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.
$4,194Sale Price / set|40% Off
Midcentury Thonet Bent Plywood Armchairs by Joe Atkinson, Set of 5
By Joe Atkinson, Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Set of five bent plywood armchair dining chairs Designed by Joe Atkinson for the Thonet furniture company. Each chair features a bent wood construction wi...
Bentwood
Set Of Three Upholstered Maple Bentwood Chairs By Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This set of three handsome Mid-Century Modern armchairs were produced by the famous Austrian furniture company Thonet in the 1950s. Thonet which was founded in 1850 by Michael Thonet...
Maple, Bentwood, Fabric
Rare Blac Secession Thonet Chair
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Very rare blac secession Thonet chair.
Beech, Bentwood
Five Original circa 1920 Dinette Josef Hoffmann Thonet 811 Bergere Dining Chairs
By Thonet
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning suite of five original circa 1920’s, hand made in Poland, Dinette chairs, designed by Josef Frank and J...
Bentwood
Michael Thonet Suite of a Bench and Two Side Chairs
By Thonet
Located in London, GB
A vintage suite consisting of a bench and two side chairs in black lacquered solid bentwood by Thonet, Austria, first half of the 20th century. The de...
Beech, Cane
1951 W199 Dining Armchair by Walter Gropius and Ben Thompson for Thonet in Birch
By Thonet, Walter Gropius, Ben Thompson
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a W199 Dining Armchair, originally designed by Walter Gropius and Ben Thompson for Thonet in 1951. The chair was produced in Austria in the early 1950s. The design features b...
Birch, Nutwood
Thonet S320 green Chair Ulrich Boehme & Wulf Schneider
By Wulf Schneider, Ulrich Bohme, Thonet
Located in Munich, Bavaria
This Thonet Chair Model S320 in green version. Rare Colour. Designed by Ulrich Boehme & Wulf Schneider.
Beech, Bentwood, Plywood
Art Deco Beech Brown Vintage Valet or Coat Rack by Thonet Austria, circa 1920
By Thonet
Located in Vienna, AT
The elegant vintage beech valet or coat rack shows all features, what you are looking for. Two racks and one reling for your clothes and a parking space with wooden slats for your s...
Beech
Very rare walnut art deco bar cabinet by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Very rare walnut art deco bar cabinet by Thonet. Signed Thonet Fabrique en Tchecoslovaque. Professionally stained and repolished with fench polish.
Walnut
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
Art deco armchairs A752F by Josef Frank for Thonet Mundus
By Thonet, Frank Josef
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Art deco armchairs A752F by Josef Frank for Thonet Mundus. Professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
1960s Pair of Ton Armchairs by Jaroslav Smidek, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet, Jaroslav Smidek
Located in Praha, CZ
- Made of beech wood - Newly upholstered - Carefully refurbished - The seat height is 39 cm.
Fabric, Beech
Art Nouveau flower stand Thonet no.31 design Otto Wagner
By Thonet, Otto Wagner
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Art Nouveau flower stand Thonet no.31 design Otto Wagner. Professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
Antique Bentwood Piano Stool by J.J. Kohn, Austria 1900s
By Thonet
Located in Beograd, RS
In this listing you will find an antique black lacquer piano stool manufactured by J.J. Kohn. The stool is done in beech bentwood, with the plywood seat. It is fully refinished. The ...
Beech
1960s Pair of Ton/Thonet Beech Armchairs, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
Wooden parts have been repolished. Seat Height 43cm.
Fabric, Wood
Austrian post-modern chairs 411 by Marcel Kammerer for Thonet, 1990s
By Marcel Kammerer, Thonet
Located in MIlano, IT
Austrian post-modern chairs 411 by Marcel Kammerer for Thonet, 1990s Set of three chairs model 414 with square seat and oval backrest, padded and covered in bright purple silk fabric...
Fabric, Wood
1960s Pair of Beech Armchairs by Ton, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Newly upholstered. - Wooden parts have been refurbished. - Height of seat 45 cm.
Fabric, Beech
Design Icon – Verner Panton White S-Chair Model 275 for Thonet, 1965
By Thonet, Verner Panton
Located in Dronten, NL
Iconic “S Chair” model 275 designed by Verner Panton for Thonet, Germany, circa 1965. One of Panton’s earliest and most sculptural chair designs, the Model 275 beautifully captures t...
Plywood
$785Sale Price / set|20% Off
1980s Office Room Modul Set from Ton/Thonet, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Leather pillows with signs of use including holes - wooden parts in good original condition - Can be set up as 2-seat sofa and one chair or 3-seat sofa.
