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.
Michael Thonet Solid Beechwood and Cane no. 210 Armchair
By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Thonet
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Chair nr 210 designed by Gebrüder Thonet in 1900, (as well as nr 209) of renown designer Le Corbusier. This chair is made in Czechoslovakia (pre WW2 factory of Thonet). New cane c...
Wicker, Cane, Bentwood
Vienna Secession Bent Oak Side table by Thonet No.012
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Turn of the century Thonet number 12 side table features an elegant, sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striking fluid curves and straight lines with a solid oak ...
Oak
Restored Black ArtDeco Beech Armchair, Thonet Company, Austria, 1920s
By Thonet
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Restored ArtDeco Beech Armchair made by influential Austrian furniture manufacturer Thonet. Maker: Thonet Source: Austria Period: 1920-1929 Material: Beech This item features cl...
Wood, Beech, Lacquer
2010s Lepper Schmidt Sommerlade for Thonet S 845 DRWE Desk Chair in Leather
By Thonet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a Large Executive Desk Chair, Model S 845 DRWE, designed by the design trio Lepper Schmidt Sommerlade for Thonet in 2006. The listed price includes one chair, and we have sev...
Aluminum, Steel
Vienna Secession Bent Oak & Cane Children's Chair No. 14 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Victorian child size Thonet number 14 side chair features an elegant, sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striking fluid curves and elegant round arched back rest....
Oak
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
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
Thonet Style Adjustable Bentwood Piano Stool, Czechoslovakia, 1930s
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
An elegant adjustable bentwood piano stool from Czechoslovakia, dating to the 1930s, featuring a sculptural black-finished beech frame and original-style metal screw adjustment mecha...
Metal, Other
Restored Art Deco Armchair, by Josef Frank for Thonet, Beech, Czech, 1930s
By Josef Frank, Thonet
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This elegant Art Deco armchair comes from Czechoslovakia from the first half of the 20th century and was manufactured by the renowned Thonet company according to the design of the si...
Wood, Beech, Lacquer
19th century bentwood Thonet table
By Michael Thonet, Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
19th century bentwood Thonet table professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
Red Tubular Thonet Armchair by Anton Lorenz, New Leather Upholstery, 1930s
By Anton Lorenz, Thonet
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Bauhaus Art Deco armchair Completely restored, new upholstery and leather Material: Chrome-plated steel Source: Germany, Thonet Period: 1930-1939.
Chrome
Set of 4 German Bentwood Armchairs - Thonet Model 215 Series - Beech & Velvet
By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Thonet
Located in München, Bavaria
Dimensions: With armrests: approx. 54 × 57 × 84 × 46 cm (21.3 × 22.4 × 33.1 × 18.1 in) Without armrests: approx. 45 × 53 × 84 × 46 cm (17.7 × 20.9 × 33.1 × 18.1 in) Original set of ...
Velvet, Beech
Restored ArtDeco Walnut Trolley by Thonet, Chrome-Plated Steel, Czechia, 1930s
By Thonet
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Restored ArtDeco Walnut Trolley by Thonet. Maker: Thonet Source: Czechia (Czechoslovakia) Period: 1930-1939 Material: Walnut, Chrome-Plated Steel Our professional refurbishing team...
Steel, Chrome
Early 20th Century Bentwood Thonet Dining Chairs, Set of 8, Upholstered in Dedar
By Thonet
Located in Portland, ME
New York, circa 1940s A set of eight bentwood original Thonet Industries dining chairs and made in the style of Jacob and Joseph Kohn. The chairs feature curved bentwood frames with...
Cotton, Linen, 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
Rare Thonet A 403/F bentwood armchair by Josef Frank, 1930s
By Thonet, Frank Josef
Located in PRAHA 5, CZ
This piece is a design classic created by Josef Frank around 1928 for the esteemed manufacturer Gebrüder Thonet. Crafted from mahogany-stained bent beech and beech plywood, it exempl...
Beech
$3,954 / set
Austrian chairs in wood by Thonet, 1930s
By Thonet
Located in MIlano, IT
Austrian chairs in wood by Thonet, 1930s Set of six chairs made entirely of wood. Features a contoured wooden seat, a backrest with a double horizontal crosspiece, and slightly arch...
Wood
$1,676Sale Price|50% Off
Restored Biedermeier Étagère, by Thonet, Beech, Walnut, Austria, Vienna, 1910s
By Thonet
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Made by influential Austrian furniture manufacturer Thonet. It has been re-polished with polyutherane piano lacquer by our professional refurbishing team in Czechia according to the...
Wood, Lacquer, Beech, Walnut
Art Nouveau Thonet Cradle, Bentwood, circa 1900
By Thonet
Located in Nagykovácsi, Central Hungary
Beautiful Thonet cradle from the 1900s. The cradle is damaged at the bottom; the lower wooden part is broken (visible in the photo) and has been subseq...
