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.
$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
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
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
$1,946Sale Price / set|30% Off
Thonet Chrome Armchairs, 1960s
By Thonet
Located in Čelinac, BA
Thonet chrome armchairs, 1960s
Chrome
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
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
Rare Beautiful Thonet High Back Armchair No 6351 , Black, Cane
By Thonet, Michael Thonet
Located in Miami, FL
Original cane and black finish, stamped Thonet. Beautiful lines.
Cane, Wood
$1,225Sale Price|30% Off
Mid-Century Modern Thonet Lounge Slipper Chairs - a Pair
By Thonet
Located in Waxahachie, TX
D.O.B. October 8th 1964 Pair of Thonet lounge slipper chairs. Stunning chrome trim around the back. Ebonized wood base. Nailhead trim on back. Dark eggplant tinted grey tweed fabric ...
Upholstery
$2,780 / set
Set of Chairs by Gerd Lange for Thonet
By Thonet, Gerd Lange
Located in Čelinac, BA
Set of four chairs by Gerd Lange for Thonet.
Metal
Thonet Chrome Tubular Steel Armchairs, Leather Upholstery, Customisable, c. 1935
By Thonet
Located in Berlin, DE
Thonet S 411 tubular steel cantilever armchairs in leather upholstery, designed and manufactured by Thonet, c. 1935. This original tubular steel cantil...
Steel, Chrome
Set of 4 Gerd Lange 'Flex 2000' Chairs in Beech and Plastic for Thonet 1973
By Gerd Lange, Thonet
Located in Tilburg, NL
Set of 4 Gerd Lange 'Flex 2000' Chairs in Beech and Plastic for Thonet 1973. This is a set of highly sculptural and avant garde chairs by designer G...
Plastic, Beech
Piano Stool Thonet Nr.1, 1920s
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
Height-adjustable swivel stool. The seat height is adjustable from 44 to 60 cm. Solidly constructed base, decorative lower legs. Good original condition with signs of use, patina.
Metal
Black Leatherette & Steel CM127 Stool by Thonet - 1960s
By Thonet
Located in New York, NY
Iconic CM127 bar stool by Thonet. Black lacquered steel feet and black faux leather original upholstery. Second stool available. This stool will ship from France and can be returned ...
Steel
Art Deco Six ( 6 ) Dining Chairs Beechwood Otto Prutscher for Thonet circa 1920
By Otto Prutscher, Thonet
Located in Vienna, AT
At Deco set of six ( 6 ) dining chairs made from stained beechwood in a beautiful reddish brown color designed by Otto Prutscher for Thonet circa 1920, Vienna. An amazing set of six ...
Beech
Back of the Chairs by Martino Gamper for the Conran Shop/Thonet, 2008
By Thonet
Located in Uppsala, SE
This chair, along with two other models, was commissioned by The Conran Shop in 2008 to the designer Martino Gamper for The London Design Festival and for ...
Bentwood
Art Deco Josef Frank Thonet Vintage Chocolate Brown Four Windsor Armchairs c1925
By Josef Frank, Thonet
Located in Vienna, AT
Art Deco vintage four ( 4 ) dining chairs or armchairs from chocolate brown stained beech, design attributed to Josef Frank executed by the company Thonet circa 1925 Austria. Labeled...
Beech
5er Set Thonet Stühle S33 Mart Stam Freischwinger Bauhaus schwarz
By Mart Stam, Thonet
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes 5er Set Bauhaus Freischwinger vom deutschen Traditionshersteller Thonet zum Verkauf an. Die Stühle stammen vermutlich aus den 1980er Jahren und weisen ei...
Steel, Chrome
Beech bentwood dining chair by Thonet Uzhhorod Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Beech bentwood dining chair by Thonet Uzhhorod Czechoslovakia. Professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, 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
Bentwood piano chair by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Bentwood piano chair by Thonet, professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
Set of Four Thonet 676 PF Armchairs after Charles Rennie Mackintosh, 1990s
By Thonet, Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Located in Boven Leeuwen, NL
A set of four Thonet model 676 PF armchairs, based on the distinctive geometric furniture designs of Scottish architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Manufactured during t...
Textile, Beech, Lacquer
Folding Chair, Thonet, 1920's
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- made in Czechoslovakia - made of wood - good, original condition.
Wood
Mart Stam for Thonet Lounge Chair in Weathered Solid Iroko and Stainless Steel
By Thonet, Mart Stam
Located in Tilburg, NL
Mart Stam Lounge Chair for Thonet in Weathered Solid Iroko and Stainless Steel, Germany, early 21st century. Beautiful and rare lounge version of the S40 chair by Mart Stam, which i...
