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Thonet Tables

Austrian, German

For more than 180 years, Thonet — or Gebrüder Thonet — has produced elegant and durable tables and cabinets as well as chairs, stools and other seating that wholly blur the lines between art and design. Widely known as a trailblazer in the use of bentwood in furniture, the European manufacturer has reimagined the places in which we gather.

Noted for his skill in parquetry, German-Austrian company founder Michael Thonet received an invitation from Austrian Chancellor Prince Metternich to contribute Neo-Rococo interiors to the Liechtenstein City Palace in Vienna. The Boppard-born Thonet had honed his carpentry skills in his father’s workshop, where he carried out experiments with plywood and modified the Biedermeier chairs that populated the studio. 

Thonet’s work for the chancellor raised his profile, and the cabinetmaker gained international recognition, including at London’s Great Exhibition of 1851, which featured works created by members of the Arts and Crafts movement as well as industrial products of the day. Thonet showed a range of furniture at the fair and won the bronze medal for his bentwood chairs. He ​​incorporated his family’s company, the Thonet Brothers, with his sons in 1853

Bentwood furniture dates as far back as the Middle Ages, but it is the 19th-century cabinetmaker Thonet who is most often associated with this now-classic technique. Thonet in 1856 patented a method for bending solid wood through the use of steam, and from there, the bentwood look skyrocketed to furniture fame. The works of renowned mid-century modern designers such as Alvar Aalto, Arne Jacobsen, and Charles and Ray Eames that put this technological advancement to use would not be as extensive or celebrated were it not for the efforts of the pioneering Thonet.

Considered the world’s oldest mass-produced chair, Michael Thonet’s ubiquitous Chair No. 14 demonstrated that his patented bentwood technology made it possible to efficiently produce furniture on an industrial scale. Now known as the 214, it won the German Sustainability Award Design for 2021, a recognition of the company’s commitment to environmentally responsible production.

Often called the Coffee House chair — the company’s first substantial order was for a Viennese coffeehouse — the No. 14 remains an icon. Thonet originally designed the chair in 1859, and it is considered the starting point for modern furniture.

The bentwood process opened doors — there were investments in machinery and new industrial processes, and the business began mass-producing furniture. By the end of the 1850s, there were additional Thonet workshops in Eastern Europe and hundreds of employees. Michael Thonet’s reputation attracted the attention of notable architects including Otto Wagner, Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

The No. 14 was followed by the No. 18, or the Bistro chair, in 1867, and the 209, or the Architect’s chair, of which Le Corbusier was a fan. (The influential Swiss-French architect and designer used Thonet furniture in his Pavillon de l’Esprit Nouveau at the 1925 International Exposition of Decorative Arts in Paris.)

Thonet’s chair designs also appeared in artwork by Toulouse-Lautrec, John Sloan and Henri Matisse in his Interior with a Violin Case. The noteworthy Thonet rocking chair remains a marvel of construction — in the middle of the 19th century, Michael produced a series of rockers in which the different curved parts were integrated into fluid, sinuous wholes. Thanks to Thonet, the humble rocker acquired something unexpected: style. It was captured in the paintings of Pablo Picasso, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and James Tissot

Thonet is currently split into global divisions. Thonet Industries U.S.A. was acquired in 1987 by Shelby Williams and joined the CF Group in 1999, while the Thonet brand in Germany is owned by Thonet GmbH.

Find a collection of antique Thonet furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Thonet
19th century bentwood Thonet table
By Thonet, Michael Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
19th century bentwood Thonet table professionally stained and repolished.
Category

19th Century Austrian Vienna Secession Antique Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

1950s Thonet Bent Birch Wood and Wood Grain Square Laminate Side / End Table
By Thonet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a 1950s Thonet bentwood side table with legs designed in a similar manner to that of Alvar Aalto. These tables are iconic...
Category

1950s American Modern Vintage Thonet Tables

Materials

Wood

Art Nouveau Dressingtable from Thonet Brothers, Model 23045 (Vienna, 1910)
By Thonet
Located in Wien, AT
Objekt: Schminktisch Entwurf: Gebrüder Thonet, Wien um 1910 Modell-Nummer: 23045 Ausführung: Gebrüder Thonet, Wien um 1910 Maße in cm (H x B x T): 148 x 91 x 47 Material: Buchenbugho...
Category