Bentwood
Restored Bauhaus Writing Desk, by Marcel Breuer for Thonet, Chrome, Czech, 1930s
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This iconic writing desk from the 1930s is a remarkable example of Bauhaus design. Designed by Marcel Breuer and manufactured by Thonet, it perfectly combines functionality with aest...
Steel, Chrome
$7,800Sale Price / set|40% Off
Pair of Streamline Lounge Chairs and Sofa by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Pair of streamline lounge chairs and streamline sofa by Thonet in sage cotton velvet and maple stained legs. Dimensions for chairs: 33 H x...
Cotton, Velvet
Restored Bauhaus Pair of Armchairs, Thonet, M. Breuer, Chrome, Czechia, 1930s
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Restored Bauhaus Pair of Armchairs Made By Thonet. Designer: Marcel Breuer Maker: Thonet Material: Chrome-plated Steel Source: Czechia (Czechoslovakia) Period: 1930-1939 Made by in...
Steel, Chrome
Rocking chair for children no.2 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Rocking chair for children no.2 by Thonet with rattan seat in excellent condition.
Rattan, Beech, Bentwood
$4,038Sale Price / set|20% Off
Josef Frank A 63/F Armchairs for Thonet, 1930s
By Thonet, Josef Frank
Located in PRAHA 5, CZ
Pair of rare modernist armchairs first showcased at the Vienna Werkbund exhibition in 1928. Crafted from solid beech (bentwood) and plywood, adorned with a brown lacquer coating, th...
Beech
Bentwood Armchair by Thonet, Beech and Fabric, 1930s
By Thonet
Located in Brussels, BE
Bentwood armchair by Thonet, Beech and Fabric, 1930s Europe.
Bentwood
Rare Thonet display case, Dressoir Thonet n ° 20793 Model from catalog 1904.
By Michael Thonet, Thonet
Located in Mouscron, WHT
Michael Thonet (attribué à ) Deux lits jumeaux en bois courbé ,Sécession Vienoise, circa 1900 jolis décors en bois gaufré top qualité le prix est pour les deux peuvent etre séparés
Beech
Two-Tier Bauhaus Coffee Table by Marcel Breuer for Thonet
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Torino, IT
Iconic two-tiered coffee table attributable to Marcel Breuer, central figure of the Bauhaus movement and pioneer of 20th-century modernist design. Breuer redefined the relationship b...
Metal
Restored Bauhaus Armchair, Marcel Breuer, Thonet, Chrome, Czechia, 1930s
By Marcel Breuer, Thonet
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
Set of Four Bauhaus Armchair, by Bauhaus, Thonet, Leather, Austria, 1920s
By Thonet, Bauhaus
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
According to the original process, our professional refurbishing team in Czechia has restored and reupholstered the item. The chrome parts have been cleaned and professionally rest...
Steel, Chrome
Set of Six Dining Chairs by Thonet Industries, Inc., American, circa 1970
By Thonet
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A striking set of six armchairs by Thonet Industries, the American arm of the legendary Thonet firm, executed in polished tubular chrome steel with newly upholstered seats and curved...
Chrome
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
Rare Thonet display case, Dressoir Thonet n ° 20793 Model from catalog 1904.
By Michael Thonet, Thonet
Located in Mouscron, WHT
Rare Thonet display case, Dressoir Thonet n ° 20793 Model from catalog 1904.
Beech
Restored Art Deco Adjustable Armchair, by Thonet, Beech, Polished, Czech, 1920s
By Thonet
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This reclining armchair is a rare example of the Czech version of the Art Deco style from the early 20th century. The world famous company Thonet manufactured this piece. During this...
Wood, Beech, Lacquer
Jil Sander for Thonet S 64 P Serious 03 in Lacquered Wood an Green 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
1 of 20 Postmodern Memphis Era Thonet Vienna Stackable Signed Dining Chairs, 90s
By Thonet
Located in Zagreb, HR
Exceptionally rare and collectible, postmodern Memphis design original Thonet dining chairs. Sculptural and geometrically shaped. Sold per piece. Twenty pieces available. Produced...
Metal
Jan Bocan armchair for the Czech Embassy of Sweden Stockholm 1972
By Jan Bočan, Thonet
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
$1,047 / item
Vintage Bentwood Bistro Chairs By Thonet, 1920s
By Thonet
Located in Zohor, SK
Beautiful vintage dining chair produced by Thonet, retaining its original burned factory stamps and paper label on the underside. Crafted from solid oak with an original molded plywo...
Oak, Bentwood, Plywood
ST 664 Shell Chairs, Designed by Eddie Harlis, Orange
By Thonet, Eddie Harlis
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The ST 664 chair designed by Eddie Harlis in 1954. Thonet manufactured the chairs in Germany. These chairs are no longer produced. The chair has an orange painted finish and are made...
Steel, Chrome
Vienna Secession Bent Oak & Cane Bar Stool w/ Backrest by Gebrüder Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Victorian style cane and bent oak bar stool features an elegant, sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striking fluid curves and curved back rest. The seat features ...
