Rockers, Gliders

A rocking chair or rocker is a chair with two curved bands of wood (also know as rockers) attached to the bottom of the legs (one on the left two legs and one on the right two legs). more...

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This gives the chair contact with the floor at only two points granting the occupant to rock back and forth by shifting his/her weight or pushing lightly with his/her feet. Many find rocking chairs soothing because of the gentle rocking. Rocking chairs are also comfortable because when one sits in one without rocking the chair automatically rocks backwards until the sitter's center of gravity is met thus granting the ergonomic benefit that the occupant is kept at a very unstressed position and angle.

History

No clear answer can be given to the question of the rocking chair's origin. Some American myths grant the invention to Benjamin Franklin. This however is highly unlikely as such an event is not mentioned in any of his notes or his autobiography. It is known, however, that rocking chairs did originate in America or possibly in England c. 1725 as garden chairs and were originally normal chairs with a pair of rockers attached to the bottom. It was not until around 1800 that rocking chairs began to be produced by furniture companies. One of the original (and perhaps first) business' to produce rocking chairs was the work shop of Duncan Phyfe (fife) who produced furniture that pioneered the Empire style in New York City.

Cultural meaning

Rocking chairs are often associated to seniority and grandparents.

Read more at Wikipedia.org