March 8 & 9, 2013
JFK+50 BRINGS KENNEDY ROCKER HOME TO KNOXVILLE
Knoxville, Tennessee (JFK+50) 58 years after Senator John F. Kennedy bought his 1st "Carolina Rocker," a "Kennedy Rocker" is finally at the White house in Knoxville, Tennessee.
JFK+50's Kennedy Rocker
Knoxville, Tennessee
Photo by John White (2013)
We purchased this rocker made by the P&P Chair Company* of Asheboro, North Carolina from EBAY seller isellanything2006 in January & Matthew, who lives in High Point, NC, graciously offered to bring it to my daughter's apartment in Charleston, S.C.
We were in Charleston last weekend & brought it back with us to Knoxville on Monday.
The Kennedy Rocker is described as being of "signature 1920s design" with steam bent back posts & rails which "provide the right amount of support at spinal pressure points due to curving around the shoulders & at the lower back."
The rocking chair has a cane seat & back which "offer firm yet natural spring." It is set low for comfortable elbow support & has wide armrests for perfect balance.
Photo by John White (2013)
*The P&P Chair Company was founded in 1926 by William Carl Page, Sr. & Arthur E. Presnell.
In 1953, Dr. Janet Travell purchased a rocker from P&P for her New York office. She called it her "Carolina Rocker" & eventually the nickname was adopted by the company & is stamped underneath one of the rocker arms.
JFK was one of her patients & she ordered one for him in 1955. He would go on to order more, as many as 14. One of these, the one that was in the Oval Office, is on display at the JFK Library in Boston. Two others were sold at auction recently for more than $442,500 each.
When JFK was elected President of the United States in 1960, demand for the rocking chairs increased & P&P was producing as many as 250 units a day.
After 22 years of partnership, Mr. Presnell sold his share of P&P Chair Company to Mr. Page who continued in the business until his death in 1980 at the age of 91. P&P continued operations under his son & grandson.
In December 2008, P&P shut down operations but the company was bought lock, stock & barrel by Troutman Chair Company of Troutman, NC.
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