rocking Chairs
Steel, Chrome
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Fiberglass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary New Zealand Modern Rocking Chairs
Walnut
1880s American Mid-Century Modern Antique Rocking Chairs
Fruitwood
1970s Paraguayan Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
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.




