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.
Unique Thonet Desk Chair, Museum Piece
By Thonet
Located in Delft, NL
Unique Thonet desk chair, Museum piece One of our unique Thonet desk chair It's from a collection of a Museum, The Haque, Netherlands The chair ...
Wood
Bauhaus Plant Stand by Emile Guyot for Thonet, Circa 1930s
By Thonet
Located in Gloucester, GB
Bauhaus plant stand by Emile Guyot for Thonet, Circa 1930s - Chromed tubular steel - Cantilever design - Toughened black glass shelves - Desi...
Glass
Vintage TON Bentwood Clothes Stand Valet Rack Czechoslovakia 1980s
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
Vintage bentwood clothes stand manufactured by TON in Czechoslovakia during the 1980s. The piece features elegantly curved bentwood elements combined with a clean minimalist silhouet...
Bentwood
Late 19th Century Thonet #21 Bentwood and Cane Seat Arm Rocking Chair
By Thonet
Located in Germantown, MD
Late 19th Century Thonet #21 Bentwood and Cane Seat and back Arm Rocking Chair with blue cushion seat. Measures 18" in width, 28" in depth and 28" in height. Seat height is 18" and s...
Cane, Bentwood
MCM Danish Bentwood Dining Chair, One Chair, 1960s (2 Available)
By Charles Eames, Thonet
Located in Basel, BS
Stunning very cool Thonet black and Walnut bentwood dining chair. Two available. These are very sturdy, iconic, comfortable dining chairs. They are also excellent options for use a...
Bentwood
Mid Century Thonet No 10 Bentwood and Cane Rocker w/ Rose Damask Velvet Cushions
By Thonet
Located in Germantown, MD
Mid-Century Thonet No 10 Bentwood and Cane Rocker with Rose Damask Velvet Cushions. Measures 20" in width, 43" in depth and 39" in height. Seat height is 18".
Velvet, Cane, Bentwood
$729 / item
Bentwood dining chairs by Thonet Mundus
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Bentwood dining chairs by Thonet Mundus. Professionally stained and repolished. Each chair is different but with same seats.
Beech, Bentwood
$1,946Sale Price / set|30% Off
Thonet Chrome Armchairs, 1960s
By Thonet
Located in Čelinac, BA
Thonet chrome armchairs, 1960s
Chrome
Set of Iconic Gerd Lange Table and 4 Lacquered Thonet Style Stools
By Gerd Lange, Thonet
Located in Tilburg, NL
Set of Iconic Gerd Lange Table and 4 Lacquered Thonet Stools. Gerd Lange 'Flex 2000' Table for Thonet, 1973 & a wonderful set of Thonet style stools in lacquered wood and webbing. ...
Plastic, Beech, Bentwood
Jil Sander for Thonet S 64 P Serious 05 in Lacquered Wood an Webbing
By Thonet
Located in Tilburg, NL
Jil Sander for Thonet S 64 P Serious in Lacquered Wood and Leather. New, current production. With the JS . THONET signature collection, she has taken the m...
Steel
Early Nr 5 Chair Thonet Made for First International Exposition in London in 185
By Thonet
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Early model of chair created by thonet in 1851 for first international exposition of London. This example shows some differences with the 2 chairs on catalogue and is a mixed betwee...
Nutwood, Plywood
Rare Beautiful Thonet High Back Armchair No 6351 , Black, Cane
By Thonet, Michael Thonet
Located in Miami, FL
Original cane and black finish, stamped Thonet. Beautiful lines.
Cane, Wood
Art Deco Six ( 6 ) Dining Chairs Beechwood Otto Prutscher for Thonet circa 1920
By Thonet, Otto Prutscher
Located in Vienna, AT
At Deco set of six ( 6 ) dining chairs made from stained beechwood in a beautiful reddish brown color designed by Otto Prutscher for Thonet circa 1920, Vienna. An amazing set of six ...
Beech
Mid-century modern low table by Thonet Debrecen
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Beautiful vintage coffee table featuring an elegant bentwood frame and two dark smoked glass shelves. The design blends organic shapes with functional mid-century modern style, offer...
