Alaska Wood: Oak Rocker Restoration

My client found this at a deceased relative's domicile. The poor thing had spent a number of years outside on the porch. It appears to have been wet and in the sun a lot. All the glued joints were loose the cushion had a number of springs broken, the seat material was torn, one rocker had broken along a weak grain runout, and had been repaired with three bolts ( oh, the horror !).

I am asked to restore to as normal an appearance as possible, using a leather box cushion instead of the spring seat. The only thing I must preserve is the manufacturer label... Grand Rapids Bookcase and Chair Co.

A little research let me know the company was one of several Arts ad Crafts furniture manfacturers in Grand Rapids at the turn of the century...including Stickley. This chair is made wih some nice quartered White Oak, with 5/16 and 1/2 in dowels for tenon pins. The only screws used were attaching the arms to back rails and fixing the rocker to the legs.

notice the top of the back posts...Originally glued up with two pieces..both delaminated.

Here you see the split back post, broken right rocker and the sad state of cushion.

Actually, this is a very nice design and I think it will come out pretty nice.

It took me about an hour to disassemble the rocker and another couple of hours regluing. The rockers are in such bad shape I'm going to have to make new ones. I had to redo the broken one anyway, so might just as well do both so they match ;o)