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.
$1,457Sale Price / set|20% Off
4 Sedie Thonet originali anni '50
By Thonet
Located in Manzano, IT
4 Sedie Thonet originali anni '50 sono presenti lievi macchie sul tessuto della seduta (come in foto)
Fabric, Wood
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
$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
SUPER RARE ORIGINAL ANTiQUE VICTORIAN CIRCA 1880 THONET BENTWOOD COAT RACK STAND
By Thonet
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this super rare, antique original, circa 1880, extra large, Thonet Bentwood solid Beech wood eight prong coa...
Beech, Bentwood
Very rare jugendstil dining chair no.522 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Very rare jugendstil dining chair no.522 by Thonet in very nice original condition.
Beech, Bentwood
$1,225Sale Price|30% Off
Mid-Century Modern Thonet Lounge Slipper Chairs - a Pair
By Thonet
Located in Waxahachie, TX
D.O.B. October 8th 1964 Pair of Thonet lounge slipper chairs. Stunning chrome trim around the back. Ebonized wood base. Nailhead trim on back. Dark eggplant tinted grey tweed fabric ...
Upholstery
$1,890Sale Price|30% Off
Late Victorian Polished Rosewood Bent Wood Scrolling Console Table by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Rare late Victorian polished rosewood scrolling console table crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striking fluid curves with a solid rosewood top. A great design showcasing the hal...
Rosewood
Vintage Thonet Armchair, Steel Frame, Herringbone Pattern, Germany
By Thonet
Located in Hamburg, DE
Big Thonet steel pipe armrest chair with a special cover in the herringbone pattern.Elegant chair or armchair. The continuous … Read more Big Thonet steel pipe armrest chair with a s...
Metal
$801Sale Price / set|20% Off
1960s Oswald Haerdtl, Set of 4 Dining Chairs by TON, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet, Oswald Haerdtl
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good original condition with minor signs of use - original upholstery with minor sings of use
Fabric, Wood
Mid Century Thonet Armchairs with Sheepskin Upholstery, a Pair
By Thonet
Located in Raleigh, NC
Experience timeless elegance with this rare high-back pair of Thonet bentwood lounge chairs, circa 1950. These stunning pieces showcase the masterful craftsmanship of bentwood const...
Sheepskin, Birch
Bentwood dining room chair by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Bentwood dining room chair by Thonet. Professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
Original Magazine Rack Designed Thonet, Model No 1
By Thonet
Located in Lejre, DK
Magazine rack in beechwood. Designed by Thonet, 1900s. Made in Austria. Great original condition.
Beech
$821Sale Price|25% Off
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
$774Sale Price / set|20% Off
Set of Four Dining Chairs/ Thon 'Thonet', 1970s
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Made in Czechoslovakia - Made of wood, fabric - New upholstery - Solid - Wooden parts has some signs use - Good, original condition.
Fabric, Wood
Dining room chairs B-47 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Dining room chairs B-47 by Thonet. Professionally stained and repolished.
Fabric, Beech
Thonet dining chair no.103
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Thonet dining chair no.103. Professionally stained and repolished.
Rattan, Beech, Bentwood
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
$4,372Sale Price / set|20% Off
Early Pair of Bauhaus Chrome Armchairs KF-406 by Walter Knoll for Thonet, 1930s
By Thonet, Walter Knoll
Located in Praha, CZ
- 1930 - extremely rare - maker: Thonet (marked) - design:L Walter Knoll - publicated (see the pictures) - original condition suitable for new upholstery - chrome with patina.
Chrome
$1,621Sale Price|20% Off
1904 Rare Thonet Coat Rack no.21, Austria
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- carefully refurbished and finished by shellac
Wood
Art Nouveau Wing Chair No.6542 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Art nouveau wing chair no.6542 by Thonet in excellent condition, backhausen fabric.
Fabric, Wood
Original CM197 Armchair by Pierre Paulin for Thonet France
By Thonet, Pierre Paulin
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Original CM197 armchair by Pierre Paulin. Designed for Thonet, France in 1958. Green vinyl upholstery in excellent original condition. Can be reupholstered easi...
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Original "Thonet" Office Chair
By Thonet
Located in Medina, OH
"Thonet" office arm chair in its original fabric. "Thonet" stamped under chair. It is in great condition and perfect to be added to an office!
