Rocking Chairs
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Oak, Leather, Walnut
2010s Finnish Modern Rocking Chairs
Stainless Steel
2010s Finnish Modern Rocking Chairs
Stainless Steel
2010s Finnish Modern Rocking Chairs
Fiberglass
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Teak
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Teak
2010s Israeli Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Polyester, Teak, Acrylic
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Bronze
1940s American Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Teak
Late 20th Century European Rocking Chairs
Wicker, Wood
1950s American American Classical Vintage Rocking Chairs
Wrought Iron
1980s American Other Vintage Rocking Chairs
Leather
1930s American Rustic Vintage Rocking Chairs
Rattan, Wood
Mid-20th Century Victorian Rocking Chairs
Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Chrome
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather, Hardwood
1970s European French Provincial Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fiberglass
Early 20th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Rocking Chairs
Leather, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Spanish Rocking Chairs
Rope, Wood
1960s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Bentwood
Mid-20th Century Spanish Art Nouveau Rocking Chairs
Cane, Bentwood
1960s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Bentwood
21st Century and Contemporary American Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
Leather, Oak
1960s Vintage Rocking Chairs
Bamboo
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Iron
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Beech
2010s Mexican Modern Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Walnut, Hardwood
2010s Italian Post-Modern Rocking Chairs
Iron
2010s Israeli Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Polyester, Teak, Acrylic
2010s Italian Post-Modern Rocking Chairs
Brass
2010s Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Papercord, Oak
2010s Italian Post-Modern Rocking Chairs
Iron
2010s Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Papercord, Walnut
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Iron
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Teak
1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Teak
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Rocking Chairs
Plastic
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Oak
20th Century Rocking Chairs
Wicker
2010s Japanese Modern Rocking Chairs
Wood
Late 19th Century American Adirondack Antique Rocking Chairs
Twig, Wood
19th Century American Adirondack Antique Rocking Chairs
Cane, Hickory
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Rocking Chairs
Steel
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rocking Chairs
Maple
2010s Israeli Modern Rocking Chairs
Acrylic, Teak
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Rocking Chairs
Aluminum
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Iron
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Iron
2010s Danish Post-Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather, Upholstery, Cane, Foam, Rubber, Wood, Teak
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Acrylic, Teak
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Polyester, Oak
2010s Israeli Modern Rocking Chairs
Acrylic, Teak
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Teak, Acrylic
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Iron
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Teak, Acrylic
2010s Israeli Rocking Chairs
Cotton, Oak, Polyester
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.