Set of Six Turn of the Century Thonet Bentwood Chairs
View Similar Items
Set of Six Turn of the Century Thonet Bentwood Chairs
About the Item
- Creator:Thonet (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 28 in (71.12 cm)Width: 22 in (55.88 cm)Depth: 22 in (55.88 cm)Seat Height: 17 in (43.18 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 6
- Style:Art Nouveau (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:1900-1909
- Date of Manufacture:1910
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor fading.
- Seller Location:Los Angeles, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1374210331541
Thonet
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.
- Set of Six Paul Frankl for Johnson "Corset" Dining ChairsBy Paul Frankl, Johnson Furniture Co.Located in Los Angeles, CABeautiful set of six Paul Frankl dining chairs for Johnson Furniture. The chairs frames are made of cerused oak and are very sturdy and comfortable. Measures: 32 inches H x 23 in...Category
Vintage 1940s American Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Oak
- Set of Six George Nelson for Herman Miller Walnut Dining ChairsBy Herman Miller, George NelsonLocated in Los Angeles, CAGeorge Nelson for Herman Miller teak and upholstered dining chairs. We also have the matching dining table, please inquire for details. All items ar...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsTeak
- Set of 6 Clifford Pascoe Mid Century Walnut Wrought Iron Dining ChairsBy Clifford PascoeLocated in Los Angeles, CAThese Clifford Pascoe dining chairs encapsulate the timeless elegance and innovative design principles of the mid-20th century. They are a harmonious fusion of organic materials and ...Category
Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- Set of 6 Milo Baughman Style Chrome Dining ChairsBy Milo BaughmanLocated in Los Angeles, CAThis is an excellent set of six dining chairs in the style of Milo Baughman. The set has been re-upholstered and the chrome polished and conditioned. Price is for the set. All items...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsChrome
- Set of Two Curved Back Danish Teak Dining ChairsBy Dux of SwedenLocated in Los Angeles, CASet of two curved-back Danish teak dining chairs. Beautifully constructed and upholstered in a rich blue fabric with tapered legs.Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsTeak
- Set of Four Teak and Birch Danish Dining ChairsLocated in Los Angeles, CAThis is a great set of four Danish dining chairs is excellent condition. They feature teak backs and black vinyl seats.Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsBirch, Teak
$1,250 Sale Price / set24% Off
- Set of Six Labeled Thonet No. 14 Bentwood Bistro ChairsBy ThonetLocated in Rio Vista, CAIconic set of six matching 19th century early Thonet No. 14 konsumstuhl bistro or coffee shop chairs crafted from bentwood. Known as the "chair of chairs" with over 50 million produc...Category
Antique 19th Century Polish Vienna Secession Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsBentwood
- Art-Deco Thonet Bentwood Leather Dining Chairs with Walnut Finish - Set of SixBy ThonetLocated in Los Angeles, CAElevate your dining experience with this exquisite set of six Thonet bentwood dining chairs, featuring two armchairs and four ...Category
Vintage 1960s American Art Nouveau Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Lacquer, Wood, Polyester, Foam, Leather, Bentwood
$3,100 Sale Price / set20% Off - Model 255 Thonet Bentwood Chairs "Crocodile" pattern set of 6By ThonetLocated in Denton, TXBentwood Thonet bistro chairs model 255. hard to come by set of six with the embossed Crocodile pattern. The curved back makes these more comfortable than flat back chairs. Made in P...Category
Early 20th Century Polish Art Nouveau Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsWood, Beech
- Set of Six Dining Chairs Designed by Bruno Weil for Thonet, BentwoodBy Thonet, Bruno WeilLocated in Miami, FLSet of Six Dining Chairs Designed by Bruno Weil for Thonet in the 1960s, oak plywood with a walnut lacquer finish. Ready for a new home, we have another set available.Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsBentwood, Plywood
- Set of 2 Bentwood Cafe Chairs Attributed to ThonetBy ThonetLocated in New York, NYNice set of 2 dining, or cafe, chairs in bentwood and upholstery, attributed to Thonet. Clean ready to use condition, seats in later vinyl upholstery. No breaks or structural damage,...Category
Early 20th Century Austrian Vienna Secession Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Bentwood
- Set of Six Bentwood Arm Dining ChairsBy Thonet, Josef HoffmannLocated in Miami, FLSet of Six Bentwood Arm Dining Chairs In the style of Thonet. Seats have been recently reupholstered, wood has a dark mahogany finish. Selling as a set of six, in total 12 chairs ava...Category
Vintage 1980s American Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Wood, Bentwood
$3,800 / set