Michael Thonet Suite of a Bench and Two Side Chairs
About the Item
- Creator:Thonet (Cabinetmaker)
- Dimensions:Height: 35.04 in (89 cm)Width: 21.66 in (55 cm)Depth: 48.82 in (124 cm)Seat Height: 18.51 in (47 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 3
- Style:Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:First Half of the 20th Century
- Condition:
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU891012312133
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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: London, United Kingdom
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
- No*10 Rocking Chair, Michael ThonetBy Michael ThonetLocated in London, GBA vintage No.10 bentwood and cane rocking chair in black lacquer by Thonet, Austria. The Model No.10 rocking Chair was designed by Michael Thonet circa 1860 - 1890, this example dates from circa 1900. The chair features a generously sized newly hand-woven cane seat and high back. The use of cane provides comfort for the sitter and gives the piece a visual lightness. Moreover, the high contrast between the black lustre...Category
Antique Early 1900s Austrian Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
MaterialsCane, Beech
- Parkbänk Nr. 3 by Folke Bensow for Näfveqvarns BrukBy Folke Bensow, Nafveqvarns BrukLocated in London, GBAn original Nr. 3 Parkbänk designed by Folke Bensow for Näfveqvarns Bruk in the 1920s. The cast iron ends to the bench show fine craftsmanship, with their design pulling away from t...Category
Vintage 1920s Swedish Neoclassical Benches
MaterialsIron
- Fireside Chair, Adolf Loos for Thonet, Austria, 1930sBy Adolf LoosLocated in London, GBA fireside chair with woven leather designed by Adolf Loos and Heinrich Kulka and manufactured by Thonet in Austria during the early 1930s. As one of the leading advocates of Modern...Category
Vintage 1930s Austrian Arts and Crafts Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Oak
- A set of 6 MR10 chairs, Mies van der RoheBy Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, ThonetLocated in London, GBA pair of 6 MR10 dining chairs designed by Mies van der Rohe in 1926 and manufactured by Thonet during the 1970s. Mies van der Rohe was issued the patent for his tubular steel cant...Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsSteel, Chrome
- Vintage 1950s Two Sets of Knives and Forks Carl AuböckBy Werkstätte Carl AuböckLocated in London, GBTwo vintage sets of knives and forks, model number #4244, by the Auböck Workshop, Vienna, circa 1950. The body of the cutlery is made from stainless steel, the handle of each piece is woven with wicker cane. Each set is complete with the original leather holster...Category
Vintage 1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Tableware
MaterialsStainless Steel
- A Pair of Pine Benches, Bernt Petersen, DenmarkBy Bernt PetersenLocated in London, GBA pair of pine benches designed by Danish designer, Bernt Petersen, in the 1960s. Low enough to be used as coffee tables or as occasional seating, the simple construction of this p...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsPine
- Thonet Michael Vienna Pair Of Biedermeier Style Benches In Wood And VelvetBy ThonetLocated in Prato, TuscanyWe kindly suggest that you read the entire description, as with it we try to give you detailed technical and historical information to ensure the authenticity of our objects. Rare an...Category
Mid-20th Century German Biedermeier Benches
MaterialsBeech
- Vintage Modern Oak Bentwood & Chrome Two-Seat Settee or Bench Attr to ThonetBy ThonetLocated in Topeka, KSHandsome vintage modern two-seat settee or bench of oak bentwood, chrome, and upholstery attributed to Thonet. It is in wonderful vintage condition. The wood, chrome, and fabric are ...Category
Late 20th Century Modern Settees
MaterialsFabric, Oak, Bentwood
- Bentwood Bench by Thonet, Austria, 1900sBy ThonetLocated in Brussels, BEBentwood bench by Thonet, Austria, 1900s.Category
Antique Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Benches
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- Thonet BenchBy Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbHLocated in Vienna, ATtwo Thonet benches from the late 1930's still unrestored. (the second one a little bit different pictures will be sent on request) Will be restored soon so you have the possibility ...Category
Vintage 1920s Austrian Modern Benches
MaterialsBeech, Bentwood
- Marcel Kammerer for Thonet Bench in Floral UpholsteryBy Marcel Kammerer, ThonetLocated in Waalwijk, NLMarcel Kammerer for Thonet, sofa bench model 6217, bentwood and fabric, Austria, ca. 1910 An elegant bentwood settee designed by Marcel Kammerer a...Category
Vintage 1910s Austrian Art Deco Settees
MaterialsFabric, Bentwood
- Chinese Hardwood Bench and Chair Set Suite Mother of Pearl 1900Located in Potters Bar, GBGorgeous Chinese antique settee and two matching arm chair sets. Profussely decorated with mother of pearl inlay work. Includes details such as t...Category
Antique Early 1900s Benches
MaterialsHardwood