Ancient history

Who invented the rocking chair?

The rocking chair was first conceived independently by Benjamin Franklin around 1725 after the birth of his grandson and by Michael Thonet circa 1840 to comfort his aging mother-in-law. Both designers developed early prototypes that have undergone changes in the hands of several inventors and designers for more than 250 years, but most rocking chairs in use today originate from Thonet’s design.