Stainless Steel
Walter Gropius, Armchairs, Oak, Velvet, USA, 1970s
By Thonet, Walter Gropius
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. Seats reupholstered in brand new velvet...
Velvet, Oak
Set of Two 1960s Czechoslovakian Armchairs by Ton
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
A distinguished pair of mid-century armchairs produced by Ton in Czechoslovakia during the 1960s. Carrying the legacy of Thonet’s expert woodworking, these chairs feature a dynamic a...
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
Gustav Siegel Attributed, Made by Thonet, a Bentwood & Cane Rocking Chair
By Thonet, Gustav Siegel
Located in London, GB
Gustav Siegel attributed, made by Thonet. A bentwood and cane rocking chair.
Cane, Bentwood
Cocktail Chair, Thonet, Vienna, 1950s
By Thonet
Located in Wolfurt, AT
The relatively small cocktail chair covered with a firm vinyl cover, the seams of which are stabilised by a piping strip. The backrest is not only decorated with upholstery nails in the lower arch, but also reinforced. The chairs stand sturdily on light beechwood legs. Original condition. Please note that upholstered chairs from the 1950s like to have a lower seat height of 41 to...
Faux Leather, Wood
Art Deco Thonet H269 Armchair by Jindřich Halabala
By Thonet
Located in Vienna, AT
Beech bentwood walnut stained armchair made by Thonet in the 1930s. Excellent restored with new seat springs upholstered with Lelievre wool fabric. Another fabric and wood finish o...
Beech, 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
$480Sale Price / item|20% Off
7 Thonet Bar Stools / Sold Singly/3 Remaining
By Thonet
Located in Sheffield, MA
An authentic collection of 3 of 7 still remaining iconic Thonet stools from the 1930s, marked on the underside with Thonet Logo and certificate. ...
Chrome
Chair of the Rings by Martino Gamper for the Conran Shop/Thonet, 2008
By Thonet
Located in Uppsala, SE
This chair, along with two other models, was commissioned by The Conran Shop in 2008 to the designer Martino Gamper for The London Design Festival and for ...
Bentwood
Original 430 Chair by Verner Panton for Thonet, 1960s
By Alexander Girard, Thonet
Located in Dronten, NL
An exceptional and rare original 430 Chair designed by Verner Panton for Thonet, produced for only a very short period in the 1960s. This piece represents a unique collaboration betw...
Steel, Chrome
Set of 4 Dining Chairs by Oswald Haerdtl for Thonet / TON, 1950s Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Almelo, NL
Set of 4 Dining Chairs by Oswald Haerdtl for Thonet / TON, 1950s Czechoslovakia This elegant set of four dining chairs was designed by Austrian architect Oswald Haerdtl and produced...
Beech
Early Pair of Bauhaus Chrome Armchairs KF-406 by Walter Knoll for Thonet, 1930s
By Walter Knoll, Thonet
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
Secession dining chair no.41 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Secession dining chair no.41 by Thonet. Condition: Professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
Very rare folding easy chair no.1 by Thonet
By Thonet, Michael Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Very rare folding easy chair no.1 by Thonet professionally stained and repolished with new handmade rattan seat.
Rattan, Beech, Bentwood
$2,120Sale Price|20% Off
Mid Century Thonet Oak Bentwood & Chrome Armchair
By Thonet
Located in Madison, WI
For sale here is a Rare stunning lounge / side / accent bentwood chair made by THONET. The chair is a mid century chair, with refined character, high quality craftsmanship and uni...
Upholstery, Wood
$4,800Sale Price / set|20% Off
Set of 4 Parisian Cafe Dining Chairs by Thonet from Musee d'Orsay
By Thonet
Located in Miami, FL
Four stackable French cafe dining chairs manufactured by Thonet from and designed for the Musee D'Orsay Restaurant in Paris, France. These we...
Beech, Fabric
Bentwood Scroll Arm Chair
By Thonet
Located in Queens, NY
19th Century Bentwood arm chair with scroll design and black upholstered seat & back. (signed with THONET label)
Upholstery, Bentwood
$729 / item
Bentwood dining chairs by Thonet Mundus
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Bentwood dining chairs by Thonet Mundus. Professionally stained and repolished. Each chair is different but with same seats.
Beech, Bentwood
Thonet Lounge Chairs by Peter Maly, Wood & Chrome, Germany, 1980
By Thonet, Peter Maly
Located in Ludwigslust, DE
A set of two exceptional Thonet lounge chairs in excellent condition. The combination of wood, chrome, and synthetic fabric, along with the dynamic lines, gives these chairs a timele...
