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Another piece to come in is a Victorian Eastlake Rocking Chair. This walnut platform rocker is from the early 1900's and is just as smooth as it was 100 years ago!

It is argued about the first origins of the rocking chair started in England or Sweden in the early to mid 1700's. The idea of a rocker is much older, but it was used for things like baby cribs and such. It wasn't much later than the British that Americans took their existing Windsor chairs and refashioned the legs into what we now know as rockers. It might not have originated in America, but we definitely took to the design much more than the Europeans. Trivia Pursuit Fact: President Lincoln was shot while sitting in a Victorian Rocker at Ford's Theatre.




Not sure how many readers are woodworkers or wanna-be's like myself, but one of the best rockers ever designed was by a fellow named Sam Maloof. Sam passed away this year in May at the age of 93. He was still working on designs at the time of his death! He has been descibed as the "Hemingway of Hardwood" and has many of his designs in museums all across America. President Reagan had one in the White House during his presidency. Just perfect...