Leather, Wood
$3,038 / set
Set of Five Chairs by Thonet, Vienna
By Thonet
Located in Wolfurt, AT
This set of five Thonet chairs. The chairs was made by Thonet in 1984 of dark lacquered wood and grey seat and back with silver upholstery nails. A new cover is necessary, otherwise ...
Wood, Leather
Bauhaus Writing Desk and Chair, Thonet, Chrome-Plated Steel, Czechia, 1930s
By Marcel Breuer, Thonet
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Bauhaus writing desk and chair. Source: Czechia (Czechoslovakia) Period: 1930-1939 Material: Chrome-Plated Steel, Lacquered Wood Number of d...
Steel, Chrome
$2,208 / set
1980s Set of 6 Rare Dining/Side Chairs by TON
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- made in Czechoslovakia - newly upholstered - wooden parts has been refurbished - height of seat 42 cm.
Wood, Fabric
Dining Chair/Thonet, 1880s
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Made in Wien - Made of bentwood, beechwood - Restored - Labeled - Good condition.
Beech, Bentwood
Thonet MCM bent plywood leather chair , circa 1960
By Thonet
Located in Miami, FL
Thonet bent plywood mod 1294 leather chair circa 1960
Leather, Plywood
FiNE VICTORIAN BENTWOOD THONET STAMPED DRESSING TABLE & HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE STOOL
By Thonet
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this sublime 19th century Victorian Thonet bentwood dressing table and height adjustable stool Please note...
Mirror, Bentwood
Pair of August Thonet Bentwood Chairs by Thonet Bros
By August Thonet, Thonet
Located in Madrid, ES
Bentwood chairs with new silk-blend seat upholstery. Chairs designed by August Thonet, the son of original bentwood furniture designer Michael Thonet. August took over his father's b...
Silk, Bentwood
Bentwood coffee table by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Bentwood coffee table by Thonet in very nice original condition.
Beech, Bentwood
$660Sale Price / set|40% Off
Pair of Mid-Century Modern Bentwood Side Chairs w/ Nailhead Back by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Pair of Mid-Century bentwood side chairs with brown Naugahyde seat covers and decorative steel nail-head studded seat back by Thonet. This side chair features a sculptural, minimalis...
Bentwood
$448Sale Price / set|20% Off
1960s Ton/Thonet Beech Armchair, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Newly upholstered - Wooden parts have been repolished.
Fabric, Wood, Beech
Austrian post-modern red leather and black wood chair by Thonet, 1990s
By Thonet
Located in MIlano, IT
Austrian post-modern red leather and black wood chair by Thonet, 1990s Chair with square seat covered in bright red leather with black lacquered wooden structure, with matt finish. T...
Leather, Wood
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
Set of Mid-Century Mies van der Rohe Dining Chairs by Thonet
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Thonet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This set of four flat chrome Brno dining chairs feature the exquisite vintage cantilever design that so adeptly mixes comfort and style. Heavy chrome, unique style, and vintage fabri...
Chrome
Restored Bauhaus Armchair, Marcel Breuer, Thonet, Chrome, Czechia, 1930s
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Restored Bauhaus Armchair Designed By Marcel Breuer and Made By Thonet. Designer: Marcel Breuer Maker: Thonet Material: Chrome-plated Steel, Iron-garn Fabric Source: Czechia (Czecho...
Steel, Chrome, Iron
Bentwood swivel chair no.9 by J.J.Kohn
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Bentwood swivel chair no.9 by J.J.Kohn new handmade rattan seat.
Rattan, Beech, Bentwood
Wall coat rack no.905 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Wall coat rack no.905 by Thonet in original vintage condition.
Beech, Bentwood
Austrian postmodern white wood tub chairs by Joseph Hoffmann for Thonet, 1990s
By Thonet
Located in MIlano, IT
Austrian postmodern white wood tub chairs by Joseph Hoffmann for Thonet, 1990s Set of four tub chairs. The structure is in white painted wood, has a rhomboid decoration on the sides ...
Fabric, Wood
Office chairs no.6048 and no.6148 by Otto Wagner for Thonet
By Thonet, Otto Wagner
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Office chairs no.6048 and no.6148 by Otto Wagner for Thonet. Two tipes of seats. Professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
Grey Bauhaus Sofa Made in 1930s Czechia by Robert Slezak, Designed by Thonet
By Thonet, Robert Slezák
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Bauhaus style sofa with chrome tubular steel frame. Manufactured by Robert Slezák in the 1930s. Chrome tubular steel is in perfect original condition. Upholstered with high qualit...