1910s Austrian Jugendstil Vintage Thonet Tables

Materials

Brass

Small Art Deco Thonet Table
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Small art deco Thonet table professionally stained and repolished.
Category

1930s Slovak Art Deco Vintage Thonet Tables

Materials

Bentwood

Secession Nesting Tables by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Secession nesting tables by Thonet professionally stained and repolished. Measures: 1. table 31 x 45 x 69cm 2. table 34,5 x 53 x 70cm 3. table 39 x 60,5 x 72cm.   
Category

Early 1900s Austrian Vienna Secession Antique Thonet Tables

Materials

Wood

Lovely Pair of Bentwood Thonet Bar Stools + Cast Iron Cocktail Bar Top Table
By Thonet
Located in GB
We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely pair of Thonet Bentwood bar stools with tall cast iron bar table with gallery rail. A good lookin...
Category

20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Thonet Tables

Materials

Iron

Bentwood Music Stand No.1 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Bentwood music stand no.1 by Thonet professionally stained and repolished.  
Category

1910s Austrian Vienna Secession Vintage Thonet Tables

Materials

Bentwood

Bentwood Plant Stand by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Bentwood plant stand by Thonet professionally stained and repolished.
Category

1920s Czech Art Deco Vintage Thonet Tables

Materials

Bentwood

Secession Marble Coffee Table by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Office chair no.811 by Josef Hoffmann for Thonet.
Category

1910s Hungarian Vienna Secession Vintage Thonet Tables

Materials

Marble

Flower Stand No.9581 by Otto Wagner
By Otto Wagner, Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Flower stand no.9581 by Otto Wagner professionally stained and repolished.
Category

1910s Austrian Vienna Secession Vintage Thonet Tables

Materials

Wood

Thonet Music Stand No.3
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Thonet music stand no.3. Professionally stained and repolished.
Category

1920s Hungarian Art Deco Vintage Thonet Tables

Materials

Bentwood

Original Thonet Brass-Footed Bistro Table
By Thonet
Located in Port Chester, NY
A Thonet bistro table from France. This rectangular base is bentwood with terrific brass accents-base feet and center rail. The top, recently added...
Category

Early 20th Century French Thonet Tables

Materials

Bentwood

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Set of Postmodern Brass, Steel and Glass Nesting Tables by Romeo Rega, Italy
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Vintage Mid Century Modern Thonet Bentwood Cane Seat Round Stool (A)
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1980's Anton Lorenz for Thonet Black and Chrome Cantilever Bar Stools, Set of 3
By Anton Lorenz, Thonet
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Later edition cantilever chrome bar stools designed by Anton Lorenz for Thonet in 1929. Stools feature black faux leather upholstered seat and backrest with chrome-plated tubular st...
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Pair of Thonet Romanian Bentwood Cane Bar Stools
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Bentwood Bakelite Stacking Stool by Thonet
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Previously Available Items
Art Nouveau Saloon Table, Otto Prutscher for Café Lurion (Thonet, Vienna, 1914)
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Located in Wien, AT
Objekt: Salontisch Entwurf: Otto Prutscher, Wien um 1914 Modell-Nummer: 8350 L/r Ausführung: Gebrüder Thonet, Wien ab 1914 Maße in cm (H x DM): 77,5 x 60 Material: Buchenbugholz (mah...
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Thonet Side Table No.29
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Thonet side table no.29 professionally stained and repolished.
Category

1920s Slovak Vienna Secession Vintage Thonet Tables

Materials

Bentwood

Thonet Side Table No.29
Thonet Side Table No.29
H 29.53 in W 21.66 in D 15.75 in
Rare Thonet Bentwood Table N°27
By Thonet
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Late 19th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Thonet Tables

Materials

Wood

Rare Thonet Bentwood Table N°27
Rare Thonet Bentwood Table N°27
H 29.93 in W 51.19 in D 35.44 in
Fledermaus Coffee Table by Josef Hoffmann for Thonet
By Thonet, Josef Hoffmann
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Fledermaus coffee table by Josef Hoffmann for Thonet.
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Early 1900s Austrian Vienna Secession Antique Thonet Tables

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Secession Playing Table Thonet No.10
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Secession playing table Thonet no.10. Original chess and card table documented in catalog from 1906. Professionally stained and repolished.
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Early 1900s Slovak Vienna Secession Antique Thonet Tables

