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 deco desk chair A64F by Adolf Gustav Schneck for Thonet Mundus
By Thonet, Gustav Adolf Schneck
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Art deco desk chair A64F by Adolf Gustav Schneck for Thonet Mundus. Professionally stained and repolished with french polish and new leather seat.
Leather, Beech, Bentwood
Peter Danko for Thonet Bentwood Dining Chairs, Set of 6
By Thonet, Peter Danko
Located in Hamburg, PA
Set of six Peter Danko bentwood dining chairs for Thonet: four side chairs and two armchairs. Molded plywood frames with a warm stained finish, vertically slotted backs, and gently c...
Leather, Plywood
$1,161 / set
Thonet Stools No.144
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Thonet stools no.144 professionally stained and repolished.
Rattan, Bentwood
4 Dining Chairs, with original labels (Restoration at the client's choice)
By Thonet
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
4 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 custo...
Wood
Office chairs no.6048 and no.6148 by Otto Wagner for Thonet
By Otto Wagner, Thonet
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
1951 Set of 4 Bauhaus W199 Arm Chairs by Walter Gropius and Ben Thompson
By Thonet, Walter Gropius, Ben Thompson
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
7er Set Thonet Stühle 210 P Bugholz 1960er gelb Designklassiker
By Thonet
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes 7er Set äußerst seltener Thonet 210 P Bugholzstühle der frühen Generationen aus den 1960er Jahren zum Verkauf an. Das Holz wurd...
Fabric, Bentwood
Thonet office chair with rattan seat
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Thonet office chair with rattan seat professionally stained and repolished, new handmade rattan seat.
Rattan, Beech
Austrian wooden foldable Thonet armchair with Vienna straw, late 1800s
By Thonet
Located in MIlano, IT
Austrian wooden Thonet armchair with Vienna straw, late 1800s Armchair in wood and Vienna straw. The wooden structure has a round section and has rounded lines that form the elements...
Straw, Wood
Secession office chair no.6513 by Otto Wagner
By Otto Wagner, Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Secession office chair no.6513 by Otto Wagner. Professionally stained and repolished with new fabric.
Brass
Early Thonet No. 209 Armchair, Reupholstered in Dedar Velvet Fabric
By Thonet
Located in Krefeld, DE
An iconic Thonet No. 209 armchair, beautifully reupholstered in luxurious Dedar velvet fabric. Designed in 1900, the Thonet 209 is one of the most celebrated examples of bentwood fu...
Velvet, Bentwood
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 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
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
Children Size Vienna Secession Bent Oak & Cane Bistro Armchair by Thonet No.016
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Childrens size Thonet number 16 oak armchair features an elegant, sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striking fluid curves and elegant round arched back rest. The...
Wicker, Oak
$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
$1,242Sale Price|30% Off
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
$8,710 / 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
Pair of Thonet Bentwood and Bakelite Stacking Stools, Mid Century Modern
By Thonet, Alvar Aalto
Located in Miami, FL
Pair of Thonet Bentwood and Bakelite Stacking Stools. The white bakelite tops are 14" in diameter. Ready for a new home.
Bakelite, Bentwood
Restored Bauhaus Pair of Armchairs, by Thonet, by Marcel Breuer, Czech, 1930s
By Marcel Breuer, Thonet
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, Iron
1970s Marcel Breuer for Thonet Stool in Chrome and Off-White Fabric
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a Marcel Breuer Stool, originally designed for Thonet in the 1920s. This particular piece dates to the 1970s. The stool features Breuer's signature tubular chrome steel frame...
Steel
Office chair Gebrüder Thonet no.23
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Acquire a remarkable piece of design history with these authentic antique office armchairs, model No. 23, manufactured by Thonet Austria. Dating back to the 1885–1920 period, these c...
Fabric, Beech, Bentwood
Bentwood Armchair by Thonet, Beech and Fabric, 1930s
By Thonet
Located in Brussels, BE
Bentwood armchair by Thonet, Beech and Fabric, 1930s Europe.
Bentwood
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
Mid Century Thonet No 10 Bentwood and Cane Rocker w/ Rose Damask Velvet Cushions
By Thonet
Located in Germantown, MD
Mid-Century Thonet No 10 Bentwood and Cane Rocker with Rose Damask Velvet Cushions. Measures 20" in width, 43" in depth and 39" in height. Seat height is 18".
Velvet, Cane, Bentwood
$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
Austrian post-modern chairs 411 by Marcel Kammerer for Thonet, 1990s
By Thonet, Marcel Kammerer
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
$1,260Sale Price|30% Off
Late Victorian Hand Sculpted Walnut Commode Chamber Pot w/ Lid by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Late Victorian sculpted walnut chamber pot with original lid and enameled metal bowl by Thonet featuring an sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned wood with tapered legs. A great d...
