Email this morning:

I was hoping that you could have a look at the attached photo and try to identify this rocker for me. It is said to be from one of the Stickleys, but the seller doesn’t seem to be able to locate any marks. I am interested in buying the chair, but I am unable to examine it in person. What do you think?


Thanks,
Seth

Thanks, Rikki!

The research I have done in my limited resource library of furniture of the period was not successful in finding a maker for your rocker. It looks to be a stout chair with a nice finish. The swaled back is unlike any I am familiar with. There are some similarities to the L&JG Stickey designs and yet the long corbels supports appear to curve out at the ends. I do not recall ever seeing these on the Skickley chairs. The cut-away contour of the arms is a bit unusual for the period. If the price is reasonable then it might be worth the risk without examination. It is best not to by for investment without true understanding of what you are buying. It is always risky to acquire something without being able to examine it. My gut feeling is that it is not a Stickley rocker.

Fred,

Thanks very much for your input! I just recently began my hunt for a nice old rocking chair. The only real return that I'm looking for on my investment is the satisfaction that I've received a good looking, comfortable, sturdy chair that will last for years to come. I can definitely see why people get into this, though; investment in the pure sense may be something that I pursue in the future.

The chair has been offered at $895 (delivered). Does that seem like a reasonable price for something like this?

Arts & Crafts rocking chairs are very, very common...wait for something that is signed at that price point! There are many rockers by Limbert and Stickley Brothers--even Gustav Stickley--that could be had for the same amount. The difference is that those that are signed will hold their value vs. those that are not signed by a maker in demand. I see stuff like this on Craigslist for a few hundred if not less all the time.

Seth,
I guess I would have to chime in here with a "me too". Last year I purchased a nice Stickley Bros. rocker with the original finish and nice re-covered leather seat for less than half that much on craigs list.

OTOH, if you are still considering it, it is a beautiful rocker as far as they go. I'd get the seller to send a picture of the chair with the seat out, and also have him/her turn the chair over to get a good view of the rockers. Puppies love to chew on them and they are the weak spot on this type of chair.

Lauren

Okay, I think that I'm convinced that this would not be a smart purchase. Thanks, again, to everyone for the assistance. This forum really is a wonderful resource. I'm really glad to know about it now. I'll keep looking around, and will probably turn to the wisdom of you all again in the future.

Best regards,

Seth

So, Lauren, is that your Limbert rocker shown in the picture next to your notes? The lamp is nice and the table cloth even nicer--is it new or vintage?

Pete

Welcome Pete,

The rocker is Stickley Bros.

There is a tiny footstool tucked under the rocker that is a Globe-Wernicke piece.

The lamp is an inexpensive fake from a big box store.

The table is a Stickley reproduction.

The runner is my finest example of A&C linen embroidery with tatting around the edges.

Lauren