Plexiglass, Beech, Bentwood
Art Deco Thonet H269 Armchair by Jindřich Halabala
By Thonet
Located in Vienna, AT
Beech bentwood walnut stained armchair made by Thonet in the 1930s. Excellent restored with new seat springs upholstered with Lelievre wool fabric. Another fabric and wood finish o...
Beech, Bentwood
libreria etagere art nouveau originale thonet anni 20
By Thonet
Located in taranto, IT
splendida e rara etagere originale degli anni 20 di Thonet, realizzata in legno nella migliore tradizione della famosa casa austriaca, composta da tre mensole poste su livelli divers...
Wood
1904 Rare Thonet Coat Rack no.21, Austria
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- carefully refurbished and finished by shellac
Wood
Set of 4 Dining Chairs by Oswald Haerdtl for Thonet / TON, 1950s Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Almelo, NL
Set of 4 Dining Chairs by Oswald Haerdtl for Thonet / TON, 1950s Czechoslovakia This elegant set of four dining chairs was designed by Austrian architect Oswald Haerdtl and produced...
Beech
Bentwood nesting tables by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Bentwood nesting tables by Thonet in original vintage condition with signs of use.
Beech, Bentwood
$2,780 / set
Set of Chairs by Gerd Lange for Thonet
By Gerd Lange, Thonet
Located in Čelinac, BA
Set of four chairs by Gerd Lange for Thonet.
Metal
Set of 4 Gerd Lange 'Flex 2000' Chairs in Beech and Plastic for Thonet 1973
By Gerd Lange, Thonet
Located in Tilburg, NL
Set of 4 Gerd Lange 'Flex 2000' Chairs in Beech and Plastic for Thonet 1973. This is a set of highly sculptural and avant garde chairs by designer G...
Plastic, Beech
Set of Six Thonet Vienna Bentwood Armchairs, Austria, 1991
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
Classic bentwood armchair produced under the Thonet Vienna lineage in Austria, dated 1991. Featuring a gracefully curved wooden frame, bentwood arms and original upholstered seat and...
Wood, Beech, Bentwood, Fabric
$480Sale Price / item|20% Off
7 Thonet Bar Stools / Sold Singly/3 Remaining
By Thonet
Located in Sheffield, MA
An authentic collection of 3 of 7 still remaining iconic Thonet stools from the 1930s, marked on the underside with Thonet Logo and certificate. ...
Chrome
Gerd Lange Iconic 'Flex 2000' Table for Thonet 1973
By Gerd Lange, Thonet
Located in Tilburg, NL
Gerd Lange 'Flex 2000' Table for Thonet, 1973. This is a truly wonderful and very timeless designed table by Gerd Lange for high-end manufacturer Thonet. Avant garde and very modern...
Plastic, Beech
Back of the Chairs by Martino Gamper for the Conran Shop/Thonet, 2008
By Thonet
Located in Uppsala, SE
This chair, along with two other models, was commissioned by The Conran Shop in 2008 to the designer Martino Gamper for The London Design Festival and for ...
Bentwood
Set of Four Thonet 676 PF Armchairs after Charles Rennie Mackintosh, 1990s
By Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Thonet
Located in Boven Leeuwen, NL
A set of four Thonet model 676 PF armchairs, based on the distinctive geometric furniture designs of Scottish architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Manufactured during t...
Textile, Beech, Lacquer
Mid Century Modern Sculptural Bent Arm Lounge Chairs in Birch by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous pair of Mid Century Modern Sculptural Lounge Chairs by Thonet in Bent arm Birch with the original Naughahyde upholstery. In excellent vintage condition with minimal wear. So...
Naugahyde, Birch
Black Leatherette & Steel CM127 Stool by Thonet - 1960s
By Thonet
Located in New York, NY
Iconic CM127 bar stool by Thonet. Black lacquered steel feet and black faux leather original upholstery. Second stool available. This stool will ship from France and can be returned ...
Steel
Midcentury Set of 5 Thonet High Back Bentwood Dining Chairs
By Thonet
Located in Saarbruecken, DE
Set of 5 !!!!! Thonet high back bentwood beech chairs. Solid and stabile. Signed. Fabric can be changed easily.
Bentwood
Art Deco Thonet Bentwood Dining Chair w/ Bakelite Seat
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
This original Thonet bentwood armchair features a Bakelite seat and backrest. The chair's bentwood beech frame is elegantly curved, showcasing the transition between Art Deco and the...