Oak
$1,103 / 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
$626Sale Price|30% Off
Vienna Secession Sculpted Oak Side Chair w/ Carved Backrest, Jacob & Josef Kohn
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Victorian sculpted oak side chair with a carved Backrest by Jacob & Josef Kohn featuring an elegant, sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striking fluid curves and ...
Wicker, Oak
$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
Pair of Bauhaus Armchairs, by Marcel Breuer for Thonet, Chrome, Czech, 1930s
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This exceptional pair of armchairs in the spirit of Bauhaus functionalism dates from the 1930s in Czechoslovakia and bears the unmistakable signature of prominent designer Marcel Bre...
Chrome, Steel
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
$549Sale Price|30% Off
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
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
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
$1,249Sale Price|30% Off
Late Victorian Bent Oak & Cane Nr. 8256 Armchair by DLG Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Victorian bent oak & cane number 8256 oak armchair chair by Thonet features an elegant, sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striking fluid curves and elegant round...
Wicker, Oak
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
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
$1,120Sale Price|30% Off
Vienna Secession Bent Oak & Cane Foling Chair No. 01 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Victorian child-size Thonet number 01 folding chair with woven cane seat and backrest. It features an elegant, sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striking fluid c...
Cane, Oak
$1,746Sale Price|30% Off
Vienna Secession Bent Oak Children's High Chair w/ Cane Seat by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Late Victorian children's high chair by Thonet, crafted from beautifully bent oak with a hand-woven cane seat. Featuring elegant flowing lines, a curved ladder-back, integrated feedi...
Wicker, Oak
$1,925Sale Price|30% Off
Vienna Secession Bent Oak & Cane Swivel Desk Chair No 11 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Victorian bent oak & cane number 11 oak swivel desk chair by Thonet features an elegant, sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striking fluid curves and elegant roun...
Iron
$556Sale Price|30% Off
Vienna Secession Bent Oak & Cane Rocking Foot w/ Bolt Stool by Thonet No.7001
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Victorian Thonet No.7001 rocking chair foot stool featuring an elegant, sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striking fluid curves and elegant round arched back res...
Rattan, Oak
1951 Set of Four W199 Dining Arm Chairs by Walter Gropius and Ben Thompson
By Walter Gropius, Thonet, Ben Thompson
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an outstanding set of 4 W199 Birch Armchairs, designed by Walter Gropius and Ben Thompson for Gebruder Thonet in 1951. They were produced in Austria in the early 1950s and th...
Steel
S 64 PV Cantilever Armrest Bauhaus Chair by Thonet Frankenberg
By Thonet
Located in Nuernberg, DE
This elegant vintage armchair S 64 PV by Thonet is a refined example of classic European tubular steel furniture. The chair features a beautifully curved chrome-plated tubular steel ...
Metal
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
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
Set of two Stools Plywood designed by Gerd Lange for Thonet, 1970s
By Thonet, Gerd Lange
Located in Antwerp, BE
Set of 2 stools designed by Gerd Lange. Gerd Lange is one of the most influential German furniture designers of the 1970s and 1980s. He was known for his extremely down-to-earth, fun...
Metal
$490Sale Price|30% Off
Vienna Secession Bent Oak & Cane Children's Side Chair No. 13 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Victorian child size Thonet number 13 side chair features an elegant, sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striking fluid curves and elegant round arched back rest....
Oak
$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
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
$556Sale Price|30% Off
Vienna Secession Dark Bent Oak & Cane Rocking Foot Stool by Thonet No.7001
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Victorian Thonet No.7001 rocking chair foot stool featuring an elegant, sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striking fluid curves and elegant round arched back res...
Rattan, Oak
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
$1,672Sale Price / set|20% Off
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
$682Sale Price|30% Off
Vienna Secession Bent Oak & Cane Scrolling Children Sized Rocking Chair, Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Turn of the century Vienna Secession oak child size rocking chair features an elegant, sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striking fluid curves and elegant swirls...
Rattan, Oak
$2,780 / set
Set of Chairs by Gerd Lange for Thonet
By Gerd Lange, Thonet
Located in Čelinac, BA
Set of four chairs by Gerd Lange for Thonet.
Metal
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
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
$3,985Sale 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
Thonet Chair HO. 41, 1905s
By Michael Thonet, Thonet
Located in Čelinac, BA
Thonet chair HO 41, restored in good condition. Designed by Michael Thonet.
Plywood