Fascinated in rocking chairs? Always wanted to have one? Then read on. Benjamin Franklin is popularly credited for inventing the rocking chair, but there is no real historical fact to support this. What was only determined is that he was the proud owner of a rocking chair that appeared in the Colonies 250 years ago. During the early 19the century, chairs were altered by shortening the legs a bit and sawing a slot into each foot to where the rockers are to be put in place. The reason for this was converting an ordinary chair into a rocker was easy and more economical than having one made from scratch. Altering a chair went for as low as 50 cents while having one made could cost up to 3.50 dollars.
1. Modern Rocking Chairs
Since Franklin’s time, the popularity of the rocking chair has hardly waned. In fact it has become even more popular. The reason for this are many. For one sitting in rocking are believed by some to be therapeutic. Many individuals have sworn that merely sitting in a rocking chair for several minutes can take away some bodily pains. Rocking chairs are also ideal for performing some seated tasks like nursing, knitting, sewing, etc. Early rocking chairs are mostly used in rural homes because they were deemed too plain for the formal parlor and rough on expensive carpets of most urban homes. Not long after, rocking designs have evolved to embrace modern styles. Rockers become the seat of choice and often offered to guest as it display lavish decorations and are upholstered for comfort.
2. Most Popular Styles:
- Windsor
- Ladder-back
- Shaker
- Boston
- Victorian
- Bentwood
- Wicker.
3. Modern Styles
Today, you can find rocking chairs that are made of chrome, molded plastic and laminated cardboard. There are also rocking chairs in graceful ladder-back and woven-back designs in walnut, cherry, maple, oak, and hickory.
4. How To Choose A Rocking Chair
Choose a rocking chair that will withstand the rigors of rocking. Such chairs are made from handpicked logs that are not twisted and sawn into short sections along its grains. This is to ensure that the wood is strong and is less likely to get distorted over time. You should also make sure that the joints are tight. Good rocking chairs are made by cutting tenons and mortises to hairline tolerances and using specialized sawing techniques for each component to minimize differences in expansion and contraction when the parts are joined. This is important because every part of a rocking chair moves together. Look for one with runners cut with bandsaw and mounted so that the center point of the radius is right in front of the user’s chin. This ensures a smooth and balanced rocking experience.
5. Don't Skimp on Quality
Prices of rocking chairs ranges from reasonable to very expensive. Rocking chairs usually stay in the family that bought them. They have more heirloom than market values and don’t sell well at auctions. If you want a chair with very high level of craftsmanship then be ready so shell out between $1,000 to $3,000. Some contemporary handmade rockers can fetch tens of thousands of dollars. Of course, quality rocking chairs can also be bought for much less. A few hundred dollars will get you a fine hardwood antique. That's a pretty good deal for a vintage piece of Yankee ingenuity. Here’s a tip in buying a rocking chair: try out the rocking chair before buying it. Have the store clerk set up the rocking chair in the store. Make sure that the rocking chair is comfortable to sit in and that the table itself is durable.