Rocking Chair

Wooden child's rocking chair made by Luther Beman of Perry, Gallia County, Ohio, dates to about 1854. Beman made the rocker from wood found on his farm. The chair is a miniature sewing rocker with a medium brown finish. It has three spindles, a front and a back stretcher, and no arms. The stiles, spindles, legs, and stretchers have minimal decorative carving. The rocker rail on the viewer's right has been replaced, but the original is included with the chair. The new rocker rail is attached with metal braces and a nut and bolt. The original rocker rail has two pilot holes through the piece of wood and one hole that has been filled in. There is a dried glue on the reverse side of the rail around the front pilot hole. The front tip of the rocker rail is smoothed to a rounded point. The rocker rail has been fractured roughly mid-way, and the back half is missing. It has a medium brown finish, matching the chair.