Rocking Chairs
19th Century English Antique Rocking Chairs
Yew
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Teak
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Teak
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wicker, Rattan
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Hide, Alpaca, Upholstery, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Cane, Bamboo, Rattan
1980s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Bamboo, Rattan
19th Century Victorian Antique Rocking Chairs
Cane, Chestnut
1980s American Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
1970s Scandinavian Arts and Crafts Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood, Pine
1960s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Beech, Elm
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Teak
2010s Israeli Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Polyester, Teak, Acrylic
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1940s American Shaker Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rush, Birch
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Wood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Sheepskin, Oak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wool, Teak
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Wood
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Bentwood
1960s American Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Canvas, Cotton, Teak
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Oak
1960s American Regency Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century Rocking Chairs
Bamboo
Late 19th Century American Adirondack Antique Rocking Chairs
Twig, Wood
1950s Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather, Beech
1950s American Country Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Sheepskin
Early 20th Century American Victorian Rocking Chairs
Walnut, Upholstery
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Rosewood
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Rocking Chairs
Metal
Mid-19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Rocking Chairs
Mahogany
Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Rocking Chairs
Beech
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Hide, Cane, Teak
1970s Norwegian Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
1980s Finnish Post-Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Chrome, Iron
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Organic Modern Rocking Chairs
Hide, Sheepskin, Walnut
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Walnut, Fabric
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Acrylic, Teak
1940s Italian Vintage Rocking Chairs
Straw, Beech
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Teak, Acrylic
2010s Israeli Modern Rocking Chairs
Acrylic, Teak
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Oak
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Oak, Polyester
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Teak, Acrylic
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Sheepskin, Oak
2010s Israeli Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Polyester, Teak, Acrylic
1960s Italian Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather, Wood
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Acrylic, Polyester, Teak
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Acrylic, Polyester, Teak
2010s Israeli Modern Rocking Chairs
Polyester, Teak, Acrylic
Early 1900s Austrian Arts and Crafts Antique Rocking Chairs
Cane, Beech
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, 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.
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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.