Chrome
Bentwood nesting tables with ceramic top by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Bentwood nesting tables with ceramic top by Thonet. Professionally stained and repolished. The ceramic plat on the largest table has cracks. Dimensions of each table: 1.40x57x70cm 2....
Ceramic, Beech, Bentwood
First Edition Side Tables by Marcel Breuer for Thonet, Germany, 1930s
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Antwerp, BE
Nesting tables B9 by Marcel Breuer, a hallmark of Bauhaus design produced by Thonet. Crafted from chrome-plated tubular steel and sleek wooden panels, these tables exemplify Breuer's...
Aluminum
$551Sale Price|20% Off
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
$1,320Sale Price|41% Off
Post-Modern 1980s Cream Chrome Thonet Lounge Chair
By Thonet
Located in Madison, WI
For sale here is a stunning lounge / side / accent chair made by THONET. This is a very unique model from the 1980s, with a very postmodern Space age vibe. RARE. This sculptural chai...
Chrome
Thonet washstand no.2
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Thonet washstand no.2 in very good original condition.
Beech, Bentwood
20th Century Austrian Bar Stool in Black Wood by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Sofia, BG
Bar stool by Thonet in very elegant typical shape and in great condition. Austria, circa 1910.
Wood
Vintage Thonet No 17 Armchair 1970s
By Thonet
Located in Čelinac, BA
Thonet No 17 Armchair 1970s
Bentwood
Vintage Czech Art Deco Lounge Chairs by Thonet, Circa 1930-1940
By Thonet
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A sculptural, vintage pair of Czech Art Deco lounge chairs made of hand crafted polished bent Beechwood and Walnut, produced by Thonet in good condition. The detailed low club chairs...
Fabric, Bouclé, Upholstery, Beech, Walnut, Bentwood
Restored Art Deco Trolley, by Thonet, Oak, Glass, Veneer, Chrome, Czech, 1920s
By Thonet
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Restored Art Deco Trolley Source: Czech Period: 1920-1929 Made by influential Austrian furniture manufacturer Thonet. The chrome parts have been cleaned and professionally rest...
Steel, Chrome
Vintage Thonet Stool – White Lacquered Wood & Brown Leather – 1990s–2000s
By Thonet
Located in Hannover, DE
Vintage Thonet Stool – White Lacquered Wood with Brown Leather Seat – 1990s–2000s A stylish and well-crafted stool by Thonet, likely produced between the 1990s and early 2000s. The ...
Beech
4er Set Mid Century Stühle Thonet Modell 811 Josef Hoffmann
By Thonet, Josef Hoffmann
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes 4er Set Bugholzstühle (Modell: 811) von Thonet zum Verkauf an. Das seltene Modell wurde von Josef Hoffmann entworfen und besticht durch seine funktionale...
Wicker, Beech
Art deco armchairs A752F by Jozef Frank for Thonet
By Josef Frank, Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Art deco armchairs A752F by Jozef Frank for Thonet. Professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
Art nouveau wingchair no.6542 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Art nouveau wingchair no.6542 by Thonet in original vintage condition with signs of use.
Beech, Bentwood
$1,110 / set
Mid-Century Design Black Armchairs
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Black mid-century design armchairs by TON Bystrice pod Hostýnem 1950s. Professionally stained and repolished.
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
Set of Four B 952/F Armchairs by Adolf Loos for Thonet
By Adolf Loos, Thonet
Located in PRAHA 5, CZ
Designed in 1903 by the pioneering Austrian architect and designer Adolf Loos, the B 952 F armchair represents a rare convergence of utilitarian form and refined craftsmanship. Execu...
Beech
1950s Thonet Bent Birch Wood and Wood Grain Square Laminate Side / End Table
By Thonet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a 1950s Thonet bentwood side table with legs designed in a similar manner to that of Alvar Aalto. These tables are iconic...
Wood
$1,196Sale Price / set|20% Off
Set of four dining chairs produced by Thonet in Czechoslovakia during the 1940s.
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
Set of four dining chairs produced by Thonet in Czechoslovakia during the 1940s. These chairs are crafted from solid beech wood and feature elegant curved backrests with refined prop...
Fabric, Wood, Beech
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
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
$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
SUiTE OF FOUR THONET CIRCA 1930'S AUSTRIAN BISTRO DINING BAR BENTWOOD CHAIRS
By Thonet
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this lovely suite of four original Austrian Thonet Bentwood cafe bistro dining chairs Circa 1930's Please n...
Bentwood