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Thonet Seating

Austrian, German

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.

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Creator: Thonet
Easy Chair Model "KS46" by Anton Lorenz for Thonet, Germany, circa 1980
By Thonet, Anton Lorenz
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Rare easy chair model "KS46" designed by Anton Lorenz circa 1950, manufactured by Thonet in Germany, circa 1980. The beautifully designed base of the chair is made of chrome metal...
Category

1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Chrome, Metal

6x Thonet chairs Nr. 157
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
In original condition with a beautiful patina of age. Solid and compact. Perfectly cleaned, minor repairs made. Disinsection: Lignofix I-profi. The surface is revived with linseed oi...
Category

Early 20th Century Czech Arts and Crafts Thonet Seating

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

ST 664 Shell Chairs, Designed by Eddie Harlis
By Eddie Harlis, Thonet
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 ...
Category

1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Original Thonet Vienna Stackable Dining Chair, Postmodern Memphis Era, 1990s
By Thonet
Located in Zagreb, HR
Postmodern Memphis era, original Thonet dining chair. Sculptural, geometrically shaped colourful structure. Produced by Thonet Vienna during the 1990s. Signed. Quality made and in ...
Category

1990s Austrian Post-Modern Thonet Seating

Materials

Wood

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...
Category

1930s Slovenian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Hardwood, Bentwood

Tubular Steel S 828 Chaise Longue Rocking Chair by Torben Skov for Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hamburg, DE
Chaise longue or rocking lounger from the renowned tubular steel furniture manufacturer Thonet based on a design by the Danish designer Torben Skov from the 80s. The special feature...
Category

1980s German Post-Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Metal

Modernist Thonet A 745/F Armchair manufactured by Tatra, Stained Wood, c. 1930
By Tatra, Thonet
Located in Berlin, DE
Modernist armchair modell A 745/F in stained bentwood designed by Thonet and manufactured under Thonet licence by Tatra, Slovakia, c. 1930.
Category

1930s Slovak Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Bentwood

Thonet swivel chair no.5541
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Thonet swivel chair no.5541 in original vintage condition with signs of use.
Category

Early 1900s Austrian Vienna Secession Antique Thonet Seating

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Two Chairs Thonet 811, Josef Hoffmann
By Josef Hoffmann, Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
Original state with a pleasant patine of age, perfectly cleaned and re-polished.
Category

Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Thonet Seating

Materials

Bentwood

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...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Mid-Century Modern Thonet Seating

Materials

Stainless Steel

Beautiful Set of 3 Thonet Wood Garden Chair 'Gartensessel No. 4', circa 1900
By Thonet
Located in Regensburg, DE
Timeless and rare set of three solid wooden Thonet garden chairs made in Austria. The garden chair no. 4 has a knotted structure which was first designed by Gebrüder Thonet in the l...
Category

Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Thonet Seating

Materials

Wood

Pair of Contemporary S 35 Lounge Chairs by Marcel Breuer for Thonet
By Marcel Breuer, Thonet
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...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Bauhaus Thonet Seating

Materials

Chrome

Six chairs Thonet Nr.41, 1885
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
Completely renovated in the recent past. Solid and compact. Perfectly cleaned and polished with shellac. Model No. 41 appeared in Thonet catalogs in 1885. The most famous use of the...
Category

Late 19th Century Austrian Belle Époque Antique Thonet Seating

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Mid-Century Upholstered Bentwood Armchair with Padded Armrests by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Dorchester, MA
Upholstered in a soft textile in vibrant red, this Thonet armchair is classic modernist birch bentwood with a punch. The rounded seat and seat back rise above tapered legs. The perk...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Upholstery, Bentwood, Birch

Bentwood dining chair no.228 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Bentwood dining chair no.228 by Thonet. Professionally stained and repolished.
Category

Early 1900s Austrian Vienna Secession Antique Thonet Seating

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Secession armchairs no.1059 by Thonet Austria
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Secession armchairs no.1059 by Thonet Austria. Professionally stained and repolished.
Category

Early 1900s Austrian Vienna Secession Antique Thonet Seating

Materials

Beech, 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...
Category

1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Faux Leather, Wood

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...
Category

20th Century German Thonet Seating

Materials

Bentwood

ST 664 Shell Chairs, Designed by Eddie Harlis, Orange
By Eddie Harlis, Thonet
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...
Category

1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Thonet Dining Chair No.733
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Thonet dining chair no.733. professionally stained and repolished with new handmade rattan seat.
Category

Early 1900s Slovak Vienna Secession Antique Thonet Seating

Materials

Rattan, Beech, Bentwood

4 Thonet Chairs Vintage 1970s - German Design
By Thonet
Located in Hannover, DE
Unique Set of 4 Thonet Chairs from the 1960s Enhance your living space with this unique set of four Thonet chairs, crafted with timeless ele...
Category

1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Teak

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...
Category

1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Wicker, Wood

Emile Guillot Tubular Steel Modernist Armchair Made by Thonet
By Emile Guillot, Thonet
Located in London, GB
Emile Guillot tubular steel modernist armchair made by Thonet. The shaped headrest, arms and shaped seat are ebonized Beech wood.  
Category

1930s European Bauhaus Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Steel

"Thonet" White Chair Made of Wood
By Thonet
Located in Roma, RM
This chair Thonet model is the the Hermann Czech. This model was designed for Gebrüder Thonet Vienna in 1994, by the Viennese designer of the same name. These chairs will give a tou...
Category

