Antique Wooden Rocking Chairs

Antique wooden rocking chairs can be found in a variety of styles and prices. It is important that you buy a chair that is suited to your needs.

Rocking chairs are a favorite antique chair type.

Although the invention of the rocking chair has been attributed to Benjamin Franklin, it was in existence well before then.

Rocking chairs are thought to have developed in England during the early 1700s. They were used as garden chairs. Since these chairs were created in the area of Windsor Castle they became known as Windsor rockers. Some people took existing wooden chairs and added rockers to them. These chairs may have chairs that are half a century older than the rockers attached to them.

The idea of the rocking chair found its way to the American colonies by the mid 1700s but the word “rocking chair” was not added to the dictionary until 1787.

By the 1800s the rocking chair was a popular piece of furniture in almost every household.

Although all rocking chairs had some type of rocker, the designs could be very different. Over a period of time difference styles of rocking chairs developed in different areas and for different purposes.

The Adirondack rocking chair became popular in the 1840s. Craftsmen in the mountains created rocking chairs from rough hewn wood or twigs. The Adirondack furniture was usually constructed of the most available local wood:

• Birch
• Pine
• Hickory
• Cedar
• Ash

Part of the charm of an Adirondack rocking chair is the unique design of each individual chair.

The bentwood rocker was created by Michael Thonet who used a process of steaming birch wood and then manipulating it into curves to create a unique rocking chair in the 1860s. It was on exhibition at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876 and quickly became a popular part of the Victorian home.

The Boston rocker evolved from the Windsor rocker in the early 1800s. This style is characterized by a high back topped by a large crest rail. The wooden seat curves down in the front and the curve of the arms follow the curve of the seat.

This was the first mass produced rocking chair. It was often made of pine or other inferior woods and painted and/or stenciled.

The Gungstol design developed in Sweden in the 1740s. The earliest of these beautiful rockers often had six legs. The chair itself had graceful lines and curves to the back and the arms. The rocking chair was usually painted black and had a gold leaf design painted on it.

The Salem rocker is similar to the Boston rocker but the back is much lower. The spindles that make up the back are straighter than the Boston rocker. The crest rail is also wider.

The sewing rocker is also called a nursing rocker. It is usually a small rocking chair that has no arms. This allowed the lady of the house to sew easily without interference from the arms of the chair. It was also easier to nurse an infant in an armless chair.

These small rockers can be found made of almost any wood and any design. The design element that each will have is the smaller size and lack of arms.

The Shakers were a religious group that was known for their simple, yet beautiful, furniture designs. A shaker rocker is simple, with a ladder back and woven or slat seat. The material most often was pine. The Shakers believed the chairs should fit the individual owners; so, you may find that some chairs are large while others are quite small. Each will be in perfect proportion, however.

The Windsor rocker also developed around 1740. It can be identified by a rounded, spindle back which is bent into a hoop. The legs are splayed and pegged directly into the seat. The earliest of these chairs were painted green or black.

When the American Windsor rocker was introduced in the mid 1700s it was instantly popular. Built primarily in the Philadelphia area these Windsors had some of the same design characteristics as the English Windsor but quickly took on very individual designs. Some of the designs common in the American Windsor rocking chair are:

• Birdcage back – the spindles have horizontal wood pieces going through them.
• Rounded hoop back
• Comb back – a comb shaped headrest was added
• Arrow back – had flattened spindles

Since the earliest of these were often garden chairs, collectors may find that the rockers are quite damaged or have been replaced because of exposure to the elements.

There are a number of other styles of antique rockers. Among them are:

• Arts and Crafts/Craftsman
• Carolina Rocker (also called Kennedy Rocker)
• Glider
• Gooseneck
• Hamilton style
• Mission
• Morris
• Pressed back

You should choose antique wooden rocking chairs carefully based on what you plan to do with it. If you will be using is as an accent piece and it won't be used as seating then you can buy any chair you like. However, if you plan on being able to use it you should make sure that it is sturdy enough to withstand the type of use it would get in your home.

Always check the condition of the rockers. If these are weak, broken, or in otherwise poor condition the antique chair will be unusable without new rockers. The frame should be solid. If the joints are loose, a little wood glue can fix them with no problem.

An antique rocker is a warm addition to almost any room of the house.

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