Bakelite, Wood
Mart Stam for Thonet Lounge Chair in Weathered Solid Iroko and Stainless Steel
By Thonet, Mart Stam
Located in Tilburg, NL
Mart Stam Lounge Chair for Thonet in Weathered Solid Iroko and Stainless Steel, Germany, early 21st century. Beautiful and rare lounge version of the S40 chair by Mart Stam, which i...
Stainless Steel
$2,930 / set
1900 Thonet Set of Nesting Tables
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- 4 pieces of wooden tables that slide into each other. - Dimensions from the largest 1st height 75cm, width 57cm, depth 39cm. 2nd height 73cm, width 51cm, depth 37cm. 3. height 70...
Wood
S33 Chairs by Mart Stam for Thonet, 1980s, Set of 2
By Mart Stam, Thonet
Located in Radomsko, Województwo łódzkie
Introducing the iconic S33 Chair Set by Mart Stam, proudly crafted by Thonet. This collection, produced during the 1980s in Germany, pays homage to the timeless designs of the Bauhau...
Steel, Chrome
Walter Gropius, Armchairs, Oak, Velvet, USA, 1970s
By Thonet, Walter Gropius
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of oak and purple velvet armchairs designed by Walter Gropius in 1951, produced by Thonet, Statesville, North Carolina, USA, c. 1970s. Dimensions: 29.5” H x 24” W x 19” D Se...
Velvet, Oak
Gustav Siegel Attributed, Made by Thonet, a Bentwood & Cane Rocking Chair
By Thonet, Gustav Siegel
Located in London, GB
Gustav Siegel attributed, made by Thonet. A bentwood and cane rocking chair.
Cane, Bentwood
Walter Gropius, Armchairs, Oak, Velvet, USA, 1970s
By Thonet, Walter Gropius
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of oak and purple velvet armchairs designed by Walter Gropius in 1951, produced by Thonet, Statesville, North Carolina, USA, c. 1970s. Seats reupholstered in brand new velvet...
Velvet, Oak
Set of Two 1960s Czechoslovakian Armchairs by Ton
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
A distinguished pair of mid-century armchairs produced by Ton in Czechoslovakia during the 1960s. Carrying the legacy of Thonet’s expert woodworking, these chairs feature a dynamic a...
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
Cocktail Chair, Thonet, Vienna, 1950s
By Thonet
Located in Wolfurt, AT
The relatively small cocktail chair covered with a firm vinyl cover, the seams of which are stabilised by a piping strip. The backrest is not only decorated with upholstery nails in the lower arch, but also reinforced. The chairs stand sturdily on light beechwood legs. Original condition. Please note that upholstered chairs from the 1950s like to have a lower seat height of 41 to...
Faux Leather, Wood
Original 430 Chair by Verner Panton for Thonet, 1960s
By Alexander Girard, Thonet
Located in Dronten, NL
An exceptional and rare original 430 Chair designed by Verner Panton for Thonet, produced for only a very short period in the 1960s. This piece represents a unique collaboration betw...
Steel, Chrome
$2,000 / set
Thonet Bentwood Armchairs
By Thonet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Pair of mid-century modern lounge chairs with sculpted flat bentwood arms. Single "floating" seat and back with tufted buttons. Please confirm location NY or NJ.
Bentwood
$2,447Sale Price|42% Off
Siesta Medizinal by Hans and Wassili Luckhardt for Thonet, 1930s
By Hans & Wassili Luckhardt, Thonet
Located in Ljubljana, SI
Design classic “Siesta Medizinal” by Hans and Wassili Luckhardt for Thonet Frankenberg with a height adjustable leather neck support as well...
Leather, Wood
Vintage Modern Oak Bentwood & Chrome Two-Seat Settee or Bench Attr to Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Topeka, KS
Handsome 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 ...
Fabric, Oak, Bentwood
$4,800Sale Price / set|20% Off
Set of 4 Parisian Cafe Dining Chairs by Thonet from Musee d'Orsay
By Thonet
Located in Miami, FL
Four stackable French cafe dining chairs manufactured by Thonet from and designed for the Musee D'Orsay Restaurant in Paris, France. These we...