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Secession Playing Table Thonet No.10
Secession Playing Table Thonet No.10
H 30.71 in W 30.71 in D 30.71 in
Early Thonet Pedestal Table with Cork Top
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Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Thonet Tables

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Thonet Side Table No.12
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Thonet side table no.12. Professionally stained and repolished.
Category

1920s Austrian Vienna Secession Vintage Thonet Tables

Materials

Bentwood

Thonet Side Table No.12
Thonet Side Table No.12
H 29.93 in W 22.45 in D 14.97 in
Thonet Card Table No.5
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Thonet card table no.5 in original vintage condition, needs to replace felt.
Category

1930s Hungarian Art Deco Vintage Thonet Tables

Materials

Felt, Bentwood

Thonet Card Table No.5
Thonet Card Table No.5
H 31.11 in W 32.29 in D 32.29 in
Large Extendable Thonet Dining Table, Germany
By Thonet
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Category

Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Thonet Tables

Materials

Wood

Large Extendable Thonet Dining Table, Germany
Large Extendable Thonet Dining Table, Germany
H 28.75 in W 94.49 in L 28.75 in
Thonet Model S1123 Glass Pedestal Table by James Irvine
By James Irvine, Thonet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
James Irvine designed round glass pedestal table with glass base and chrome post for Thonet, 21st century. In original condition with visibl...
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21st Century and Contemporary German Mid-Century Modern Thonet Tables

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Chrome

Thonet Chromed Metal and Smoked Glass Coffee Table, 1970s in Bauhaus Style
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
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Thonet Center Table
By Thonet
Located in New York, NY
Thonet center table with brass and leather base Of beechwood construction finished in a mahogany color, the circular top on a brass banded column supported by a leather and brass ...
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Brass

Thonet Center Table
Thonet Center Table
H 30 in Dm 20.25 in

Thonet tables for sale on 1stDibs.

Thonet tables are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Thonet tables, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original tables by Thonet were created in the Art Deco style in europe during the 20th century. Prices for Thonet tables can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $534 and can go as high as $20,905, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $1,335.
Questions About Thonet Tables
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Thonet is a well known furniture company that was started by Michael Thonet in 1830 as he experimented with bentwood furniture. The brand is known for producing high-quality products with exquisite craftsmanship. Shop a collection of Thonet furniture from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2024
    A Thonet chair can be any chair developed by the furniture maker Thonet, which has been manufacturing furniture for more than 180 years. However, most people are referring to one designed by founder Gebrüder Thonet. It features a bentwood frame produced with a patent steam method that Thonet patented and a curved seat. Find a range of Thonet chairs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 3, 2023
    Perhaps the most significant thing about the Thonet chair was that it was the first chair to ever be shipped in parts with instructions that allowed the purchaser to assemble it themselves. As a result, the beech wood and rattan chairs could be mass produced and sold all over the world more easily. Shop a range of Thonet chairs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    An authentic Thonet chair will have the company’s name with a solid line underneath carved somewhere on the chair. The brand can also confirm the authenticity and age of a Thonet chair via its website. Shop a variety of authentic Thonet furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2023
    A Thonet-style chair is a wooden chair that has a curvy, bent backrest, a round seat and subtly flared legs. The chairs get their name from the original manufacturer, Thonet, which produced chairs in the mid-century modern style in Europe during the 20th century. Shop a range of Thonet furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Michael Thonet is a German-Austrian furniture maker who designed the famed bentwood chair in 1830. His last name, Thonet, is pronounced “TOE-net,” but it’s commonly mispronounced “tho-NAY.” Shop a collection of vintage and modern Michael Thonet pieces on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Yes, Thonet chairs are marked. You will usually find the brand's label on a tag or burned into the wood under the seat. On 1stDibs, you can shop a variety of expertly vetted Thonet furniture from top sellers around the world.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Whether or not Thonet chairs are stackable depends on their design. The bentwood chairs produced by the company do easily stack, but others like cantilever chairs do not. Find a range of Thonet chairs forms some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    To identify a Thonet rocking chair, look for the company name. You will normally find it stamped directly onto the underside of the seat, arms or legs. You can find a collection of expertly vetted Thonet rocking chairs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2024
    To tell if a Thonet chair is real, you can use Thonet's authenticity verification service. To take advantage of it, you will need to take many photographs of the chair from different angles and close-up images of markings and paper labels. You can learn more about the authentication process on the Thonet website. Shop a diverse assortment of Thonet chairs on 1stDibs.

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