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.
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
$3,068
Thonet Chair No.1
By Michael Thonet, Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Thonet dining chair no.1 in very good original condition.
Bentwood
Emile Guillot Tubular Steel Modernist Armchair Made by Thonet
By Thonet, Emile Guillot
Located in London, GB
Emile Guillot tubular steel modernist armchair made by Thonet. The shaped headrest, arms and shaped seat are ebonized Beech wood.
Steel
Bentwood daybed no.2 by Thonet
By Michael Thonet, Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Bentwood daybed no.2 by Thonet in original vintage condition with signs of use.
Rattan, Bentwood
$3,068 / 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
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
$2,600 / item
Thonet Armchairs by Otto Wagner
By Thonet, Otto Wagner
Located in Vienna, AT
Design attributed to Otto Wagner. Wood finish and upholstery according to customer requirements. Price for already restored ones. Up to eight pieces available, more on request. Deli...
Leather, Beech, Bentwood
Thonet S 33 Vintage Cognac Vegetal Leather Chair Mart Stam Cantilever 1 of 2
By Mart Stam, Thonet
Located in Munich, Bavaria
These Cantilever vintage chairs are Bauhaus classics and were designed 1926 by Mart Stam and produced by Thonet with the Model name S33. It is a thick saddle vegetal tanned leather t...
Steel, Chrome
Armchair number 6151 by Adolf Loos for Thonet, 1900s, France
By Adolf Loos, Thonet
Located in Brussels, BE
Armchair number 6151 by Adolf Loos for Thonet, 1900s, France Adolf Franz Karl Viktor Maria Loos( 10 December 1870 – 23 August 1933) was an Austrian and Czechoslovak architect, influ...
Beech
Set of 6 Mies van der Rohe MR10 white cantilever dining chairs for Thonet, 1980s
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Thonet
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
$2,240Sale Price / set|20% Off
Super Slick Pair of Thonet Chairs
By Thonet
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Thonet tub chairs in great original condition. We believe they are upholstered in leather, however it's possible the upholstery is actually vi...
Upholstery
Early Mid-Century Modern Thonet Armchair Attributed To Russel Wright
By Thonet, Russel Wright
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This early Mid-Century Modern lounge armchair was manufactured by Thonet circa late 40s - early 50s. This chair design has been attributed to the noted American Modern designer Russe...
Chenille, Maple
Gerd Lange Thonet Molded Plastic and Birch Wood Mid Century Modern Arm Chair
By Thonet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Please message us with your zip code to request a more reasonable domestic U.S. shipping quote. Vintage Gerd Lange for Thonet Molded Plastic and Birch Wood Mid Century Modern Arm Ch...
Plastic, Birch
Large Secession Armchair no.6549 by Josef Hoffmann for Thonet
By Thonet, Josef Hoffmann
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Large secession armchair no.6549 by Josef Hoffmann for Thonet professionally stained and repolished. Marked on the bottom.
Bentwood
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
1980s Chair by Ton, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good original condition. - Made in Czechoslovakia. - Wood cleaned and then treated with revitalizing oil. - Shows signs of use (scratches, scuffs, etc.). - Stable and sturdy. - Ma...
Wood, Beech, Bentwood
Extremely rare armchair no.6521 by Otto Wagner for Thonet
By Otto Wagner, Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Magnificent and highly sought-after piece of design history: an original Otto Wagner Armchair, Model No. 6521, manufactured by the world-renowned Thonet around 1900-1905. This icon...
Beech, Bentwood
Francesco Zaccone for Thonet Golf Dining Chairs, Germany, 1970
By Thonet, Francesco Zaccone
Located in Almelo, NL
Francesco Zaccone for Thonet golf dining chairs, Germany, 1970 Presenting this stunning set of 12 ‘Golf’ chairs by Francesco Zaccone for Thonet. Beautifu...
