Identifying Old Rocking Chairs Identifying old rocking chairs is not difficult if you take a little time to research the unique characteristics of various styles and eras. Look carefully at the following images. They represent several different decades of rocking chairs. This small chair is a ladies sewing rocker, sometimes called a nursing rocker. The chair is always bigger than child-size but smaller than a full size rocker would be. The lack of arms allowed the lady of the house to easily nurse and infant or sew a shirt while she rocked. These are utilitarian chairs, usually simple and made from pine. Pressed Back The pressed back rocking chair was part of the colonial revival style that lasted from about 1870 to 1920. You can easily identify this style by the raised design of the wood on the back. this style became popular again in the 1980s. Antique Wicker Rocking Chair It is hard to imagine a proper Victorian veranda with out a wicker rocker. Wicker had been used since Roman times to create furniture and was popular as early as the middle of the 1700s in the United States.
Victorians perfected the design, and loved wicker because it allowed them to have all the scroll work and details that their hearts desired. Neoclassical A big help in identifying old rocking chairs is to look at the lines and the way the back is designed. This neoclassical, upholstered rocker is part of the Colonial Revival period from 1870-1920. It has some detail in the back as well as the spools on the legs. You can see some of the simple Arts and Crafts era influence in how the back of the chair is made. Classic Ladderback Rocker The classic ladderback rocker is what many people think of when they think of a country rocking chair. It is easy to recognize with its tall back and slat design. Bentwood Rocker The Bentwood Rocker was introduced in 1856 in Austria by Michael Thonet. There were many variations on this design but it was always made with steamed wood bent into a variety of swirls. Jenny Lind Children's Rocker Jenny Lind furniture was named after a popular Swedish opera singer in the late 1850s.
It is easy to identify by the turned spindles. It is often used for baby and children's furniture. Mission Style Rocking Chair The Mission style is simple, squared off , and squat. It has the feel of solidity and a beauty all its own. Eames Era Rocking Chair Finally, the Eames Era (1950s-1960s) brought a contemporary look to all furniture, including rocking chairs. The chairs were designed to comfortably support the body. They are usually made of molded plastic and have very modern looking forms. It does take some skill to identify these old rocking chairs but by looking at as many as possible, asking questions, and learning about the designs you can be an expert in no time.Rocking Chair Cover DiyRocking Chair Cushion DiyNursery Rocking ChairsPadded ChairRocking Chair CushionsOld Rocking ChairNursery ChairBaby NurseryStyled RockingForwardI just bought a rocking chair at a thirft shop and I would love to make a cover of some sort for it after I paint it.Paint Rocking ChairRocking Chair CushionsOld Rocking ChairPainted RockingWooden Rocking ChairsDistressed Rocking ChairRocking Chair NurseryMint RockingSale RockingForwardWe have an old rocking chair.
I just looked at it and thought 'oo, what about a new colour!'Baskets Antiques 2Stuff AntiquesHome Chair BenchDiy ChairBenches Stools Shelves ChairsOld ChairsChair NecktieGrandma RockersNeckties WovenForwardIt looks like the seat is woven from fabric. I wonder how hard that would be to do for my old sling chairs?Although there are examples of a few early antique rocking chairs in England, they were not commonly made and used in England or America until the mid 18th century. An antique rocking chair is one that is more than 100 years old. Therefore, antique rocking chairs date from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. To identify the country of origin, style and date, examine all aspects of the chair and compare that information to find similar chairs with known historical information. Step 1 Identify any exact details you might have about your antique rocking chair. This might include finding a label under the seat or a bill of sale, or having a verbal comment as to when it was purchased or received as a gift.
This information is extremely helpful for dating antique furniture, but it is often not available.Step 2 Examine your antique rocking chair carefully. Gather information about how it was made. Consider the type of wood the rocker made from, how the joints are connected, and whether the finish is shellac, varnish, lacquer, paint or wax. These clues help determine where and when it was made. Chairs that have nails with uneven heads are older than chairs that might use machine-made nails from the 19th or 20th centuries. Maple and cherry furniture are usually American. In England, 19th century Windsor chairs were usually unfinished and waxed, whereas in America, Windsor chairs were usually painted. Varnish and lacquer were not used until about 1860. Before that, shellac was the surface finish.Step 3 Think about the overall design of your antique rocking chair. Consider if the overall shape is heavy or light. Decide if the decoration on your antique chair is floral or geometric and if the decoration is low relief or high relief.
Early Neoclassical chairs, made in America from about 1780 to 1800, were lightweight, mostly straight lines, with low relief and inlaid decoration. In contrast, a Victorian chair from the 1860s is heavy, curvilinear, with high-relief carving.Step 4 Gather together all of your notes and begin searching for antique rocking chairs similar to yours. Begin with antique furniture history books. After that, use other furniture identification resources such as antique shops and online antique malls. Antique exhibits, often held as fundraisers for various nonprofits, also are filled with learning opportunities. Furniture from many time periods is displayed and exhibitors often are pleased to share their knowledge with another antique enthusiast.Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number.
See all 2016 winners The Old Red Rocking Chair When Martha Jenkins buys a new blue sofa she decides to throw out her ancient red rocking chair. In so doing she unwittingly sets off a chain of events that gives her trusted old chair a new lease on life. From one home to another it passes, slowly losing its arms, cushion, back and rockers, thus appealing to each of the eagle-eyed individuals who rescue it from the garbage. The series inevitably circles around again to Martha, who carries the transformed chair home from a yard sale "and admired how well her sofa matched her new blue footstool." While the premise is hardly new (cf. Rob Lewis's The White Bicycle ), Root's cheerfulness and lucid logic propel the story. The passing seasons, captured in both prose and robust illustrations, are a pleasurable bonus--as is the book's subtle recycling message. Sandford presents a likably eccentric cast and evokes small-town life in his warm, softly textured artwork. The dark, rich, painterly illustrations spark this cozy "life goes on" parable.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library Journal Grade 1-3--The Old Red Rocking Chair makes an art form of recycling as an old chair is discarded and rescued four times. Each new owner has a different use for it and different talents that transform the red chair into a blue foot stool that is eventually sold back to the original owner who does not recognize it. Children will quickly catch on to the format that allows the chair to please each owner ``until . . . '' and they may be the first to notice that the five people passing by the window in the last illustration are the people who rescued it. The illustrations are wonderfully rich in color and detail with a nice blend of gender and age diversity in the realistic cast of small-town characters. Unfortunately, a texturing or shadowing technique renders several pages too dark for group viewing and murky even for individual enjoyment. The text is on a lighter background to facilitate easy reading. It is sad that these shadows have been cast on an otherwise superior book.