Skip to main content

Michael Thonet Tables

Austrian, German, 1796-1871

The development of bentwood for use in furniture is one of history’s most significant innovations in design. A range of renowned mid-century modern designers such as Alvar Aalto, Arne Jacobsen, and Charles and Ray Eames drew heavily on this technological advancement, and the success of their enduring works owes to the efforts of pioneering German-Austrian industrialist and designer Michael Thonet — founder of Thonet and widely considered the father of bentwood furniture

Bentwood furniture dates as far back as the Middle Ages, but it is the 19th-century cabinetmaker and master of parquetry Michael 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. He experimented with bending birch rods into rounded shapes — forming delicately seductive, curving Art Nouveau creations that were a daring departure from the heavy, hand-carved designs attributed to his contemporaries. 

The Boppard-born Thonet 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. He received an invitation from Austrian Chancellor Prince Metternich to contribute Neo-Rococo interiors to the Liechtenstein City Palace in Vienna. From there, 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. 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 — or Gebrüder Thonet — with his sons in 1853

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.

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. Composed of just six parts, the chair, with its simple, lightweight design, belies its durability. 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.)

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

Thonet’s patented bentwood technology also yielded an improvement to rocking chairs for his company — 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. And bentwood furniture was embraced by a series of design greats — the innovation can be found in the seating that Josef Hoffman designed for Thonet, in the elegant Superleggera chair created by Gio Ponti and Alvar Aalto’s expressive Paimio armchair

The No. 14 chair earned a gold medal at the 1867 Paris World’s Fair and reportedly sold 50 million copies prior to World War I. Today it’s a staple furnishing in countless movies, television shows, restaurants, bars and homes. 

On 1stDibs, find an array of antique Michael Thonet seating, tables and more.

to
3
Height
to
Width
to
Depth
to
9
9
5
5
4
4
4
9
8
7
5
1
9
9
9
9
9
50
766
722
661
488
Creator: Michael Thonet
Michael Thonet, bentwood 19th century side table No. 1, Austria
Michael Thonet, bentwood 19th century side table No. 1, Austria

Michael Thonet, bentwood 19th century side table No. 1, Austria

By Michael Thonet, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH

Located in Turku, Varsinais-Suomi

Elevate your living space with the exquisite charm of Michael Thonet’s 19th century side table No. 1, seamlessly blending Austrian craftsmanship with timeless elegance. Its intricate...

Category

Late 19th Century Austrian Vienna Secession Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Bentwood

19th century bentwood Thonet table
19th century bentwood Thonet table

19th century bentwood Thonet table

By Michael Thonet, Thonet

Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK

19th century bentwood Thonet table professionally stained and repolished.

Category

19th Century Austrian Vienna Secession Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Thonet - by Michael Thonet - Side table - Beech
Thonet - by Michael Thonet - Side table - Beech

Thonet - by Michael Thonet - Side table - Beech

By Thonet, Michael Thonet

Located in Budapest, HU

Thonet - Michael Thonet - Side Table - Beech Austria, Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) - Circa 1900-1910 This beautiful side table, designed by the renowned Michael Thonet, exemplifies the ...

Category

Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech

Thonet - Michael Thonet - Nesting tables - No. 10 - Beech
Thonet - Michael Thonet - Nesting tables - No. 10 - Beech

Thonet - Michael Thonet - Nesting tables - No. 10 - Beech

By Thonet, Michael Thonet

Located in Budapest, HU

Thonet by Michael Thonet - Nesting Tables No. 10 - Beech Austria, Jugendstil - 1900-1910 Designed by the legendary Michael Thonet, these Nesting Tables No. 10 embody the innovation ...

Category

Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech

Console table Thonet
Console table Thonet

Console table Thonet

By Michael Thonet, Fischel

Located in Praha, CZ

Recently completely renovated

Category

Late 19th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Thonet - Michael Thonet - Side table - No. 11651 - Beech
Thonet - Michael Thonet - Side table - No. 11651 - Beech

Thonet - Michael Thonet - Side table - No. 11651 - Beech

By Thonet, Michael Thonet

Located in Budapest, HU

This elegant rotating newspaper rack, model number 11651, was designed before 1904 by the renowned furniture manufacturer Gebrüder Thonet in Vienna. The rack is crafted from high-qua...

Category

Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech

Vienna Secession Bentwood Nesting Tables by Michael Thonet for Thonet, 1900s
Vienna Secession Bentwood Nesting Tables by Michael Thonet for Thonet, 1900s

Vienna Secession Bentwood Nesting Tables by Michael Thonet for Thonet, 1900s

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Michael Thonet

Located in Amsterdam, NL

Magnificent and rare set of four Vienna Secession nesting tables.Design by Michael Thonet for Gebrüder Thonet.Striking Austrian design from the 1900s.Original bentwood and beech fram...

