Rocking Chair
The bent-wood arm rocker belonged to my
grandmother, Lillie Roy Strahl Whipple
(1860-1921), and it was used by her until
her death in 1921. Then it became the
property of my mother, Lillie Strahl
Cardinal (1877-1948), until her death in
1948. It was constantly used all those
years. After Mother's death, the chair
remained in our attic until I completed
refinishing in 1982.
I removed all of the old finish and
refinished with Formby's tung oil finish
rubbed into the natural wood. I replaced
the seat with new leather tooled by my
sister-in-law, Helen Lu Ferslev, in a
pattern similar to the original. New
tacks were used. Other than minor joint
tightening, no restoration was needed.