How to Find Information on Antique Rocking Chairs

Rocking chairs are classic Americana. Benjamin Franklin is often noted as the originator of the rocking chair but documentation shows that a cabinetmaker by the name of William Savery may have been the first to add "rockers" to stationary chairs around 1774. The classic rocking chair that Americans know and use today emerged during the early 1800s. The original rocking chairs were referred to as "carpet cutters" because of the damage they did as they rocked back and forth.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Examine the antique rocking chair. Look for a maker's mark (a logo or manufacturer's name), or a location name or date that may be stamped, carved or written on the rocking chair.

2. Research the information found on the rocking chair. Visit a local library and consult with the reference librarian for access to American antiques catalogs and books. Research information the chair may provide about the area in which the chair was made. Old phone books, census information and local historians can reveal more about the manufacturer and their techniques.

3. Locate books and publications on American antique rocking chairs published by the Wallace-Homestead Book Company, Schiffer Publishing, and Collector's Books for quality information.

4. Consult a licensed appraiser for accurate information on antique rocking chairs. Locate a qualified appraiser through the American Society of Appraisers.

References

• American Society of Appraisers
• Antiques 101:A Crash Course in Everything Antique; Frank Farmer Loomis; 2005
• WhatsItWorthToYou.com