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.
Art Nouveau Thonet Vienna curved wood wall hanging, late 19th century
By Thonet
Located in Bastia Umbra, IT
Art Nouveau Thonet Vienna curved wood wall hanging, late 19th century. Beautiful Thonet Coat Hanger. It was produced by the Gebruder Thonet company around the second half of the 180...
Rosewood, Bentwood
Thonet Mid Century Modern Bentwood Legs Rectangular Laminate Top Side End Table
By Thonet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Thonet Mid Century Modern Bentwood Legs Rectangular Laminate Top Side End Table. Item features shaped bentwood legs, laminate top, very nice ...
Laminate
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
$1,318 / set
Nesting tables Thonet, 1910ca - Josef Hoffmann
By Thonet, Josef Hoffmann
Located in Praha, CZ
Vienna Secession, Restored. Minor repairs made, shellac polish renewed. Marked with Thonet company sticker on the bottom. Plan of the larger table: 43x33cm, height: 67cm, plan of th...
Beech, Bentwood
Jil Sander for Thonet S 64 P Nordic 04 in White Oak and Webbing
By Thonet
Located in Tilburg, NL
Jil Sander for Thonet S 64 P Nordic in oak and webbing. New, current production. With the JS . THONET signature collection, she has taken the most famous t...
Steel
$32,250 / set
Set of Ten Dining Chairs by Anton Lorenz for Thonet
By Thonet, Anton Lorenz
Located in Dallas, TX
Set of ten armchairs designed by Anton Lorenz for Thonet. Each chair has tan upholstered backrest and seat with polished chrome tubular frames. Mid-Century Modern S-37 chairs were originally designed by Anton Lorenz in 1929 and later manufactured by Gebruder Thonet in the 1970s. In 1929 Anton Lorenz founded the firm Desta (Deutsche Stahlmobel) in Berlin making Anton Lorenz the first to manufacture tubular-steel furniture on a commercial scale.
Chrome
Set of Iconic Gerd Lange 'Flex 2000' Chairs and Table for Thonet 1973
By Thonet, Gerd Lange
Located in Tilburg, NL
Set Iconic Gerd Lange 'Flex 2000' Chairs and table in Beech and Plastic for Thonet 1973. This is a set of highly sculptural and avant garde quality by designer Gerd Lange for Thonet...
Plastic, Beech
Two Restored Bauhaus Armchairs, by M. Breuer for Thonet, Chrome, Czech, 1920s
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Model B35 This pair of armchairs represents the absolute pinnacle of global avant-garde design and stands as an icon of the Bauhaus style from the 1930s. This revolutionary 1928 des...
Steel, Chrome
Set of 6 Mies van der Rohe MR10 white cantilever dining chairs for Thonet, 1980s
By Thonet, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in amstelveen, NL
An iconic set of 6 MR10 (256CS/MR533) cantilever dining chairs designed by Mies van der Rohe and manufactured by Thonet. Chrome-plated tubular steel frames with white saddle leather ...
Chrome
$2,160Sale Price|40% Off
RARE Vienna Secession Bent Oak & Cane Easy Chair No. 01 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Rare late bent oak & cane "Easy Chair" No. 01 by Thonet featuring an elegant, sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striking fluid curves and elegant oval arched...
Cane, Oak
1960s Cinema 5-Seats Bench by TON, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good original condition with minor signs of use - The wooden parts has been re-polished - Height of seat 45 cm.
Wood
Jil Sander for Thonet S 64 P Serious 01 in Lacquered Wood an Black Leather
By Thonet
Located in Tilburg, NL
Jil Sander for Thonet S 64 P Serious 01 in Lacquered Wood an Black Leather. New, current production. With the JS . THONET signature collection, she has tak...
Steel
Jan Bocan armchair for the Czech Embassy of Sweden Stockholm 1972
By Thonet, Jan Bočan
Located in Paris, IDF
Jan Bočan ( 1937-2010) graduated from the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University in Prague in 1962. At the age of 30, he won the architectural competition for the...
Wool, Walnut
$471Sale Price|40% Off
Vienna Secession Bent Oak w/ Carved Floral Backreast and Seat by Thonet-Mundus
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Vienna Secession bent oak with unique carved Art Nouveau floral backreast and seat by Thonet-Mundus features an elegant, sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striki...
