Not antique and probably was new when the woman purchased it around 1970. It appears the original finish was removed or a piece of veneer that had been on the middle back is missing because without one of those two happening the front would not look pristine. Some chairs similar to this would have cane inserts but without a picture of the bottom of the seat hard to tell. Perhaps a picture of the seat will also tell what the original color was.

My other suspicion is the nice old lady tells a good story. If you like it enjoy it.

I'm appending closer-up pictures of the seat, both top and bottom. No evidence of caning on the seat bars, but there may have been an insert?

Strongly disagree with Mai. I believe it dates from about 1870 and likely has a groove under that tacked on seat for a caned panel. Surely it has been refinished, likely it had a darker stain and you can see traces on the underside. It looks like maple or perhaps birch maybe even poplar. The profile and general shape is of what we call a "Lincoln rocker" but they are upholstered.

Very nice chair!

I am still puzzled at how that second piece of wood is visible on the back and not the front. It also appears the screws holding that section are of a much newer date than the 1800s. There is just something "off" about that upper section.

I agree that the grain of the wood especially on the seat bottom is not oak but a much less grained wood. And when you look at the both rocker bottoms, it is evident that there are at least two different wood type sections, again with differing grains. Maple, birch and poplar are abundant in this area.

Also looking at the middle and topmost slats on the back, I now understand what maifleur is talking about being too pristine. After really ginger inspection, I can bend back a little of what I took to be veneer to reveal lighter, faintly grained wood similar to the seat bottom.

What I now believe has happened is that this truly is an older Canadiana rocker that had been well used. Before the last owner received it, someone has "restored' it, likely after 1910. I do live in Mennonite country after all :) That would explain some of the anomolies, like the stain, the veneer on those two slats, the odd Robertson screws (which are definitely vintage) and the fibreboard seat bottom.

I also believe that there was no intent to deceive, just reusing what has served its function well. I like that...

I agree, but chairs like that were very often painted and rarely all the same kind of wood as some woods are better for turning and others for bending or for rocker bottoms that resist splitting.

Would really love to know if there is a cane groove under that tacked on fiberboard seat.