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.
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
Thonet dining chair no.103
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Thonet dining chair no.103. Professionally stained and repolished.
Rattan, Beech, Bentwood
Bentwood daybed no.2 by Thonet
By Michael Thonet, Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Bentwood daybed no.2 by Thonet in original vintage condition with signs of use.
Rattan, 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
Thonet office chair with rattan seat
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Thonet office chair with rattan seat professionally stained and repolished, new handmade rattan seat.
Rattan, Beech
$1,975Sale Price / set|69% Off
4 Thonet Arm chairs in red pleather
By Thonet
Located in Bronx, NY
A set of 4 Arm chairs. Bentwood and upholstered back and seat in red pleather.
Modernist Maple Josef Frank Fabric Eight Dining Chairs Karl Schwanzer, 1950s
By Thonet, Karl Schwanzer
Located in Vienna, AT
Modernist Mid-Century Modern vintage eight ( 8 ) dining chairs or chairs from maple wood in honey brown color tone by Karl Schwanzer for Thonet 1953 Vienna. A gorgeous set of eight (...
Fabric, Upholstery, Maple
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
Josef Hoffmann for Stendig Bentwood Cane Dining Chairs, Set of Six
By Josef Hoffmann, Thonet
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
Rare Thonet A 403/F bentwood armchair by Josef Frank, 1930s
By Frank Josef, Thonet
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
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
1970s Antonin Suman Chair by TON in Kirkby Fabric
By Thonet, Antonín Šuman
Located in Praha, CZ
- Carefully refurbished - Newly upholstered in Zinc luxury fabric :SOL silver grey
Fabric, Wood
$1,972 / set
Set of Four Dining Chairs or Thonet, 1960s
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Made in Czechoslovakia - Made of beechwood - Presented on the exhibition Expo 58 in Brussel - Good, original condition.
Beech
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
$6,573 / set
Set of 4 Fledermaus Chairs Executed by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Set of 4 Fledermaus chairs executed by Thonet in 1999. Original vintage condition with signs of usage.
Fabric, Bentwood
Restored Art Deco Piano Swivel Stool, by Thonet, Beech, Polished, Czech, 1930s
By Thonet
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Highest height: 55 cm (21.7 in) Lowest height: 43 cm (16.9 in) Diameter: 52 cm (20.5 in) This piano stool is an elegant and functional accessory from the Czechoslovak Art Deco perio...
Wood, Beech, Lacquer
$4,541 / set
Dining Chairs No.81 by Thonet Debrecsen
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Dining chairs no.81 by Thonet Debrecsen executed in 1980s. Excellent original condition.
Fabric, 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
$2,486Sale Price|42% Off
Siesta Medizinal by Hans and Wassili Luckhardt for Thonet, 1930s
By Hans & Wassili Luckhardt, Thonet
Located in Ljubljana, SI
Design classic “Siesta Medizinal” by Hans and Wassili Luckhardt for Thonet Frankenberg with a height adjustable leather neck support as well...
Leather, Wood
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
Set of 8 Thonet chairs from the first half of the 1900s
By Thonet
Located in SAN PIETRO MOSEZZO, NO
Interesting set of No. 8 chairs marked Thonet Vienna and dating from the first half of the 1900s in Art Nouveau or Art Nouveau style. The chairs are made of beech wood and are brand...
Beech
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
1960s Set of 4 Oswald Haerdtl Dining Chairs for Ton/Thonet, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Made in Czechoslovakia in the 1960s - Made of wood, fabric. - Good, original condition. - Seat height 47 cm - The wood shows signs of use - Fabric suitable for exchange.
Fabric, Wood
Pair of Contemporary S 35 Lounge Chairs by Marcel Breuer for Thonet
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Norwalk, CT
This pair of iconic S 35 lounge chairs features heavy-duty black leather seats slung over tubular polished chrome frames, with black stained beechwood armres...
Chrome
$5,976
Art Nouveau Thonet Chair
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Art nouveau Thonet chair.
Beech, Bentwood
1960s Oswald Haerdtl, Set of 4 Dining Chairs by TON, Czechoslovakia
By Oswald Haerdtl, Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good original condition with minor signs of use - original upholstery with minor sings of use
Fabric, Wood
$636Sale Price|20% Off
ZPM Radomsko for Thonet Bentwood Cafe Armchair
By Thonet, ZPM Radomsko
Located in Fort Collins, CO
Bentwood furniture came to prominence in the early 1900s, and was a staple in cafes and restaurants in Europe. This is a bentwood armchair, designed by ZPM Radomsko in Poland and pro...