Cane, Oak
Late Victorian Oak & Caine Scrolling Rocking Chair by Thonet No. 4
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Turn of the century Vienna Secession bent oak No. 4 rocking chair by Thonet features an elegant, sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striking fluid curves and eleg...
Wicker, Oak
Vienna Secession Bent Oak & Caine Children's High Chair by Gebrüder Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Vienna Secession children's or doll's high chair by Thonet, crafted from beautifully bent oak with a hand-woven cane seat. Featuring elegant flowing lines, a curved ladder-back, inte...
Oak
Vienna Secession Bent Oak & Cane Bistro Children's Chair by Thonet No.015
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Victorian style child size Thonet number 15 oak side chair features an elegant, sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striking fluid curves and elegant round arched ...
Oak
Vienna Secession Bent Oak Wash Shaving Stand by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Late Victorian bentwood wash/shaving stand by Thonet. Crafted with the companies signature steam-bent bentwood frame, the settee features its striking, all-original embossed plywood ...
Oak
Pair of Red Bauhaus Armchairs Made in 30s Germany, Designed by Anton Lorenz
By Anton Lorenz, Thonet
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Pair of red Bauhaus armchairs made out of high quality leather and Chrome plated steel. Made in´30s Germany by Thonet and Designed by Anton Lorenz. Full...
Steel, Chrome
1951 Set of 4 Bauhaus W199 Arm Chairs by Walter Gropius and Ben Thompson
By Walter Gropius, Ben Thompson, Thonet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an outstanding set of 4 W199 Birch Armchairs, designed by Walter Gropius and Ben Thompson for Thonet in 1951. They were produced in Austria in the early 1950s and the listed ...
Birch
1984 Thonet S320 Armchairs by Schneider & Böhme, Gray Upholstery, Pair
By Thonet, Wulf Schneider, Ulrich Bohme
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
A Rare Triangular Thonet Bentwood Card Table, Circa 1900
By Thonet
Located in London, GB
A Rare Triangular Thonet Bentwood Card Table, Circa 1900 A beautiful bentwood design featuring a triangular playing surface covered in green woollen baize. The table stands on elega...
Beech
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
Bentwood dining chair no.20 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Bentwood dining chair no.20 by Thonet. Professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
Pair of Secession Armchairs Atr. Adolf Loos Ex. by Thonet
By Adolf Loos, Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Pair of secession armchairs atr. Adolf Loos ex. by Thonet in original condition.
Bentwood
Very rare pre poduction verner panton f-270 loungechairs
By Verner Panton, Thonet
Located in Munich, DE
very rare pre-production lounge chairs by verner panton for thonet. in a very limited first run the chairs where produced without the metal piece attaching the backrest. but the cons...
Metal
$5,106Sale Price / set|20% Off
Josef Hoffmann for Stendig Bentwood Cane Dining Chairs, Set of Six
By Thonet, Josef Hoffmann
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Refined and sculptural, this set of six Stendig cane armchairs is attributed to Josef Hoffmann and crafted in Czechoslovakia. Each chair features a gracefully bent beechwood frame wi...
Cane, Beech
1990s Thonet Bentwood Lounge Chairs in Ebony Wood with Red Fabric
By Thonet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a single (listing price is for each chair, though four are available) bentwood lounge chair by Thonet. The chairs have ebonized wood frames with red fabric upholst...
Fabric, 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
Thonet Bentwood Magazine Rack, Beechwood, Art Nouveau, c. 1880
By Thonet
Located in Saint-Amans-des-Cots, FR
Bentwood Magazine Rack by Thonet Gebrüder (Vienna), Austria, ca. 1880 — Beechwood. This exceptional 19th-century bentwood magazine rack by Thonet Gebrüder (Vienna), crafted circa 18...
Beech
Thonet Art Nouveau Bentwood Shoe Shine or Fitting Stool, Vienna, Austria, 1900s
By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Thonet
Located in Vienna, AT
A rare Jugendstil / Art Nouveau shoe store fitter’s stool with seat, dating from around 1900–1910, once used in a traditional shoe shop of the early 20th century. Crafted from beech...
Wood, Beech, Bentwood
1970S Chairs Designed by Gerd Lange Arm Chairs for Thonet, 1970s
By Thonet, Gerd Lange
Located in Antwerp, BE
Vintage set of two Desk- Dining Chairs chairs designed by Gerd Lange for Thonet, 1970s. Very rare arm chairs featured in grey plywood and steel rubber armrests height 66 cm. Chairs a...
Metal
Pierre Paulin 442 Fauteuils
By Thonet, Pierre Paulin
Located in Washington, DC
Pierre Paulin very rare pair of 442 fauteuils with two loose cushions. Beautiful and unusual flare with color scheme.
Fabric
Bauhaus Style S3002 Tub Sofa by Christoph Zschoke for Thonet, 2000s
By Thonet
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Stunning and elegant Bauhaus style S3002 sofa. Design by Christoph Zschoke for Thonet. Striking German design from the 2000s. Original plywood and tubular steel frame, reupholstered ...
Chrome
$1,506Sale 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