John F Kennedy's rocking chair among highlights of anniversary sale

 

A rocking chair used by John F Kennedy during his time as president of the United States is to auction at Heritage Auctions in Dallas on November 23 with an estimate of $50,000.

Kennedy was advised by doctors to use a rocking chair to help ease his chronic back pain.

The auction of Kennedy memorabilia takes place on the day after the 50th anniversary of the assassination that shook the world.

JFK chair Heritage
Kennedy ordered around 14 identical rockers from P & P Co of North Carolina

Kennedy is known to have used around 14 similar chairs at various times throughout his life - however this particular example is believed to have stood in the president's own bedroom in the White House.

Similar Kennedy chairs have achieved significant sums at auction - two sold in 1996, one for $442,500 and the other for $453,500.

An example from JFK's suite at the Carlyle Hotel in New York realised $332,500 in 1998.

However, Heritage states that this particular chair "gives a closer personal connection to JFK than any other Kennedy rockers".

Two US presidential seal flags which hung over the desk in Kennedy's office are expected to realise a combined $100,000 at the sale.

Intriguingly, Kennedy isn't the only US luminary to have a rocker sell for a significant sum at auction. Jennifer Aniston is reported to have paid over $1m for Benjamin Franklin's rocking chair earlier this year.

We have a range of John F Kennedy memorabilia available to purchase, including this rare original campaign poster.

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