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拍品專文
One of twelve commissioned for President John F. Kennedy’s White House, the present rocking chair is an extraordinary material testament to the enduring legacy of the late President and the transformation of a familiar homely form into an American icon.
In a handwritten note about the present lot from Norma Arata, wife of upholsterer Lawrence J. Arata, she confirms “This is an authentic custom upholstered President John Fitzgerald Kennedy Rocker. One of twelve crafted for him by Lawrence J. Arata, White House staff and subsequently presented to Averell Harriman in 1961.” Several of the original twelve survive and were made to furnish the rooms at the White House, Camp David and Air Force One. Kennedy’s use of the rocking chair became intertwined with his public image, and it quickly became an enduring part of his legacy.
Lawrence J. Arata was hired by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy to assist with the White House decoration, became the administration’s official upholster. In another letter written in Norma’s hand dated 1983, she describes how Lawrence was hired on a recommendation from Mrs. Paul Mellon and he lived at the White House and he “literally upholstered every piece of furniture” (see University Archives, Wilton, CT, 6 January 2021, lot 224). Lawrence and Norma met while both working in the White House, and after the president’s assassination, they draped the White House in black cambric in mourning. While working in the White House, Lawrence collaborated closely with Dr. Janet Travell to adapt the chair to the President’s needs. At her request, he modified the design and added cushioned upholstery, adding comfort and further pain relief. As recorded by Arata, the original removeable upholstery was Naugahyde, a durable plastic leather.
The model now widely known as the “Kennedy Rocker” was developed by the P. & P. Chair Company of Asheboro, North Carolina. Its design was first introduced in the 1920s and was distinguished by its high caned back and seat, steam-bent curved back posts, a low seat and wide generous armrests. The innovative features were celebrated for their ergonomic advantages, including improved posture and circulation, and reduced back strain. Recognizing its therapeutic benefits, Dr. Janet Travell recommended the chair to her patient, then Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy, securing its place at the center of both his daily life and public image.
This recommendation addressed Kennedy’s long struggle with chronic back pain, the result of a series of injuries sustained over his life and longstanding medical challenges. He first injured his back playing football while a student at Harvard University, which was then significantly exacerbated during his service in World War II. On August 2, 1943, the patrol boat that he commanded in the Solomon Islands was struck by a Japanese destroyer and sunk. In the aftermath, Kennedy swam for hours to rescue the life of an injured crewmember, and, over the following days, he continued to swim in search of aid. The physical toll from this ordeal, compounded by subsequent surgeries, a degenerative spinal condition and other health complications, left him in persistent pain that required careful and continuous management, of which the rocking chair became an essential and highly visible part.
The twelve rocking chairs from the original commission were placed in various rooms where President Kennedy frequented. One of the twelve furnished the office of the president’s secretary Evelyn Lincoln. Evelyn was gifted the chair after the president’s death. Other chairs furnished Air Force One, one was gifted by the Naval Officers and Crew of the Aircraft Carrier USS Kitty Hawk to the President, which was kept in the Oval Office, another was used at Camp David (see John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, MO 63.2140). Several of the twelve chairs have sold at auction, notably two examples from The Estate of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis sale in 1996, which realized $442,500 and $453,500 respectively against estimates of $3,000–5,000 (see Sotheby’s, New York, 23–26 April, lots 56 and 1194). Other examples are in the permanent collections, like the Waldorf Astoria New York. Although the “Kennedy Rocker” was produced in the thousands for a broad market, only a small number of original chairs bore witness to Kennedy’s presidency and became part of its enduring visual legacy: making the present example an exceptional opportunity to acquire a piece of American history.
Widely photographed and reproduced in international media, Kennedy’s use of the rocker quickly became a part of the public imagination, transforming the practical object into an internal icon. Kennedy was photographed countless times in the Oval Office seated in the rocking chair, meeting with dignitaries, world leaders, American politicians and prominent cultural figures, including astronaut John Glenn. Equally enduring are more intimate images of John F. Kennedy, Jr. playing in one of the chairs in the office of Evelyn Lincoln, the President’s personal secretary, which bring a sense of warmth and familiarity to the chair’s public image (see Heritage Auctions, Dallas, 23-24 November 2013, lot 38075). The so-called “Kennedy Rocker” came to symbolize American craftsmanship and leisure culture. With its association to the Kennedy family, the rocker’s appeal and demand surged as admirers sought to emulate the lifestyle and ease of the charismatic President.
The present chair was gifted to William Averell Harriman upon his appointment in 1961 as President Kennedy’s Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs. Born in New York City to the railroad magnate E.H. Harriman and Mary Williamson Averell, Harriman pursued a distinguished career in public service. He first served under President Franklin D. Roosevelt with the National Recovery Administration, before being appointed U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union (1943-46), acting as a key liaison with Joseph Stalin during World War II and playing a central role in Allied diplomacy. He then served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom and held several senior positions related to postwar recovery. Elected Governor of New York in 1955, Harriman later became a senior diplomat and a trusted advisor to both John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. Harriman met with Kennedy frequently throughout his administration, as evidenced by notable photographs taken in the Oval Office, including one in which the President is seated in the now-iconic rocking chair. Harriman likely had the chair reupholstered in the 1970s after he retired from public office.
