Rocking Chairs
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Teak
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Velvet, Beech
1940s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather, Rosewood
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Oak
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Wood, Bentwood
Mid-20th Century American Country Rocking Chairs
Bentwood, Wood
1850s Unknown Antique Rocking Chairs
Chrome
1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Sheepskin
Early 20th Century American Adirondack Rocking Chairs
Hickory
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather, Rosewood
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wrought Iron
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Teak, Acrylic
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Brass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Cord, Sycamore
1990s Danish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Cord, Ash
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Rocking Chairs
Linen, Wood, Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Bamboo, Rattan
19th Century American Adirondack Antique Rocking Chairs
Rattan, Wood
1940s American Victorian Vintage Rocking Chairs
Maple
2010s Finnish Modern Rocking Chairs
Stainless Steel
Late 19th Century American Adirondack Antique Rocking Chairs
Walnut
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Rocking Chairs
Steel
1960s Czech Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood
2010s Danish Modern Rocking Chairs
Plastic
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Steel
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Chrome
1920s American Adirondack Vintage Rocking Chairs
Hickory
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Iron
1930s American American Colonial Vintage Rocking Chairs
Maple
Mid-20th Century American American Craftsman Rocking Chairs
Maple
1960s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Oak
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Teak
Late 19th Century British Late Victorian Antique Rocking Chairs
Textile, Walnut
1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rush, Wood
1970s American Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Masonite, Paper
1920s Austrian Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Beech
1940s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather, Upholstery, Wood
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather, Bentwood
20th Century German Rocking Chairs
Metal
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Oak
2010s Modern Rocking Chairs
Iron
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rattan
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Cane, Bentwood
19th Century American Antique Rocking Chairs
Rush, Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
Leather, Cotton, Oak
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Wood
1970s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Maple
1930s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Cane, Beech
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wood, Fur, Goat Hair
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Acrylic
Late 19th Century American Victorian Antique Rocking Chairs
Wicker
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood, Hardwood, Beech
1860s Austrian Baroque Antique Rocking Chairs
Velvet, Wood
1980s Mexican Organic Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Hardwood
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Late 19th Century Late Victorian Antique Rocking Chairs
Oak
Mid-20th Century Victorian Rocking Chairs
Bamboo, Cane, Bentwood
19th Century American Adirondack Antique 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
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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.