Oak
Modernist Thonet A 745/F Armchair manufactured by Tatra, Stained Wood, c. 1930
By Thonet, Tatra
Located in Berlin, DE
Modernist armchair modell A 745/F in stained bentwood designed by Thonet and manufactured under Thonet licence by Tatra, Slovakia, c. 1930.
Bentwood
Secession office chair attr. to Marcel Kammerer for Thonet
By Thonet, Marcel Kammerer
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Secession office chair attr. to Marcel Kammerer for Thonet in very nice original codition with signs of use.
Fabric, Beech, Bentwood
Thonet Chair in Birch and Plastic by Gerd Lange, West-Germany, 1973
By Gerd Lange, Thonet
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
$4,547 / set
Secession armchairs no.6513 by Otto Wagner
By Otto Wagner, Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Secession armchairs no.6513 by Otto Wagner for Thonet in original vintage condition.
Fabric, Beech, Bentwood
$354Sale Price|40% Off
Thonet Vienna Wooden Childrens Chair, Austria, 1900s
By Thonet, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH
Located in Vienna, AT
A lovely wooden chair for children by Thonet Vienna, dated around 1900. In good, original condition with nice patina. Labelled and stamped.
Wood
$2,887Sale Price|35% Off
Bentwood Cane Salonfauteuil Easy Chair Thonet No. 1, circa 1890
By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Thonet
Located in Lucenec, SK
Very rare antique Thonet easy chair no 1 produced by Gebruder Thonet from the late 19th century in a very good condition with new cane on seat, cane ...
Cane, Bentwood
Jil Sander for Thonet S 64 P Serious 02 in Lacquered Wood an Red Leather
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
Back of the Chairs by Martino Gamper for the Conran Shop/Thonet, 2008
By Thonet
Located in Uppsala, Uppsala
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
1930s Thonet Chair, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- partly refurbished - some signs of use - sturdy and stable - Heigh of seat 48 cm
Wood
$1,119Sale Price|20% Off
1950's Mid-Century Modern Walnut Armchair by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Burbank, CA
Vintage original Midcentury Modern armchair for sale. Manufactured in the 1950's by Thonet, and still has the original tag nicely intact. It has the original naugahyde vinyl upholste...
Naugahyde, Walnut
Secession dining chairs no.413 by Josef Hoffmann for Thonet
By Thonet, Josef Hoffmann
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Secession dining chairs no.413 by Josef Hoffmann for Thonet Debrecen in very nice original condition.
Beech, Bentwood
$1,250
Thonet Sofa No.56
By Thonet, August Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Thonet sofa no.56 professionally stained and repolished.
Fabric, Bentwood
Very rare amrchairs A562 by Otto Prutscher for Thonet
By Thonet, Otto Prutscher
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
An exceptional and highly collectible pair of Austrian Vienna Secessionist (Jugendstil) bentwood armchairs, manufactured by the legendary firm Thonet. This iconic geometric design fe...
Beech, Bentwood
Thonet 210 P Bentwood Armchairs in Beech with Velvet Cover, Germany, Set of 4
By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Thonet
Located in München, BY
Original set of four Thonet Model 210P armchairs, crafted from solid beechwood in 1989. Based on the iconic bentwood tradition of Thonet, the design is derived from the classic Model...
Velvet, Beech
Restored Bauhaus Armchair, Thonet, Marcel Breuer, Czechia, 1930s
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Restored Bauhaus Armchair Designed by Marcel Breuer and made by Thonet. Source: Czechia (Czechoslovakia) Period: 1930-1939 Maker: Thonet Designer: Marcel Breuer Material: Chrome-Pla...
Metal, Steel, Chrome, Iron
$4,775 / set
Early Thonet B 9 Nesting Tables by Marcel Breuer
By Marcel Breuer, Thonet
Located in PRAHA 5, CZ
Early set of nesting tables, model B9 - 9C. Chrome-plated tubular steel and lacquered wood. Manufactured probably by Gebrüder Thonet AG, Frankenberg, These pieces, while originally d...
Steel, Chrome
1960s MCM Curved Back Green Thonet Bentwood Dining Chairs, Set of 6
By Thonet
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mid century bentwood dining chairs by Thonet, the renowned maker of bent beechwood furniture. Featuring Thonet's signature curved frames handcrafte...