Beech, Fabric
Folding Chair, Thonet, 1920's
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- made in Czechoslovakia - made of wood - good, original condition.
Wood
Early rare chrome Bauhaus Marcel Breuer B 35 Armchairs, Thonet - 1930s
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Praha, CZ
- Thonet - 1930, earliest model - good condition,original screws, one missing - suitable for new upholstery
Steel, Chrome
Chair of the Rings by Martino Gamper for the Conran Shop/Thonet, 2008
By Thonet
Located in Uppsala, SE
This chair, along with two other models, was commissioned by The Conran Shop in 2008 to the designer Martino Gamper for The London Design Festival and for ...
Bentwood
Postmodern Bentwood Dining Chairs 235 F Hartmut Lohmeyer Thonet, 1980s, Set of 4
By Thonet, Hartmut Lohmeyer
Located in AMSTERDAM, NL
A vintage set of 4 Thonet 235 F bentwood dining armchairs, designed by Hartmut Lohmeyer for Thonet and produced in Germany, likely in the 1980s. With their dark bentwood frames, roun...
Fabric, Wood, Bentwood
19th century bentwood Thonet table
By Thonet, Michael Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
19th century bentwood Thonet table professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
Thonet Lounge Chairs by Peter Maly, Wood & Chrome, Germany, 1980
By Thonet, Peter Maly
Located in Ludwigslust, DE
A set of two exceptional Thonet lounge chairs in excellent condition. The combination of wood, chrome, and synthetic fabric, along with the dynamic lines, gives these chairs a timele...
Chrome
$1,921Sale Price|20% Off
EXQUISITE ViCTORIAN THONET ROCKING CHAIR WITH CHERUB CARVED BACK & SEAT PANELS
By Thonet
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this lovely full sized Antique Victorian Thonet circa 1880 rocking chair with hand carved back and seat pane...
Bentwood
Swivel Office Chair Thonet Nr.352, since 1904
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
Manufactured in Austria by the Gebrüder Thonet company. Newly restored, new shellack polish, minor repairs.
Beech, Bentwood
$2,120Sale Price|20% Off
Mid Century Thonet Oak Bentwood & Chrome Armchair
By Thonet
Located in Madison, WI
For sale here is a Rare stunning lounge / side / accent bentwood chair made by THONET. The chair is a mid century chair, with refined character, high quality craftsmanship and uni...
Upholstery, Wood
Pair of Restored Art Deco Armchairs, by Josef Frank, Thonet, Beech, Czech, 1930s
By Thonet, Josef Frank
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This elegant pair of Art Deco armchairs comes from Czechoslovakia from the first half of the 20th century and was manufactured by the renowned Thonet company according to the design ...
Wood, Beech, Lacquer
Set of Four '4' Slipper Chairs in Original Yellow Plaid Wool Fabric by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Deland, FL
Comfort. Vintage fabric. Captivating bentwood legs. These four slipper chairs are the perfect addition to any space needing a pop of color or a min...
Fabric
Small Thonet Rocking Chair No.10 for Children
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Small Thonet rocking chair no.10 for children.
Rattan, Bentwood
$4,471 / set
Dining Chairs No.81 by Thonet Debrecsen
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Dining chairs no.81 by Thonet Debrecsen executed in 1980s. Excellent original condition.
Fabric, Bentwood
Easy armchair no.1 with rattan seat by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Rare easy armchair no.1 with rattan seat by Thonet in very nice original condition with signs of use.
Rattan, Beech, Bentwood
Very rare folding easy chair no.1 by Thonet
By Thonet, Michael Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Very rare folding easy chair no.1 by Thonet professionally stained and repolished with new handmade rattan seat.
Rattan, Beech, Bentwood
Set of Four White Thonet nr. 14 Armchairs with Wicker Seats, Vienna, 1960s
By Thonet
Located in Den Haag, NL
Set of four early edition White Thonet nr.14 (later produced as number 214) armchairs with wicker seats, Vienna, 1960s. These chairs have old labels instead of the later produced stamps Thonet used...
Wicker, Wood
1970s Beech Bentwood Chair by Ton, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Carefully refurbished - Newly upholstered - The height of armrests is 70cm
Wood, Bentwood, Beech