R e ax

Rocking chairs
ease the
stresses and
strains of
modern life.

5

OC Ke 1

'thing pretty? If you aren't,
maybe you need to slip into
the cradle-like embrace of an
old-fashioned rocking chair.
America's favorite piece of to-and-fro
furniture is cozy and promotes tran-
quility, and there's nothing better for
a bad back or a grouchy disposition.
In fact, it could save your life. Ac-
cording to E. R. Tichauer, professor
of human factors at New York Univer-
sity, New York City, a "bad" chair
causes a range of health problems,
from simple muscle stiffness and
migraine headaches to eye problems
and stress-related ills, including an
increased risk of coronary heart
disease. At the very least, it places
pressure on the lower back that is
twice as great as standing. A "good"
chair, like the rocker, is fairly straight
and supports the small of your back,
improves posture, and adds an hour
or more of productive time to your
day — the equivalent of 30 extra days
a year. (If you feel better, you work
better, according to Tichauer.)
And all the best people — from
Ben Franklin (rumored to be the ori-
ginator) and Arthur Godfrey to LBJ
have placed their pos-
and JFK
teriors in a rocker when the going got
tough. Why not you?

20

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BY FRANCES
SHERIDAN GOULART

Here's what's nice and what's
necessary:
• The notion of a chair in motion
came into its own in the mid-18th cen-
tury. Originally, rockers were just
straight chairs to which rockers, or
runners, were fitted. These conver-
sions are easy to spot: to maintain the
height of the seat, the legs had to
be shortened to compensate for the
height of the runners, which often
ended up slightly too close to the
lower side stretchers.
• A genuine rocker was, and still
is, crafted from some plain, strong
wood. Boston rockers are recogniz-
able by their hand-stenciled decora-
tion and painting, and more elegant
versions are occasionally found in
mahogany with Empire styling.
• The Boston rocker is a good buy
if it's sturdily built, has good height,
a high back and, more importantly,
a solid no-nonsense seat that curves
down at the front and up at the rear.
A good reproduction is your second
best bet.
• There's a world of difference be-
tween a pseudo rocker and a real
one. "Conversions" (or "refitted
chairs," as they're called) are not as
sturdy, and plenty of them are still
around because so many were con-

Photo By Craig Terkowitz