Category

Early 1900s Austrian Vienna Secession Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Original 19th Century Thonet Associates Vienna Secession Side Table
Original 19th Century Thonet Associates Vienna Secession Side Table

Original 19th Century Thonet Associates Vienna Secession Side Table

By Michael Thonet, Thonet

Located in Reading, Berkshire

Original Antique Thonet Associates Hand-Crafted 19th Century Vienna Secession Side Table With An Attractive Turned Tripod Base With An Irregular Table ...

Category

19th Century Austrian Vienna Secession Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Elm

Rare Early Flower Table J & J Kohn Nr.2
Rare Early Flower Table J & J Kohn Nr.2

Rare Early Flower Table J & J Kohn Nr.2

By Jacob & Josef Kohn, Michael Thonet

Located in Praha, CZ

A museum piece in its original state, the only one we know (the oldest possible variant of the product). Only perfectly cleaned, treated against woodworm by injecting chemistry, and ...

Category

Late 19th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Related Items
Rosso Levanto Console Table - Red Marble Console Table - Hallway Table
Rosso Levanto Console Table - Red Marble Console Table - Hallway Table

Rosso Levanto Console Table - Red Marble Console Table - Hallway Table

Located in İnegöl, TR

ROSSO LEVANTO CONSOLE TABLE Type of Marble: Rosso Levanto Dimensions: 48" x 10" x 29,5" Leg Model: Rosso Levanto Customizable: Available! Production Time: 3-4 Weeks Shipping Cost: F...

Category

2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Travertine, Marble

Thonet Bentwood Side Table with Scrolled Base, Austria, C. 1900-1919
Thonet Bentwood Side Table with Scrolled Base, Austria, C. 1900-1919

Thonet Bentwood Side Table with Scrolled Base, Austria, C. 1900-1919

By August Thonet

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

Thonet Bentwood Side Table with Scrolled Base, Austria, circa 1890–1919 This elegant bentwood side table is a classic example of late 19th- to early 20th-century Central European de...

Category

Early 20th Century German Vienna Secession Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech

19th Century Bamboo Side Table
19th Century Bamboo Side Table

19th Century Bamboo Side Table

$895

H 25.63 in W 18 in D 17.88 in

19th Century Bamboo Side Table

Located in High Point, NC

Late 19th century tortoise bamboo side table from France. The top and lower shelf are covered with rush, which has normal signs of wear for age and use. The top is supported on spl...

Category

19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Bamboo, Rush

Black Thonet Side Table
Black Thonet Side Table

Black Thonet Side Table

$655

H 30.32 in Dm 19.69 in

Black Thonet Side Table

By Thonet

Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK

Black Thonet side table. Professionally stained and repolished.

Category

1930s Austrian Vienna Secession Vintage Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Brass

20th Century Thonet Side Table "Fledermaus", Design Josef Hoffmann, AT ca. 1906
20th Century Thonet Side Table "Fledermaus", Design Josef Hoffmann, AT ca. 1906

20th Century Thonet Side Table "Fledermaus", Design Josef Hoffmann, AT ca. 1906

By Josef Hoffmann, Thonet

Located in Lichtenberg, AT

Remarkable round Art Nouveau coffee table "Fledermaus" designed by the famous Austrian architect and founder of the "Wiener Werkstaette" Josef Hoffmann around 1906 for the company of...

Category

Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech

Michael Thonet Bentwood Bistro Table with carved Art Nouveau Woman Face (top)
Michael Thonet Bentwood Bistro Table with carved Art Nouveau Woman Face (top)

Michael Thonet Bentwood Bistro Table with carved Art Nouveau Woman Face (top)

By Michael Thonet, Thonet

Located in Buffalo, NY

Thonet - Michael Thonet - Side Table - Beech Austria, Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) - Circa 1900-1910 CLASSIC DESIGN ! This beautiful side /bistro table, attributed to renowned Michael T...

Category

Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech

19th Century French Refectory Table
19th Century French Refectory Table

19th Century French Refectory Table

$10,500

H 45.5 in W 83 in D 30 in

19th Century French Refectory Table

Located in Los Angeles, CA

19th century patinated wood library/refectory table. Made in France, circa 1850s.

Category

19th Century French Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Wood

Mid Century "B12" Side Console Table by Marcel Breuer Produced by Thonet, 1930s
Mid Century "B12" Side Console Table by Marcel Breuer Produced by Thonet, 1930s

Mid Century "B12" Side Console Table by Marcel Breuer Produced by Thonet, 1930s

By Marcel Breuer, Thonet

Located in Stockholm, SE

Very rare and early example of the "B12" mid century side console table in black stained wood with chromed tubular steel base by Marcel Breuer produced by Thonet, 1930s. In good orig...

