The Famous Kennedy Rocker
The Kennedy Rocker is the easily the most famous rocking chair in history. So often photographed, this historic chair is so closely associated with the late President of the United States that it has become effectionately known as The Kennedy Rocker.
By Lori Ferber
The rocking chair may well have been around for centuries, but it wasn’t until U.S. President John F. Kennedy began using his famous Carolina Rocker in The White House that rocking chairs truly became a treasured American institution.
It is well known that the young President suffered from chronic back pain. To combat this Kennedy discovered the Carolina Rocker made by the now famous P&P Chari Company of South Carolina. Kennedy was so enamored by the chair, its back support and comfort that he accumulated over fourteen of the chairs in his lifetime – one of which was even kept on Air Force one.
Kennedy’s original Oval Office rocker is on permanent display at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston Massachusetts. Hardly a day went by in the 1960’s that photos of President Kennedy in his rocking chair didn’t appear in the local newspapers and magazines. It wasn’t long before the Carolina Cocker became affectionately known as “The Kennedy Rocker”.
Kennedy rockers are in high demand by collectors. Two of the original c hairs from the estate of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis were sold at auction for more than $440,000 each.
Authentic reproductions of The Kennedy Rocker are now available to collectors and those who simply want to recreate the therapeutic benefits so appreciated by the late President.
As experienced and knowledgeable dealers in political memorabilia, Lori and Steve Ferber have been providing helping collectors acquire and preserve unique and interesting political memorabilia items for over 35 years. They operate a popular collectibles website at www.loriferber.com and are authorized distributors of the authentic Kennedy Rocker.