Chrome
$4,471 / set
Dining Chairs No.81 by Thonet Debrecsen
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Dining chairs no.81 by Thonet Debrecsen executed in 1980s. Excellent original condition.
Fabric, Bentwood
Set of Four White Thonet nr. 14 Armchairs with Wicker Seats, Vienna, 1960s
By Thonet
Located in Den Haag, NL
Set of four early edition White Thonet nr.14 (later produced as number 214) armchairs with wicker seats, Vienna, 1960s. These chairs have old labels instead of the later produced stamps Thonet used...
Wicker, Wood
Vintage Thonet Armchair, Steel Frame, Herringbone Pattern, Germany
By Thonet
Located in Hamburg, DE
Big Thonet steel pipe armrest chair with a special cover in the herringbone pattern.Elegant chair or armchair. The continuous … Read more Big Thonet steel pipe armrest chair with a s...
Metal
$2,823Sale Price / set|20% Off
Postmodern Bentwood Dining Chairs 235 F Hartmut Lohmeyer Thonet, 1980s, Set of 4
By Hartmut Lohmeyer, Thonet
Located in AMSTERDAM, NL
A vintage set of 4 Thonet 235 F bentwood dining armchairs, designed by Hartmut Lohmeyer for Thonet and produced in Germany, likely in the 1980s. With their dark bentwood frames, roun...
Fabric, Wood, Bentwood
$2,447Sale Price|42% Off
Siesta Medizinal by Hans and Wassili Luckhardt for Thonet, 1930s
By Thonet, Hans & Wassili Luckhardt
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
Pair of Thonet White and Black Bentwood & Bakelite Stacking Stools, 1930s
By Thonet, Alvar Aalto
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Early pair of Black and White Thonet Nesting Tables, Stacking Stools. Featuring circular White Bakelite 14D seats atop Black, ebonized, bentwood legs. Attributed to Alvar Aalto. St...
Bakelite, Wood
Pair of Cantilever leather Lounge Chairs Manufactured by Thonet in 1980
By Thonet
Located in Beirut, LB
Pair of night blue Bauhaus style lounge chairs on a chromed tubular steel cantilever base, manufactured by Thonet in 1980. Re-upholstered in a night blue leather for the seats and th...
Steel
$917
Swivel bar stool
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Swivel bar stool with leather seat. Professionally stained and repolished.
Leather, Beech, Bentwood
Fischel footstool No.1
By Thonet, D. G. Fischell
Located in Praha, CZ
original condition as found, cleaned
Beech, Bentwood
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
$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.
$3,750 / set
Pair of 404 F chairs by Stefan Diez for Thonet
By Thonet, Stefan Diez
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of 404 F chairs by Stefan Diez for Thonet. Original labels. Stefan Diez, born in 1971 in Freising (Germany). After taking courses in architecture and training to be a carpent...
Bentwood
Rare Pair Plywood Arm Chairs by Joe Atkinson for Thonet NY / Modernist
By Thonet, Joe Atkinson
Located in Buffalo, NY
This pair of vintage mid century modern bent plywood (Lounge) armchairs were designed by Joe Atkinson and manufactured by Thonet Industries in the United States circa 1950. This uniq...
Beech, Bentwood, Plywood
Swivel Office Chair Thonet Nr.352, since 1904
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
Manufactured in Austria by the Gebrüder Thonet company. Newly restored, new shellack polish, minor repairs.
Beech, Bentwood
S33 Chairs by Mart Stam for Thonet, 1980s, Set of 2
By Mart Stam, Thonet
Located in Radomsko, Województwo łódzkie
Introducing the iconic S33 Chair Set by Mart Stam, proudly crafted by Thonet. This collection, produced during the 1980s in Germany, pays homage to the timeless designs of the Bauhau...
Steel, Chrome
1970s Beech Bentwood Chair by Ton, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Carefully refurbished - Newly upholstered - The height of armrests is 70cm
Wood, Bentwood, Beech
$3,953Sale Price|20% Off
Siesta Medizinal N. 44 by Hans and Wassili Luckhardt for Thonet, 1930s
By 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 as an adj...
Hardwood, Bentwood
1970s Beech Coffee Table by TON, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good original condition with minor signs of use
Wood
Pair of Bentwood High Back Dining Chairs by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Saarbruecken, DE
Pair of beech bentwood high back dining chairs. Signed by Thonet, 1987. Style Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau. New upholstery, same fabric, differe...
Bentwood