Category

1930s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Chrome

Early Michael Thonet Bistro Dining Table in Bentwood and Cane - Austria
Early Michael Thonet Bistro Dining Table in Bentwood and Cane - Austria

Early Michael Thonet Bistro Dining Table in Bentwood and Cane - Austria

By Thonet, Michael Thonet

Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland

Bistro dining table in bentwood and cane designed by Michael Thonet. Originally designed in the 1860s and produced by Thonet in the 20th century by multiple factories. Size: chairs: 57x49x96.5 seat height 46 Arm height 67 centimeter table: ø85.5 height 75 centimeter Condition: used. The lacquer has worn out on some places. The stained beech wood has discoloration. Cane in the table top is good. The cane in two seats is damaged. The cane in one back is damaged. One arm has a crack in a curve. Some small wood details are missing. The cane can be repaired or replaced professionally on request. Michael Thonet The development of bentwood for use in furniture is one of history’s most significant innovations in design. A range of renowned mid-century modern designers such as Alvar Aalto, Arne Jacobsen, and Charles and Ray Eames drew heavily on this technological advancement, and the success of their enduring works owes to the efforts of pioneering German-Austrian industrialist and designer Michael Thonet — founder of Thonet and widely considered the father of bentwood furniture. Bentwood furniture dates as far back as the Middle Ages, but it is the 19th-century cabinetmaker and master of parquetry Michael 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. He experimented with bending birch rods into rounded shapes — forming delicately seductive, curving Art Nouveau creations that were a daring departure from the heavy, hand-carved designs attributed to his contemporaries. The Boppard-born Thonet 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. He received an invitation from Austrian Chancellor Prince Metternich to contribute Neo-Rococo interiors to the Liechtenstein City Palace in Vienna. From there, 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. 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 — or Gebrüder Thonet — with his sons in 1853. 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. 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. Composed of just six parts, the chair, with its simple, lightweight design, belies its durability. 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.) 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. Thonet’s patented bentwood technology also yielded an improvement to rocking chairs for his company — 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. And bentwood furniture was embraced by a series of design greats — the innovation can be found in the seating that Josef Hoffman designed for Thonet, in the elegant Superleggera chair created by Gio Ponti and Alvar Aalto’s expressive Paimio armchair...

Category

1860s Austrian Rococo Revival Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Cane, Bentwood

Round side table by Thonet
Round side table by Thonet

Round side table by Thonet

$1,143

H 29.14 in Dm 16.15 in

Round side table by Thonet

By Thonet

Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK

Round side table by Thonet. Professionally stained and repolished.

Category

1920s Austrian Vienna Secession Vintage Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Brass

Gotham Console Table
Gotham Console Table

Gotham Console Table

$10,300

H 32 in W 60 in D 16 in

Gotham Console Table

By Wüd Furniture Design

Located in Brooklyn, NY

The harmonious mix of materials enhances the beauty of this gotham console. The console features rich oxidized Ambrosia maple wood, a blackened steel fr...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Bronze, Steel

French Art Nouveau Gilt Console Table
French Art Nouveau Gilt Console Table

French Art Nouveau Gilt Console Table

$4,500

H 29.5 in W 39.5 in D 17.5 in

French Art Nouveau Gilt Console Table

Located in Baton Rouge, LA

French Art Nouveau giltwood console table circa 1900, a sculptural piece of furniture that expresses the artistry of the period when every aspect of interior design was an opportunit...

Category

20th Century French Art Nouveau Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Marble

Previously Available Items
Thonet - Michael Thonet - Side table - No. 29 - Beech
Thonet - Michael Thonet - Side table - No. 29 - Beech

Thonet - Michael Thonet - Side table - No. 29 - Beech

Sold

H 29.53 in W 21.66 in D 15.75 in

Thonet - Michael Thonet - Side table - No. 29 - Beech

By Thonet, Michael Thonet

Located in Budapest, HU

This exquisite Thonet No. 29 side table is a masterfully restored piece that seamlessly marries timeless design with a refined, modern sensibility. The table features a delicately re...

Category

Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech

Flower table Thonet Nr.3, since 1888
Flower table Thonet Nr.3, since 1888

Flower table Thonet Nr.3, since 1888

Sold

H 33.08 in W 26.38 in D 21.66 in

Flower table Thonet Nr.3, since 1888

By Michael Thonet

Located in Praha, CZ

Probably the most elegant flower table from Thonet. In the company's catalogs since 1888. Newly restored.

