I was thumbing through some old shop notes and ran across a really fun picture...this one. It's a pic a customer gave me several years ago upon my returning an antique rocking chair--fully restored. I remember they were delighted--so excited to get their storied piece back to sit prominently in their living room. I understand that at some point my customer's father used the rocker on the front
porch of their country home, and that in the family's story it was one of only a few
items rescued when their house caught fire! Anyway, they brought the piece to me in a old fruit-packing box. Yup, it was all in pieces, but all the pieces were there-- even though it, reportedly, it had waited for decades. It lay piecemeal and akimbo in that box anticipating redemption (if antiques can do that). It was treasure in a closet cubbyhole somewhere in the house. If I remember correctly, the old rocker belonged initially to my customer's great grand mother. So in looking at the picture, and for historical perspective, I had to keep in mind that my customer was herself in her early 80's. The picture captures her mom, as an infant, propped in her mom's old rocker! So, of course that means that the rocker, already looking used in the pic, is at least the age of my customer, early 80"s, plus the age of her mom, plus the years that her mom's mom, her great grandmother, had it after she bought it brand new. We're probably talking 1860-1880. Fun thoughts.
I have posted several pics in this blog, the one above, then this one (right). Here you see the rocker as it looked in the shop stripped and fully re-assembled. The first time it's back on its mature rocker-runners for--as my customer explained it--perhaps thirty years! Then, after this pic was taken it was uniformly stained, sealed, and finished in a couple coats of clear satin lacquer. Finally, a leather-look seat was fashioned and carefully tacked into place where you see the round seat opening begs for it. You see it here (left below), and wow, it's a handsome devil again for sure! (Don't you wish we could all get re-done like that!?)
Since this story was initially told in a post several years ago, my customer has passed away. I found myself wondering where the rocker is now? Do the new owners love it? Do they know any of the stories it can tell? Hmmm. This is the fun stuff in my being able to play this role for people. People have stories to tell....and so does their furniture. Thanks for letting me play this role for you!That's Wood Talkin for today. Keep listening...because wood always has a story to tell.
Dick