Upholstery, Oak, Bentwood
Secession dining chair no.41 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Secession dining chair no.41 by Thonet. Condition: Professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
$1,166Sale Price / set|20% Off
1930s Pair of Restored Thonet Side Tables No. 206, Austria
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- carefully refurbished and finished in shellac - Label is on one table and on other is missing
Wood
$640Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Thonet Bentwood Wall Hall Tree
By Thonet
Located in Pasadena, TX
This is an antique hanging wall hall tree by Thonet. It's made of beechwood and has 3 bentwood hangers for hats and coats.
Ultrasuede, Bentwood
$3,750 / set
Pair of 404 F chairs by Stefan Diez for Thonet
By Stefan Diez, Thonet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of 404 F chairs by Stefan Diez for Thonet. Original labels. Stefan Diez, born in 1971 in Freising (Germany). After taking courses in architecture and training to be a carpent...
Bentwood
$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
$3,750 / set
Pair of 404 F chairs by Stefan Diez for Thonet
By Thonet, Stefan Diez
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of 404 F chairs by Stefan Diez for Thonet. Original labels. Stefan Diez, born in 1971 in Freising (Germany). After taking courses in architecture and training to be a carpent...
Bentwood
20th Century Thonet Magazine Rack
By Thonet
Located in Petworth, GB
An early 20th Century bentwood magazine rack by Thonet retaining its original paper makers label to the underside. Stained in a deep, warm, almost oxblood tone with classic Thonet c...
Bentwood
$875Sale Price|30% Off
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
Art Deco Josef Frank Thonet Vintage Chocolate Brown Four Windsor Armchairs c1925
By Josef Frank, Thonet
Located in Vienna, AT
Art Deco vintage four ( 4 ) dining chairs or armchairs from chocolate brown stained beech, design attributed to Josef Frank executed by the company Thonet circa 1925 Austria. Labeled...
Beech
Secession dining chair no.437 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Secession dining chair no.437 by Thonet. Professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
Antique Victorian Bentwood Hatstand
By Thonet
Located in London, GB
A smart and beautifully made original antique Victorian bentwood hatstand. This was made in central Europe, most likely by Thonet in Austria, around the 1890-1910 period. It is of s...
Bentwood
Jugendstil Otto Wagner Chair Beech 1902 Postal Saving Bank Vienna Thonet
By Otto Wagner, Thonet
Located in Vienna, AT
Jugendstil Otto Wagner One ( 1 ) Chair Side Chair Chocolate Brown Beech Österreichische Postsparkasse 1902 for Thonet 1904/1906 Vienna. An iconic chair or side chair by the famed Aus...
Beech
Pair of Bentwood High Back Dining Chairs by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Saarbruecken, DE
Pair of beech bentwood high back dining chairs. Signed by Thonet, 1987. Style Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau. New upholstery, same fabric, differe...
Bentwood
$300Sale Price|20% Off
1970s Beech Coffee Table by TON, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good original condition with minor signs of use
Wood
$1,252 / item
Art deco Thonet armchairs no.428
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Art deco Thonet armchairs no.428 executed by Thonet Debrecen. Professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
$3,750 / set
Pair of 404 F chairs by Stefan Diez for Thonet
By Thonet, Stefan Diez
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of 404 F chairs by Stefan Diez for Thonet. Original labels. Stefan Diez, born in 1971 in Freising (Germany). After taking courses in architecture and training to be a carpent...
Bentwood
$1,175Sale Price / set|20% Off
1960 Set of 4 Design Retro Chair, Antonín Šuman for Ton, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet, Antonín Šuman
Located in Praha, CZ
- Design by Antonín Šuman, production by Ton Bystrice pod Hostýnem - Construction with bent beech wood and fabric upholstered seat - Original preserved condition - Measures: Heigh...
Fabric, Beech
$2,268Sale Price / set|20% Off
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
Refurbished Thonet Chairs 320 by Wulf Schneider and Ulrich Bohme, Austria 1984
By Thonet, Wulf Schneider, Ulrich Bohme
Located in Beograd, RS
In this listing you will find a set of 4 Thonet Dining Chairs Model S320, designed by by Wulf Schneider and Ulrich Bohme. Chairs are stackable. ...
Steel
Bentwood Plant Stands by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Bentwood plant stands by Thonet professionally stained and repolished.
Bentwood
Art nouveau desk chair by Gustav Siegel for Thonet
By Thonet, Gustav Siegel
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Art nouveau desk chair by Gustav Siegel for Thonet. Professionally stained and repolished with new fabric.