Aluminum, Chrome
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
1970s Set of Four Beech Dining Chairs by TON, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- newly reupholstered - wooden parts has been repolished - sturdy and stable
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood, Beech
Restored Bauhaus Armchair, by Marcel Breuer for Thonet, Chrome, Czech, 1930s
By Marcel Breuer, Thonet
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This cantilever armchair represents the absolute pinnacle of interwar world design and the avant-garde Bauhaus aesthetic from the 1930s. This revolutionary concept of a resilient, sp...
Steel, Chrome
$5,664 / set
Rare bentwood armchairs by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Rare bentwood armchairs by Thonet. Professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
Bentwood chair by Thonet no.54
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Bentwood chair by Thonet no.54. Professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
$649 / set
Set of Two Bentwood Chairs, Ton 1989
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- made in Czechoslovakia - made of wood, fabric - the fabric has some signs of use - good, original condition. - seat height 47 cm.
Fabric, Wood
$3,840Sale Price|20% Off
Josef Frank Armchair, Model No. 403/F, 1928
By Josef Frank, Thonet
Located in Chicago, IL
Josef Frank Armchair, Model No. 403/F, 1928 This Armchair, designed by Josef Frank in 1928, features a stained bent beech frame and stained beech plywood. It was manufactured by Gebr...
Bouclé, Beech
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
$264Sale Price / item|20% Off
Hajdúthonet Bar Stool, Bent Beechwood, Modern Design, Hungary, 1970s
By Thonet
Located in Debrecen, HU
Discover this elegant and sturdy bar stool from the early 1970s, crafted by Hajdúthonet in Debrecen, Hungary, specifically for the American market. This unique piece is made of bent ...
Wood
Rare Set of Two Bauhaus Armchairs B 246 by Josef Frank for Thonet, 1930s
By Josef Frank, Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
Rare Bauhaus armchairs B 246 designed by Josef Frank and manufactured by Thonet in 1930s. Historically, this model was among those installed in the iconic Villa Rezek in Vienna, buil...
Bentwood
Bauhaus chair no.811 by Josef Hoffmann
By Josef Hoffmann, Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Bauhaus chair no.811 by Josef Hoffmann for Thonet in very nice original condition with signs of use.
Rattan, Beech, Bentwood
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
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
12 Dining Chairs, Manufactured for export in Argentina, with original labels
By Thonet
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
12 Chairs Made for Argentina by Thonet. It is verified on the label that it has the word Manufacturing in Spanish (Fabricacion Checo-Eslovaca) / Thonet Delivered restored at the cust...
Wood
$1,700 / item
ST 664 Shell Chairs, Designed by Eddie Harlis
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 a yellow stained finish and are made ...
Steel, Chrome
Thonet S 33 Vintage Cognac Vegetal Leather Chair Mart Stam Cantilever 1 of 2
By Thonet, Mart Stam
Located in Munich, Bavaria
These Cantilever vintage chairs are Bauhaus classics and were designed 1926 by Mart Stam and produced by Thonet with the Model name S33. Original Thonet Chairs. The chairs usually h...
Steel, Chrome
$2,832 / set
Four Thonet bent beech and perforated wood
By Thonet
Located in Milano, IT
Four bent beech and perforated wood chairs with cane seats. Thonet manufacture, Austria, circa 1920s.
Bentwood
1930s Pair of Restored Thonet Armchairs, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Carefully refurbished and finished in shellac - Newly upholstered - Labeled - Beech wood
Fabric, Wood, Beech
Secession Desk Chair No. 25 by Thonet
By Thonet, August Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Secession desk chair no. 25 by Thonet with new handmade rattan seat professionally stained and repolished.
Rattan, Bentwood
Josef Maria Olbrich, Pair of armchairs for Thonet, Austria, 1910
By Thonet, Joseph Maria Olbrich
Located in Argelato, BO
Josef Maria Olbrich, Pair of armchairs for Thonet, Austria, 1910 Rare and extraordinary set of 2 bent beech chairs by the architect and designer Olbrich for Thonet from an important office in Trieste...
