Featured 40" tall Nursing Rocker -- 1830-1850?

Just putting a home brew Linseed oil finish on a very old Gordon family rocker from Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. It has "carpet cutter" 1/2" wide rockers and a one piece 1 3/4" thick seat measuring 15 1/2" wide and 16" deep. It was definitely old growth wood with over 30 growth rings to the inch. It has arrow slats and the back rails are white oak. The legs are split and pegged to the rockers. There are a few small square nails reinforcing various joints. Varnished at one point and later smothered in green paint which was mostly removed when I inherited it. Not seeing many pictures of ones like it. Very comfortable, need to reglue one leg though

 

Wonderful rocker! So glad you are its new caretaker. Now I can see why the rockers are called carpet cutters. Enough babies and the carpet is ruined.

 

That ís certainly a lovely piece of furniture, Chip.
Back then, I doubt carpets were as common as they, an' wall-to-wall, are now. The rockers appear to be a very different, perhaps harder, wood than the balance of the chair. Perhaps replaced? Or original? How much war is on those pieces?

 

neat grain on the single board seat !
What type of wood is that?

the rockers look like black ash...

 

All the parts show a lot of age so difficult to tell. Wish I'd asked my grandmother about the chair.

 

Ditto! Great rocker, and good that you take such good care of it.

The things we should have asked our grandparents, right? Or even our parents, if they're not around anymore.

I will tag some knowledgeable members for you: @verybrad , @Ghopper1924 .

 

Thanks A.J. For some reason the tag did not register, but here I am anyway.

I must disagree with the prevailing opinion regarding the seat. If you examine the 3rd picture closely, you’ll see that the grain isn’t consistent across the seat, but in fact looks to be 3 carefully joined pieces.

Another common wood choice for this type of rocker is hickory. My feeling about this piece is that it is later. The rocker assembly style was certainly used earlier, but can be seen later in the 19th Century as well. Regardless, kudos for the restoration!

 

I think the 3 board seat is indicative of this being later, as Ghopper suggests. I, also, am not seeing the kind of wear I would expect to see if this were much older. The rockers seem to be poplar, which is not used elsewhere in the chair. Does make me think they could be replacements.

 

Huh...Chip's pics blow up nicely. an' I cannot find any discontinuity across that plank, at all. I hesitate to offer my inexpert opinion against superior experience...but there it is. No offense intended, Hopper!

 

Oh , yer so disagreeable !!! @Ghopper1924 ..
And , you @verybrad , need to have a closer look , or something to do with your glasses.......

Upon close inspection , you'll both notice that the long grain on both sides of the centre rings , curves in towards the centre , then flares out , and curves back in & AROUND & UNDER the rings at the front of the board.
No way that's 3 separate pieces , but in fact one solid board !!

That's why I asked the craftsperson , what type of wood he thinks it is !!!

It's a brilliant use of the grain for the seat , making it look like 3 separate boards , which it's not !!

 

Call em , like u see em ! , Mr Inexpert !!
That's one board !

 

I think you are right. I took a closer look and, have to admit, that I did not blow up the pics to have a look previously. Took a glance and saw what I thought was confirmation of what Ghopper had seen. Interesting grain pattern that is a bit deceiving. Mea Culpa!

Might have to reassess the age on this.

 

Went back with a blowup of the photo as @verybrad has done. I must also pull a mea culpa! I apologize for my inaccurate initial observation. The seat is one piece after all. I would say 1820-50.

I would suggest calling on @komokwa and @wlwhittier with furniture questions from now on….

 

No no , no ...!

Wood questions , yes !
Furniture questions................not my jam !

& I would never be so righteous as to think for one minute that I compare with you and brad on that subject !!

Let me be clear , Pal ..... you two are our go to guys , and I'm happy you are !!!!

Sorry , if it looked like I was throwing shade , but I called a single board , and needed to defend my assertion !

 

I thought I used enuf....
...&

I will use more in the future !!

 

No worries my friend. When you’re right, you’re right and I’m glad you and @wlwhittier stood your ground. The important thing is that the op got the best information.

And just FYI I put laughing emojis in my post, but for some dumb reason they didn’t show up.

 

Ahh...surreptitious mirth!

 

If you bros are done now, I would like to add that I thought the seat had been replaced along the way some time in its life. It just doesn't seem to belong with the rest of the chair. Maybe it's the stain, but why would a different wood type be used for just the seat? Is there a good reason?

 

all I know is that someone wanted that grain to stand out !!

 

This board can handle a small disagreement about a board. Plus, it keeps us all from getting board.