Upholstery, Wood
$1,136
Thonet Hall Coat Stand
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Large Thonet hall coat stand with umbrella holder. Very good original condition.
Bentwood
Bentwood daybed no.2 by Thonet
By Thonet, Michael Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Bentwood daybed no.2 by Thonet in original vintage condition with signs of use.
Rattan, Bentwood
Rare Late Victorian Loveseat Bent Oak Settee Model w/ Wicker Seat by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
This rare late 19th-century bentwood miniature salesman sample (doll furniture) loveseat/settee, crafted by Thonet in Germany, Retaining its original condition, the chair showcases t...
Wicker, Oak
Austrian modern black wooden chairs by Ernst W. Beranek for Thonet, 1990s
By Thonet
Located in MIlano, IT
Austrian modern black wooden chairs by Ernst W. Beranek for Thonet, 1990s Set of five chairs with armrests in black lacquered wood with a matt finish. The seat is padded and covered ...
Metal
Art Nouveau Style Sofa By Thonet, 20th Century
By Thonet
Located in PARIS, FR
Art Nouveau Style Sofa By Thonet, 20th Century Art Nouveau Style Sofa by Thonet Magnificent Art Nouveau period sofa, designed by the famous house of Thonet. This unique piece is dis...
Textile, Wood
214K chair by Micheale Thonet for Thonet
By Michael Thonet, Thonet
Located in Ravenna, IT
The famous coffee chair designed by Michael Thonet in 1859 is still considered the world's most successful industrial product. It marks the beginning of the history of modern furnitu...
Reed, Hardwood
Thonet Model No. 511 Bentwood Armchair, Vienna Secession, circa 1904
By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Thonet
Located in Austin, TX
An iconic armchair of the Vienna Secession movement, the Thonet model no. 511 bent beechwood armchair, featuring stunning lines and beautiful proportions. A design tour de force, it ...
Bentwood, Cane, Beech
Jil Sander for Thonet S 64 P Nordic 02 in White Oak and Burnt Walnut Leather
By Thonet
Located in Tilburg, NL
Jil Sander for Thonet S 64 P Nordic in oak and Leather. New, current production. With the JS . THONET signature collection, she has taken the most famous t...
Steel
Arts and Craft Art Nouveau Set of 8 Bentwood Chairs Signed Thonet, 1900
By Thonet
Located in Saarbruecken, DE
Set of 8 Thonet chairs, bentwood with viennese braid. all signed. As found condition. All chairs a solid and stable. 4 of the braids are perf...
Bentwood, Braid
Thonet Black Bentwood Stool, Cane & Wood, Art Deco Style, Europe, 1920
By Thonet
Located in Linkebeek, BE
Thonet black bentwood stool - 20th Thonet - Side Stool - Mid-Century Measures : Ø 42cm H:47cm Materials : Wood - Cane Manufacturer’s mark stamped under th...
Cane, Bentwood
1984 Thonet S320 Armchairs by Schneider & Böhme, Gray Upholstery, Pair
By Ulrich Bohme, Thonet, Wulf Schneider
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Wulf Schneider and Ulrich Böhme designed the S320 for Thonet in 1984, creating a chair that balances form with function through its distinctive cantilever construction. The tubular s...
Chrome
Thonet S411 Tubular Steel Cantilever Armchair, Black Leather Upholstery, c. 1935
By Thonet
Located in Berlin, DE
Thonet S 411 tubular steel cantilever armchair with leather upholstery, designed by the Thonet Company c. 1935. This original tubular steel cantilever ...
Steel, Chrome
A Pair of Vienna Secession Oval Two-tier Side Tables by Josef Hoffmann
By Thonet, Josef Hoffmann
Located in New York, NY
A pair of Vienna Secession oval two-tier side tables from the "Fledermaus" series designed by Josef Hoffmann (1870-1956). Featuring the original Thonet label. Stained beechwood. Vien...
Beech
Large Thonet rocking chair no.7021B
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Large Thonet rocking chair no.7021B in excellent structural condition. The rattan cane is mostly tight and intact, with only a minor, non-critical defect on the backrest that does no...