Bentwood
Antique Armchair No. 752 by Josef Frank for Thonet, 1920s
By Josef Frank, Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
This antique armchair, model no. 752, was designed in the 1920s by Josef Frank for Thonet and originates from Austria. It is made from beech and features an upholstery seat. This pie...
Upholstery, Beech, Bentwood
Antique Bentwood Leather Chaise Longue by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in London, GB
An outstanding antique bentwood leather chaise longue by Thonet, made in Austria and dating from around the 1880-1900 period. It is a most impressive piece, the quality is outstandi...
Leather, Bentwood
Set of Four Thonet Chairs Attributed to Otto Prutscher
By Otto Prutscher, Thonet
Located in Vienna, AT
Set of four rare Thonet chairs attributed to Otto Prutscher. Fully restored, upholstered with Backhausen fabric "Blumengarten".
Beech, Plywood
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
Pair of Model SS33 Chrome Bauhaus Style Arm Chairs by Anton Lorenz for Thonet
By Thonet, Anton Lorenz
Located in San Diego, CA
Pair of vintage Model SS33 chrome Bauhaus style arm chairs by Anton Lorenz for Thonet, circa 1970s. The pair are in very good vintage condition and measure 23"W x 22"D x 29"H with a ...
Chrome
Rare Blac Secession Thonet Chair
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Very rare blac secession Thonet chair.
Beech, Bentwood
$5,900
Art Nouveau Thonet Chair
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Art nouveau Thonet chair.
Beech, Bentwood
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
1930 Pair of Armchairs + Spider Table, by Halabala for Thonet, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet, Jindřich Halabala
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good original condition - Table: 65 x 65 x 65 cm.
Fabric, Wood
Dining Chair/Thonet, 1880s
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Made in Wien - Made of bentwood, beechwood - Restored - Labeled - Good condition.
Beech, Bentwood
$2,242 / set
Pair of Thonet armchairs, model 209, ca 2000
By Thonet
Located in Uppsala, SE
Pair of armchairs, model 209 (also called Wiener Stuhl), made by Thonet, one of which is marked. Legendary Swiss architect Le Corbusier was fascinated with this model and used it in ...
Rattan, Bentwood
1960s Antonin Suman Set of Six Beech Dining Chairs, Restored
By Thonet, Antonín Šuman
Located in Praha, CZ
- Newly upholstered - Carefully refurbished - Armchairs dimensions: Height: 78 cm ,Seat height 47cm Width: 55cm ,Depth: 56cm ,Height of the armrests: 68 cm
Fabric, Wood
1930s Adolf Loos Office Chair Model 669 for Cafe Capua by Thonet
By Adolf Loos, Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Carefully refurbished and finish by shellac. - Measures: height of the armrests are 71cm. - height of seat 44 cm.
Wood
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
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
$2,596Sale Price / set|24% Off
Set of 2 Thonet Armchairs, Model B246, 1930s, Restored & Reupholstered
By Thonet, Josef Frank
Located in Wrocław, Poland
This set of 2 armchairs was produced by Thonet (original paper labels are still under the seats as you may see in the attached picture) and most probably designed by Josef Frank. Thi...
Linen, Bentwood
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
Red High-Quality Leather Bauhaus Sofa by Thonet, Chrome, Fully Restored, 1930s
By Thonet
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Red high-quality leather Bauhaus sofa with chrome tubular steel frame. Period : 1930-1939. Source : Czechia (Czechoslovakia). Maker : Thonet Material : Beech, high-quality leat...
Chrome
Pair of Mid-Century Modern Leather Bentwood Swivel Armchairs by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Pair of Mid-Century Modern, bent maple, swivel armchairs by Thonet with newly upholstered seats, backs and armrests in cream leather. Measure: The arm height is 26 inches.
Leather, Maple