Rocking Chairs
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Teak
1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Sheepskin
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
2010s Danish Modern Rocking Chairs
Plastic
21st Century and Contemporary New Zealand Modern Rocking Chairs
Walnut
1950s Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
19th Century Virgin Islands Regency Antique Rocking Chairs
Oak, Cane, Mahogany
2010s Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Papercord, Walnut
1960s Colombian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather, Wood
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Chestnut
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Chrome
Late 20th Century American American Craftsman Rocking Chairs
Maple
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Teak
1930s Danish Folk Art Vintage Rocking Chairs
Oak
Early 20th Century American Shaker Rocking Chairs
Ash, Pine
2010s Israeli Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Polyester, Teak, Acrylic
1960s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Beech, Boxwood
19th Century American Country Antique Rocking Chairs
Pine
Early 2000s Belgian Post-Modern Rocking Chairs
Plastic
Late 20th Century American American Colonial Rocking Chairs
Walnut
1980s American Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Stainless Steel
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rush, Oak
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Wood
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Iron
Early 1900s Austrian Vienna Secession Antique Rocking Chairs
Bentwood
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Iron
1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Wool, Teak
1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rattan
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood, Hardwood, Beech
19th Century Austrian Antique Rocking Chairs
Bentwood, Leather
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Birch
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Teak, Acrylic
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wool, Teak
1920s Italian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rattan, Wood
1940s American Shaker Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rush, Birch
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Bentwood
1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Hide, Lucite
2010s Canadian Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather, Sheepskin, Upholstery, Wood, Ash
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Metal
1960s American American Craftsman Vintage Rocking Chairs
Oak
1940s American Mission Vintage Rocking Chairs
Oak
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Oak
1960s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Sheepskin, Wood
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Rubber, Wood
1950s Danish Vintage Rocking Chairs
Teak
1990s American Rocking Chairs
Wood, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary American Rocking Chairs
Mahogany, Teak, Cherry, Maple, Oak, Walnut
1950s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Iron
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Wood, Bentwood
1950s French Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Brass
20th Century American Rocking Chairs
Wood
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Rosewood
Late 20th Century American American Classical Rocking Chairs
Hardwood, Paint
1940s Italian Vintage Rocking Chairs
Straw, Beech
1920s Swedish Gustavian Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
Oak
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.