Wood
$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
4er Set Mid Century Stühle Thonet Modell 811 Josef Hoffmann
By Josef Hoffmann, Thonet
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 3 Chair Ludwig Mies van der Rohe "MR10" by Thonet
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Thonet
Located in Firenze, FI
Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe "MR10" by Thonet set 3 chair. - Chromed tubular steel frame - Original rattan or cane seat - Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and produced by Thonet...
Steel
$2,629 / set
4x chair J&J Kohn Nr.415, Gustav Siegel, 1906
By Thonet, Gustav Siegel
Located in Praha, CZ
"Viennese Art Nouveau, variant of chair no. 415, designed by Gustav Siegl in 1906, manufactured by J&J Kohn. In beautiful original condition. Solid, ready to be upholstered. Minor ...
Bentwood
Extremely rare armchairs no.6521 by Otto Wagner for Thonet
By Thonet, Otto Wagner
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Extremely rare armchairs no.6521 Thonet Otto Wagner in very good original contidion with signs of use.
Beech
Bentwood dining room chair by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Bentwood dining room chair by Thonet. Professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
Thonet Rocking Footrest
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Thonet rocking footrest in very good original condition with signs of usage.
Rattan, Bentwood
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
$1,314 / set
Secession Dining Chairs by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Secession bentwood Thonet dining chairs. Professionally stained and repolished with new handmade rattan seats.
Rattan, Bentwood
1980s Rare Dining/Side Chair by Ton in White Cream Bouclé Fabric
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Made in Czechoslovakia. - Newly upholstered. - Wooden parts with minor signs of use. - Measures: height of seat 42 cm. - Cream white color.
Wood, Bouclé
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
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
1960 Set of 4 Retro Suman Chairs and Table, Czechoslovakia
By Antonín Šuman, Thonet
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
Dining Chair/Thonet, 1880s
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Made in Wien - Made of bentwood, beechwood - Restored - Labeled - Good condition.
Beech, Bentwood
Thonet Model K411 cantilever armchair first series Bauhaus tubular steel, 1930
By Thonet
Located in Berlin, DE
This rare Thonet Model K411 cantilever armchair, produced around 1930, is an important example of early Bauhaus Modernism and one of the first tubular steel armchairs manufactured in...
Chrome
Secession office chair attr. to Marcel Kammerer for Thonet
By Thonet, Marcel Kammerer
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Secession office chair attr. to Marcel Kammerer for Thonet in very nice original codition with signs of use.
Fabric, Beech, Bentwood
Art deco armchairs A752F by Jozef Frank for Thonet
By Josef Frank, Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Art deco armchairs A752F by Jozef Frank for Thonet. Professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
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
1970s Modular Three Seater Sofa by TON, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Newly reupholstered - The beech wooden frames has been refurbished - Hight of seat 36cm.
Fabric, Beech
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
MCM Danish Bentwood Dining Chair, One Chair, 1960s (2 Available)
By Thonet, Charles Eames
Located in Basel, BS
Stunning very cool Thonet black and Walnut bentwood dining chair. Two available. These are very sturdy, iconic, comfortable dining chairs. They are also excellent options for use a...
Bentwood
Design Classic - Verner Panton, S Chair Model 276 for Thonet, 1965
By Thonet, Verner Panton
Located in Renens, CH
Model 276 S chair, designed by Verner Panton for Thonet in 1965. Unlike his more well-known plastic and metal designs, this early model is crafted entirely from molded wood, showca...
Plywood
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
Art nouveau desk chair by Gustav Siegel for Thonet
By Gustav Siegel, Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Art nouveau desk chair by Gustav Siegel for Thonet. Professionally stained and repolished with new fabric.
Fabric, Beech, Bentwood
Thonet Bentwood Red and Black Lacquered Modernist Desk Chair
By Thonet
Located in Westport, CT
Thonet bentwood vintage red and black lacquered plywood inspired by Eames DCW desk/dining chair, great form and comfort.
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
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
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
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
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
Armchair "B35 moderniste," Marcel Breuer for Thonet, Germany 1930
By Marcel Breuer, Thonet
Located in Torino, IT
Armchair "B35 moderniste," Marcel Breuer for Thonet, Germany 1930
Metal
Art nouveau wingchair no.6542 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Art nouveau wingchair no.6542 by Thonet in original vintage condition with signs of use.
Beech, Bentwood
Secession Desk Chair No. 25 by Thonet
By August Thonet, Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Secession desk chair no. 25 by Thonet with new handmade rattan seat professionally stained and repolished.
Rattan, Bentwood