Category

Late 19th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

J&J Kohn reading table
J&J Kohn reading table

J&J Kohn reading table

Sold

H 28.75 in Dm 14.57 in

J&J Kohn reading table

By Michael Thonet, Jacob & Josef Kohn

Located in Praha, CZ

Solid and compact in beautiful original condition. Perfectly cleaned and polished with shellac.

Category

Late 19th Century Czech Art Nouveau Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Thonet table Nr.221
Thonet table Nr.221

Thonet table Nr.221

Sold

H 29.93 in W 22.05 in D 15.36 in

Thonet table Nr.221

By Michael Thonet

Located in Praha, CZ

Solid and compact. In original condition with a beautiful patina of age. Perfectly cleaned and polished with shellac.

Category

Early 20th Century Austrian Belle Époque Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Table Thonet Nr.9135, since 1910
Table Thonet Nr.9135, since 1910

Table Thonet Nr.9135, since 1910

Sold

H 30.32 in W 16.54 in D 16.54 in

Table Thonet Nr.9135, since 1910

By Michael Thonet

Located in Praha, CZ

In perfect original condition. Perfectly cleaned and polished with shellac.

Category

Early 20th Century Austrian Belle Époque Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Thonet Table, circa 1900
Thonet Table, circa 1900

Thonet Table, circa 1900

Sold

H 27.96 in W 23.63 in D 19.69 in

Thonet Table, circa 1900

By Michael Thonet

Located in Praha, CZ

Solid and compact with a beautiful age patina. Perfectly cleaned and polished with shellac.

Category

Late 19th Century Austrian Belle Époque Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Table Fischel Nr.38, Thonet
Table Fischel Nr.38, Thonet

Table Fischel Nr.38, Thonet

Sold

H 29.93 in W 16.54 in D 16.54 in

Table Fischel Nr.38, Thonet

By Michael Thonet, D. G. Fischell

Located in Praha, CZ

Original state with a pleasant patine of age, perfectly cleaned and re-polished with shelack finish.  

Category

Early 20th Century Czech Arts and Crafts Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Table J&J Kohn Nr.31
Table J&J Kohn Nr.31

Table J&J Kohn Nr.31

Sold

H 29.53 in W 15.75 in D 15.75 in

Table J&J Kohn Nr.31

By Jacob & Josef Kohn, Michael Thonet

Located in Praha, CZ

Newly restored. Minor repairs. Hand-made french polish.

Category

Early 20th Century Austrian Belle Époque Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Corner Table Thonet
Corner Table Thonet

Corner Table Thonet

Sold

H 31.11 in W 13.78 in D 21.66 in

Corner Table Thonet

By D. G. Fischell, Michael Thonet

Located in Praha, CZ

Solid and compact, in original condition with a beautiful patina of age. Perfectly cleaned and polished with shellac.

Category

Late 19th Century Austrian Belle Époque Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Bentwood

Large Extendable Thonet Dining Table, Germany 1970s
Large Extendable Thonet Dining Table, Germany 1970s

Large Extendable Thonet Dining Table, Germany 1970s

Sold

H 28.94 in W 90.56 in D 43.31 in

Large Extendable Thonet Dining Table, Germany 1970s

By Thonet, Michael Thonet

Located in Den Haag, NL

Beautiful extra large Thonet dining table . Very nice warm honing color . The round dining table (diameter 120cm) can be extedended by adding two extension leaves to create an oval ...

Category

1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Beech

Michael Thonet Bentwood Demilune Console Table
Michael Thonet Bentwood Demilune Console Table

Michael Thonet Bentwood Demilune Console Table

Sold

H 31.25 in W 31.25 in D 16 in

Michael Thonet Bentwood Demilune Console Table

By Michael Thonet

Located in Sharon, CT

Demilune Model 21, in Thonet catalog. This early original bentwood classic retains it's original 'piecrust' top and beautiful aged surface patina.

Category

1880s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Wood

Pair of Michael Thonet Stools Ottomans, Side Tables Cane and Bentwood Brown
Pair of Michael Thonet Stools Ottomans, Side Tables Cane and Bentwood Brown

Pair of Michael Thonet Stools Ottomans, Side Tables Cane and Bentwood Brown

By Michael Thonet, Michael Thonet

Located in Miami, FL

Timeless design, bentwood and cane. Great as stools or side tables.

Category

1970s Austrian Modern Vintage Michael Thonet Tables

Materials

Cane, Bentwood

Michael Thonet tables for sale on 1stDibs.

Michael 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 Michael Thonet tables, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original tables by Michael Thonet were created in the Art Nouveau style in europe during the 19th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider tables by Thonet, Otto Prutscher, and Otto Wagner. Prices for Michael Thonet tables can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $1,043 and can go as high as $2,892, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $1,647.