Rocking Chair

Upon the expiration of Michael Thonet’s patent on December 10, 1869, the Henry I. Seymour Chair Manufactory was one of the first American companies to utilize Thonet’s manufacturing process of employing steam to bend wood to fabricate furniture. As with Thonet’s furniture, the remarkably simple design is dictated by the means of production. Vernacular American influences abound as well. The chair’s minimalist form is taken directly from the Shakers, a religious sect known for creating humble, well-made furniture. Seymour’s company was so closely aligned with Shaker practices that it sent chair frames to nearby Shaker villages in upstate New York to have the traditional wool tape woven for the seat and the back.