Old Family Rocking Chair - Need Info to solve a mystery

[talesofthesevenseas]

Hi gang,
A cousin sent me photos of this old rocker that belonged to our great-grandfather. Written in pencil on the corner of the underside of the seat is "JB 12010". We are wondering if this chair may have belonged to John Bradbury, the grandfather of our great-grandfather, or if JB was the chair maker and 12010 is some kind of serial or inventory number. It appears handmade to me, and there are a couple of old, hand-slotted brass screws that may have been added later. Our great-grandfather Joseph Bolles Ely lived from 1885-1972. His grandfather lived from 1823-1853. Both could have been "JB".
Here are the questions we have:
How old is it?
Do the screws appear to be later additions?
Is this an older chair converted into a rocker?
What could the inscription be? Five-digit zip codes did not exist until the 60s and 12010 does not match where our great-grandfather lived.

[Rauville]

I would guess 1860's for age, and maybe the number is a date notation (1.20.10) of when it was passed down in the family?

[mart]

These high backed rockers were popular 1860 to 1880`s or so !!  I see nothing that indicates being  home made but the rockers look to have been replaced at some point !! American Empire revival in design !!   It was not uncommon for owners to mark their belongings especially if travel was involved !!  As for the numbers,, could be a date but more likely just a factory style number and your relative just put his initials above it !!

[cogar]

And MLO is .…….

I believe the brass screws were added later …… after the mortise joints loosened up.

And I’m pretty sure it’s an original “rocking chair” because the 4th picture shows a lateral “spindle” conjoining the 2 rockers together.

And I agree with Rauville, the # 12010 is likely a date, ….. January 20th, 1910. 

And also with Mart, …… it was made by a chair manufacturer.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Thanks, this is very helpful and I will pass all comments along to my cousin. One more question, in general, would a rocker with arms have been a man's rocker?

[mart]

Thanks, this is very helpful and I will pass all comments along to my cousin. One more question, in general, would a rocker with arms have been a man's rocker?

Not necessarily !!  They didn`t have designations back then for common items !!  A rocker  was just that,, a rocker !!  Everyone used it !!  Now with some of the more expensive parlor sets they did have his and hers but not for this type !!

[cogar]

in general, would a rocker with arms have been a man's rocker?

Not necessarily. Rocking chairs were mostly for older people. And the older one gets the more infirm they get …… and the chair arms are mighty helpful in getting one “up on their feet”.

Now you might say a “tall back” rocker was a man's rocker, but I don’t know how true that would be.

Nursing rockers and children’s rockers are more likely to be found without arms.

[KC]

Agree with the others on the age...bet screws were added later as well.  Bet it is your relatives' initials and a date.  (Have seen many a family item dated like that over the years.)

The arms were originally on rockers and later made without for women/nursing/large dresses and children.

I'm grateful for the arms in getting up.  The elderly would get knocked down without the aide of them.

Nice piece of family history!

[talesofthesevenseas]

I heard back from my cousin and he is very pleased to learn more about the rocking chair! Thank-you everyone! Our great-grandparents were married in June of 1910, so the 1-20-10 date fits very well with the time they would have become engaged and would have been putting together their household. In fact, a piece of my great-grandfather's parent's house was cut off, dragged across the street the street and made into a house for the newlyweds about that same time. Since the chair appears to be older than the inscription, this all makes perfect sense, and it very likely came from my great-great-grandparents, Franklin and Florence Ely.

So that you can see who owned the chair, here they are:

Our great-grandparents, Charlotte Richardson Ely and Joseph Bolles Ely



Our great-great-grandfather Franklin Ely



Our great-great-grandmother Florence Amanda Bradbury Ely

[mart]

Great pics of your family !!  That last pic looks so typically Victorian !!