In a handwritten note about the present lot from Norma Arata, wife of upholsterer Lawrence J. Arata, she confirms “This is an authentic custom upholstered President John Fitzgerald Kennedy Rocker. One of twelve crafted for him by Lawrence J. Arata, White House staff and subsequently presented to Averell Harriman in 1961.” Several of the original twelve survive and were made to furnish the rooms at the White House, Camp David and Air Force One. Kennedy’s use of the rocking chair became intertwined with his public image, and it quickly became an enduring part of his legacy.
Lawrence J. Arata was hired by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy to assist with the White House decoration, became the administration’s official upholster. In another letter written in Norma’s hand dated 1983, she describes how Lawrence was hired on a recommendation from Mrs. Paul Mellon and he lived at the White House and he “literally upholstered every piece of furniture” (see University Archives, Wilton, CT, 6 January 2021, lot 224). Lawrence and Norma met while both working in the White House, and after the president’s assassination, they draped the White House in black cambric in mourning. While working in the White House, Lawrence collaborated closely with Dr. Janet Travell to adapt the chair to the President’s needs. At her request, he modified the design and added cushioned upholstery, adding comfort and further pain relief. As recorded by Arata, the original removeable upholstery was Naugahyde, a durable plastic leather.
The model now widely known as the “Kennedy Rocker” was developed by the P. & P. Chair Company of Asheboro, North Carolina. Its design was first introduced in the 1920s and was distinguished by its high caned back and seat, steam-bent curved back posts, a low seat and wide generous armrests. The innovative features were celebrated for their ergonomic advantages, including improved posture and circulation, and reduced back strain. Recognizing its therapeutic benefits, Dr. Janet Travell recommended the chair to her patient, then Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy, securing its place at the center of both his daily life and public image.
This recommendation addressed Kennedy’s long struggle with chronic back pain, the result of a series of injuries sustained over his life and longstanding medical challenges. He first injured his back playing football while a student at Harvard University, which was then significantly exacerbated during his service in World War II. On August 2, 1943, the patrol boat that he commanded in the Solomon Islands was struck by a Japanese destroyer and sunk. In the aftermath, Kennedy swam for hours to rescue the life of an injured crewmember, and, over the following days, he continued to swim in search of aid. The physical toll from this ordeal, compounded by subsequent surgeries, a degenerative spinal condition and other health complications, left him in persistent pain that required careful and continuous management, of which the rocking chair became an essential and highly visible part.
The twelve rocking chairs from the original commission were placed in various rooms where President Kennedy frequented. One of the twelve furnished the office of the president’s secretary Evelyn Lincoln. Evelyn was gifted the chair after the president’s death. Other chairs furnished Air Force One, one was gifted by the Naval Officers and Crew of the Aircraft Carrier USS Kitty Hawk to the President, which was kept in the Oval Office, another was used at Camp David (see John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, MO 63.2140). Several of the twelve chairs have sold at auction, notably two examples from The Estate of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis sale in 1996, which realized $442,500 and $453,500 respectively against estimates of $3,000–5,000 (see Sotheby’s, New York, 23–26 April, lots 56 and 1194). Other examples are in the permanent collections, like the Waldorf Astoria New York. Although the “Kennedy Rocker” was produced in the thousands for a broad market, only a small number of original chairs bore witness to Kennedy’s presidency and became part of its enduring visual legacy: making the present example an exceptional opportunity to acquire a piece of American history.
Widely photographed and reproduced in international media, Kennedy’s use of the rocker quickly became a part of the public imagination, transforming the practical object into an internal icon. Kennedy was photographed countless times in the Oval Office seated in the rocking chair, meeting with dignitaries, world leaders, American politicians and prominent cultural figures, including astronaut John Glenn. Equally enduring are more intimate images of John F. Kennedy, Jr. playing in one of the chairs in the office of Evelyn Lincoln, the President’s personal secretary, which bring a sense of warmth and familiarity to the chair’s public image (see Heritage Auctions, Dallas, 23-24 November 2013, lot 38075). The so-called “Kennedy Rocker” came to symbolize American craftsmanship and leisure culture. With its association to the Kennedy family, the rocker’s appeal and demand surged as admirers sought to emulate the lifestyle and ease of the charismatic President.
The present chair was gifted to William Averell Harriman upon his appointment in 1961 as President Kennedy’s Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs. Born in New York City to the railroad magnate E.H. Harriman and Mary Williamson Averell, Harriman pursued a distinguished career in public service. He first served under President Franklin D. Roosevelt with the National Recovery Administration, before being appointed U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union (1943-46), acting as a key liaison with Joseph Stalin during World War II and playing a central role in Allied diplomacy. He then served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom and held several senior positions related to postwar recovery. Elected Governor of New York in 1955, Harriman later became a senior diplomat and a trusted advisor to both John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. Harriman met with Kennedy frequently throughout his administration, as evidenced by notable photographs taken in the Oval Office, including one in which the President is seated in the now-iconic rocking chair. Harriman likely had the chair reupholstered in the 1970s after he retired from public office.