Rattan, Beech, Bentwood
Thonet B 18 Table by Marcel Breuer, 1930s
By Marcel Breuer, Thonet
Located in PRAHA 5, CZ
Designed by Marcel Breuer in the late 1920s and produced by Thonet in the 1930s, the B 18 table is a masterclass in radical reduction — where each line exists with purpose, and nothi...
Steel, Chrome
Set of Four Mid Century Stacking Side Tables by Thonet after Aalto
By Alvar Aalto, Thonet
Located in New York, NY
Chic architectural set of four stacking side tables by Thonet, in the manner of Alvar Aalto. The tables feature black disk form tops, on three blonde finish bent plywood legs. All ...
Wood, Plywood
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
1960s dining table, Thonet, Vintage
By Thonet
Located in Neuss, NW
Classic dining table by Thonet from the 1960s. High quality chromed tubular steel frame and table top in ash veneer with solid wood edge. very good workmanship high-quality materials...
Wood
Thonet S 411 Tubular Steel Cantilever Armchair, Germany, circa 1935
By Thonet
Located in Berlin, DE
Thonet S 411 tubular steel cantilever armchair with fabric upholstery, designed by the Thonet Company in 1932. This original tubular steel cantilever armch...
Steel, Chrome
Bauhaus Tubular Steel Desk by Bruno Weil for Thonet, Stained Wood, Germany, 1930
By Thonet, Bruno Weil
Located in Berlin, DE
Bauhaus tubular steel desk designed by Bruno Weil (Bèwè) and manufactured by Thonet, Germany, c. 1930
Metal, Chrome
$8,527 / set
Jindrich Halabala H-269 Armchairs
By Jindřich Halabala, Thonet
Located in Mouscron, WHT
Jindrich Halabala H-269 Armchairs the wood has a very nice patina, the fabric needs to be redone
Beech
1950s Le Corbusier Jeanneret Perriand LC1 Basculant Lounge Chair Stendig Label
By Charlotte Perriand, Pierre Jeanneret, Thonet, Le Corbusier
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an original 1950s LC1 Basculant Sling Lounge Chair, initially designed by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand in 1929. This example is marked with a Stendig...
Steel
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Original Thonet 209 Dining Chair
By Thonet
Located in Medina, OH
The Thonet chair does need reupholstery work and refinishing work but has good bones to be a great addition to a dining room or use as a side chair. Please message us if you'd like ...
Fabric, Wood
1930s Thonet Restored Armchair, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- carefully refurbished and finished in shellac - Newly upholstered - Labeled - Heigh of seat 49 cm
Fabric, Wood
Set of Six Dining Chairs by Walter Gropius and Ben Thompson for Thonet
By Ben Thompson, Thonet, Walter Gropius
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Set of six W199 dining armchairs by Walter Gropius and Ben Thompson for Thonet, c.1950's, Austria. The chairs showcase a bent birch wood frame and legs. The seats have been newly uph...
Upholstery, Birch
Twelve Sleek Chrome Dining Chairs by Anton Lorenz for Thonet
By Thonet, Anton Lorenz
Located in Dallas, TX
This attractive set of twelve, designed by the legendary Anton Lorenz. The man who brought tubular steel furniture to the masses. The classic bauhaus design features a sleek, sculptu...
Chrome
Original S1047 Thonet Esstisch ausziehbar 1980 Design Tisch
By Thonet
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten einen sehr seltenen ausziehbaren Design Esstisch von Thonet aus den 1980er Jahren zum Verkauf an. Der Tisch verfügt über eine wunderschöne Maserung der Buchenholzplatte un...
Steel, Chrome
Set of 4 Original Thonet Dining Chairs in Green Velvet, 1950s
By Thonet
Located in Almelo, NL
Set of 4 Original Thonet Dining Chairs in Green Velvet, 1950s This exquisite set of 4 original Thonet dining chairs from the 1950s embodies the timeless elegance of mid-century mod...
Upholstery, Beech
Mid Century "B27" Round Dining Table by Marcel Breuer Produced by Thonet, 1930s
By Marcel Breuer, Thonet
Located in Stockholm, SE
Very rare and early "B27" mid century round dining table in black stained wood with chromed tubular steel base by Marcel Breuer produced by Thonet, 1930s. In good original condition....
Steel