Rocking chair1850–186545 x 24 7/8 x 25 3/4 " (114.3 x 63.2 x 65.4 cm)Maple, wool, metalGift of Robert Bishop1990.25.29015221835Artist unidentifiedFurniture/FurnishingsThe American Folk Art Museum believes this work to be in the public domain. Shakerhttp://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster19786New LebanonNew LebanonUnited StatesNew YorkTreasures of Folk Art: Museum of American Folk ArtThree Dimensional WorksNew LebanonFURNITURECollectors commonly refer to this form as a "transitional" piece of Shaker furniture because certain characteristics, like the chair's dramatically curved arms, served as the model for mass produced examples produced by the Mount Lebanon community starting in the early 1870s. A later example that used this form as inspiration is in AFAM's collection (1984.39.1).Although the Shakers did not invent the rocking chair, they are credited with developing its design and promoting its use. At first, Shaker rockers were made for aged and infirm. But the comfort of the chairs had widespread appeal and since there were no prohibitions in their religion regarding comfort, the rockers were soon made for general use in the dormitories.
Elizabeth V. Warren and Stacy C. Hollander, "Rocking Chair," Expressions of a New Spirit: Highlights from the Permanent Collection of the Museum of American Folk Art (New York: American Folk Art Museum, 1989), 127Shaker objecthttp://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster19786http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster19786http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster1978618451870 1990 25 29 FURNITURECollectors commonly refer to this form as a "transitional" piece of Shaker furniture because certain characteristics, like the chair's dramatically curved arms, served as the model for mass produced examples produced by the Mount Lebanon community starting in the early 1870s. A later example that used this form as inspiration is in AFAM's collection (1984.39.1).Although the Shakers did not invent the rocking chair, they are credited with developing its design and promoting its use. At first, Shaker rockers were made for aged and infirm. But the comfort of the chairs had widespread appeal and since there were no prohibitions in their religion regarding comfort, the rockers were soon made for general use in the dormitories.
Elizabeth V. Warren and Stacy C. Hollander, "Rocking Chair," Expressions of a New Spirit: Highlights from the Permanent Collection of the Museum of American Folk Art (New York: American Folk Art Museum, 1989), 127Shaker object