The rocking horse I remember from when we were kids was not the typical vintage, wooden horse. Ours was plastic, set on a frame with four big springs holding it to the frame and giving it all the bounce it needed. I can remember the sound the springs made as it bounced and rocked back and forth and side to side, once you really got going.
I didn’t find anyone collecting that plastic rocking horse. Maybe there is a line between what is vintage and what is antique and some things (like rocking horses) don’t become valued until they are old enough to be antiques. Kind of a shame. Now that I’ve got thinking about the rocking horse I miss the sound of those squeaking springs as they stretched back and forth. Then the hollow sound the plastic horse made when the littler kids were on it, their legs flopping around while we kept them from flying off.
Flickr: Rock a Bye Baby – Rocking Horses
Rockimals: History of the Rocking Horse
Rocking Horse and Art Design Holland – Includes pages with vintage and antique rocking and carousel horses. (Note: Spams with pop up windows).
Rocking Horse Maker (UK): Makes and restores rocking horses.
Jane Hooker Rocking Horses: Restores vintage rocking horses, based in the UK.
Lexi’s Rocking Horses: Personal blog from a restorer and collector. No recent updates.
The Guild of Rocking Horse Makers
A very modern rocking horse from the Boing Boing site.