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.
$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
Rocking Chair S826 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Neuss, NW
Classic rocking chair by Ulrich Böhme for Thonet. Designed in 1971, model S826. Frame made of chrome-plated tubular steel. The rocking chair has been reupholstered and covered with a...
Steel
Rare Armchair A 403/F by Adolf Schneck for Thonet
By Gustav Adolf Schneck, Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Rare armchair A 403/F by Adolf Schneck for Thonet professionally stained and repolished.
Bentwood
C. 1977 Italian Cantilever Side Chair in Chromed Steel with Caned Seat and Back
By Thonet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a Tubular Chromed-Steel Cantilever Z Chair, designed in the 1970s. This chair dates to ca. 1977 and was produced by Thonet. It has a Vienna Braid caned seat and back, and it ...
Chrome, Steel
Vintage Thonet No 17 Armchair 1970s
By Thonet
Located in Čelinac, BA
Thonet No 17 Armchair 1970s
Bentwood
Grey Bauhaus Sofa Made in 1930s Czechia by Robert Slezak, Designed by Thonet
By Robert Slezák, Thonet
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
$1,116 / 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
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
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
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
Set of 4 German Bentwood Armchairs - Thonet Model 215 Series - Beech & Velvet
By Thonet, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH
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 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
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
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
$3,949 / 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
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
$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
$4,033Sale 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
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
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
Set of Four Bauhaus Armchair, by Bauhaus, Thonet, Leather, Austria, 1920s
By Bauhaus, Thonet
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
$1,046 / 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
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
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
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 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
$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
$1,504Sale 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
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
1984 Thonet S320 Armchairs by Schneider & Böhme, Gray Upholstery, Pair
By Ulrich Bohme, Thonet, Wulf Schneider
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
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
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
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
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
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
Thonet Art Nouveau Bentwood Shoe Shine or Fitting Stool, Vienna, Austria, 1900s
By Thonet, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH
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
Early rare chrome Bauhaus Marcel Breuer B 35 Armchairs, Thonet - 1930s
By Marcel Breuer, Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Thonet - 1930, earliest model - good condition,original screws, one missing - suitable for new upholstery
Steel, Chrome
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
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
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
Set of Two Rare 1970s Czechoslovakian Bentwood Armchairs by TON in Colorful Patt
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
An exceptionally rare and architecturally compelling set of two modernist armchairs manufactured by the renowned TON furniture works in Czechoslovakia during the 1970s. Utilizing the...
Fabric, Wood, Textile, Bentwood
Vienna Secession style 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 ...
Rattan, Oak
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
Early Nr 5 Chair Thonet Made for First International Exposition in London in 185
By Thonet
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Early model of chair created by thonet in 1851 for first international exposition of London. This example shows some differences with the 2 chairs on catalogue and is a mixed betwee...
Nutwood, Plywood
MCM Danish Bentwood Dining Chair, One Chair, 1960s (2 Available)
By Charles Eames, Thonet
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
Thonet Chair HO. 41, 1905s
By Thonet, Michael Thonet
Located in Čelinac, BA
Thonet chair HO 41, restored in good condition. Designed by Michael Thonet.
Plywood
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Original "Thonet" Office Chair
By Thonet
Located in Medina, OH
"Thonet" office arm chair in its original fabric. "Thonet" stamped under chair. It is in great condition and perfect to be added to an office!
Upholstery, Oak, Bentwood
Original CM197 Armchair by Pierre Paulin for Thonet France
By Thonet, Pierre Paulin
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Original CM197 armchair by Pierre Paulin. Designed for Thonet, France in 1958. Green vinyl upholstery in excellent original condition. Can be reupholstered easi...
Refurbished Thonet Chairs 320 by Wulf Schneider and Ulrich Bohme, Austria 1984
By Ulrich Bohme, Wulf Schneider, Thonet
Located in Beograd, RS
In this listing you will find a set of 4 Thonet Dining Chairs Model S320, designed by by Wulf Schneider and Ulrich Bohme. Chairs are stackable. ...
Steel
Set of Six Thonet Vienna Bentwood Armchairs, Austria, 1991
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
Classic bentwood armchair produced under the Thonet Vienna lineage in Austria, dated 1991. Featuring a gracefully curved wooden frame, bentwood arms and original upholstered seat and...
Wood, Beech, Bentwood, Fabric
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
Unique Thonet Desk Chair, Museum Piece
By Thonet
Located in Delft, NL
Unique Thonet desk chair, Museum piece One of our unique Thonet desk chair It's from a collection of a Museum, The Haque, Netherlands The chair ...
Wood
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
$2,526 / item
Slatted Arm Chair Art Nouveau designed by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Antwerp, BE
Rare set of two slatted art nouveau arm chairs in used original condition. Designed by Thonet Austria.
Bentwood
Walter Gropius, Armchairs, Oak, Velvet, USA, 1970s
By Walter Gropius, Thonet
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of oak and purple velvet armchairs designed by Walter Gropius in 1951, produced by Thonet, Statesville, North Carolina, USA, c. 1970s. Dimensions: 29.5” H x 24” W x 19” D Se...
Velvet, Oak
Art Deco Thonet Bentwood Dining Chair w/ Bakelite Seat
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
This original Thonet bentwood armchair features a Bakelite seat and backrest. The chair's bentwood beech frame is elegantly curved, showcasing the transition between Art Deco and the...
Bakelite, Wood
Jil Sander for Thonet S 64 P Serious 05 in Lacquered Wood an Webbing
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