Fabric, Beech, Bentwood
$528Sale Price|20% Off
1960s Ton/Thonet Beech Armchair, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Newly upholstered - Carefully refurbished - The seat height is 39cm
Fabric, Wood, Upholstery, Beech
$2,277 / set
Bentwood dining room chairs by Thonet Austria
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Bentwood dining room chairs by Thonet Austria in very nice original condition with signs of use.
Beech, Bentwood
Secession plant stand no.31 by Otto Wagner
By Thonet, Otto Wagner
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Secession plant stand no.31 by Otto Wagner. Professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
5er Set Thonet Stühle S33 Mart Stam Freischwinger Bauhaus schwarz
By Mart Stam, Thonet
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes 5er Set Bauhaus Freischwinger vom deutschen Traditionshersteller Thonet zum Verkauf an. Die Stühle stammen vermutlich aus den 1980er Jahren und weisen ei...
Steel, Chrome
$902Sale Price / set|20% Off
1970s Pair of Beech Armchairs and Coffee Table by TON, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good original condition with minor signs of use - table 50 x 60 X 60 cm
Upholstery, Wood
$902Sale Price / set|20% Off
1980s Set of Four Dining Chairs by Ton, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- rare model - carefully refurbished - newly upholstered - heigh of seat 45 cm
Fabric, Wood
Jugendstil Vintage Beech Leather Side Chair Joseph Urban Gebrüder Thonet 1903
By Thonet, Joseph Urban
Located in Vienna, AT
Jugendstil Vintage Authentic Side Chair Slipper Chair Desk Chair Model No. 405 by Joseph Urban for Gebrüder Thonet circa 1903, Vienna. A wonderful chair or side chair from stained be...
Brass
1980s Thonet Chrome Cantilever Sled Base Dining Arm Chairs in Grey Fabric
By Thonet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
These are Cantilever Sled Base Dining Armchairs, produced by Thonet in the 1980s. The listed price includes one chair, and we have several identical chairs available for purchase. Th...
Steel, Chrome
Thonet Chair in Birch and Plastic by Gerd Lange, West-Germany, 1973
By Thonet, Gerd Lange
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Designer: Gerd Lange Manufacturer: THONET Model: Flex chair Material: Birch / Plastic Design period: 1973 Size in cm: 49 x 49 x 79 seat height 46cm. Condition: Good...
Plastic, Birch
$6,264 / set
Set of 4 Fledermaus Chairs Executed by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Set of 4 Fledermaus chairs executed by Thonet in 1999. Original vintage condition with signs of usage.
Fabric, Bentwood
Modernist Thonet Carved and Bentwood Sofa
By Thonet
Located in Dallas, TX
Stunning bentwood three-seat sofa manufactured by Thonet, circa 1950s. Features a super stylish organic curved line bentwood arm frame, brass accent details on the back and upholster...
Upholstery, Wood
$3,826Sale Price / set|20% Off
2x Armchairs Thonet Nr.562 by Gustav Siegel, table Thonet Nr.178
By Thonet, Gustav Siegel
Located in Praha, CZ
Wery good original condition with a pleasant patine of age. Museum-quality condition! Solid, can be used normally. The seating was designed by Arch. Gustav Siegel between 1926 and 19...
Bentwood
$692Sale Price|20% Off
Chair Thonet Nr.402, Jan Kotěra in 1907
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
Designed by Jan Kotera for the National association house in Prostejov. Slightly modified - reduced backrest height, as an adjustment to the salon chair). P...
Brass
Bentwood Scroll Arm Chair
By Thonet
Located in Queens, NY
19th Century Bentwood arm chair with scroll design and black upholstered seat & back. (signed with THONET label)
Upholstery, Bentwood
$1,357Sale Price / set|20% Off
1960 Set of 4 Retro Suman Chairs and Table, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet, Antonín Šuman
Located in Praha, CZ
- Designed by Antonín Šuman 1960, production by Fa Jiton and Ton Czechoslovakia. - Veneered table - folded 85 x 85cm, unfolded 85x127cm, height 76cm. - Chairs with bent beech woo...
Fabric, Wood
$637Sale Price / set|20% Off
1970s Pair of Beech Armchairs and Coffee Table by TON, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good original condition with minor signs of use
Upholstery, Wood
$2,847
Thonet dining char no.1
By Michael Thonet, Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Thonet dining char no.1. Professionally stained and repolished with new handmade rattan seat.
Rattan, Beech, Bentwood