1990s Thonet Seating

Materials

Wood

1960s Pair of Ton Armchairs by Jaroslav Smidek, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet, Jaroslav Smidek
Located in Praha, CZ
- Made of beech wood - Newly upholstered - Carefully refurbished - The seat height is 39 cm.
Category

1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Fabric, Beech

Restored Bauhaus Armchair, Thonet, Marcel Breuer, Czechia, 1930s
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Restored Bauhaus Armchair Designed by Marcel Breuer and made by Thonet. Source: Czechia (Czechoslovakia) Period: 1930-1939 Maker: Thonet Designer: Marcel Breuer Material: Chrome-Pla...
Category

1930s Czech Bauhaus Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Metal, Steel, Chrome, Iron

1930s Marcel Breuer B34 Chair, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Praha, CZ
- Newly Chromed - New canvas - Originally painted wooden armrests with some signs of use - Manufacturer: Thonet (TON).
Category

1930s Czech Art Deco Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Chrome

After Thonet Wood Chair
By Thonet
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
After Thonet chair, manufactured by unknown manufactured, circa 1920. In good original condition, with minor wear consistent with age and use, preservi...
Category

1890s German Other Antique Thonet Seating

Materials

Wood

Very rare jugendstil dining chair no.522 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Very rare jugendstil dining chair no.522 by Thonet in very nice original condition.
Category

1910s Austrian Vienna Secession Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Midcentury Footstool / Thonet, 1970s
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Made in Czechoslovakia - Made of wood, fabric - Original upholstery - Good, original condition.
Category

1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Fabric, Wood

EXQUISITE ViCTORIAN THONET ROCKING CHAIR WITH CHERUB CARVED BACK & SEAT PANELS
By Thonet
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this lovely full sized Antique Victorian Thonet circa 1880 rocking chair with hand carved back and seat pane...
Category

1880s English Victorian Antique Thonet Seating

Materials

Bentwood

1970s Antonin Suman Chair By TON
By Thonet, Antonín Šuman
Located in Praha, CZ
- Carefully refurbished - Newly reupholstered - Height of seat 47 cm
Category

1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Fabric, Wood

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...
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Thonet Seating

Materials

Upholstery, Beech

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. ...
Category

1930s American Art Deco Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Chrome

Vintage Mid Century Thonet Bentwood Armchairs - a Pair
By Thonet
Located in Waxahachie, TX
Rare vintage set of mid century Thonet bentwood armchairs. Bright, striking orange. Can't find these chairs anywhere. The seat back actually reclines a little. The tag says blended c...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

Set of Four Dining Chairs/ Thon 'Thonet', 1970s
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Made in Czechoslovakia - Made of wood, fabric - New upholstery - Solid - Wooden parts has some signs use - Good, original condition.
Category

1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Fabric, Wood

1970s Beech Bentwood Chair by Ton, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Carefully refurbished - Newly upholstered - The height of armrests is 70cm
Category

1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Wood, Bentwood, Beech

Thonet Debrecen desk chair
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Thonet Debrecen desk chair. Professionally stained and repolished.
Category

1930s Hungarian Art Deco Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

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 ...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Upholstery

Secession tripod chairs no.81 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Secession tripod chairs no.81 by Thonet with new secession fabric.
Category

1930s Austrian Vienna Secession Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Pair Black and Chrome Brno Chairs by Mies van der Rohe for Thonet
By Thonet, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Dallas, TX
Classic Bauhaus design pair of Brno chairs by Mies van der Rohe for Thonet. The chairs feature polished chrome-plated tubular steel cantilevered frames, seats upholstered in a black ...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Chrome

ORIGINAL ANTIQUE THONET SWiVEL BERGERE DESK CAPTAINS ARMCHAIR MODEL NUMBER 3
By Thonet
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this super rare, original, antique, Thonet Model No 3 swivel bergère chair circa 1900 Please note the deliv...
Category

Early 1900s European Late Victorian Antique Thonet Seating

Materials

Bentwood

Pair of Midcentury Bentwood Armchairs by Jaroslav Šmídek, 1960s
By Thonet, Jaroslav Smidek
Located in Prague 8, CZ
These bentwood armchairs were designed by Jaroslav Šmídek and made in the former Czechoslovakia in the 1960s. The chairs are stable and comfortable. They are in good Vintage condi...
Category

Mid-20th Century Czech Scandinavian Modern Thonet Seating

Materials

Fabric, Bentwood

Thonet armchair model EMT 0030 designed by Rudolf Glatzel 1961
By Thonet
Located in Debrecen, HU
Rudolf B. Glatzel for Thonet, lounge chair, model 'EMT0030' designed in 1961, Germany. The chair features a beech frame, upholstered seat, and backrest, covered in swiss fabric. t...
Category

1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Fabric, Beech

Pair of Thonet Club Tub Chairs in Faux Crocodile
By Thonet, Anton Lorenz
Located in Dallas, TX
Showstopping pair of chrome cantilever “club tub” chairs recently reupholstered in faux white crocodile. Designed by Anton Lorenz & Joan Burgasser for Thonet, circa 1980s. Excellent ...
Category

1980s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

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 ...
Category

Early 2000s Croatian Futurist Thonet Seating

Materials

Bentwood

Original CM197 Armchair by Pierre Paulin for Thonet France
By Pierre Paulin, Thonet
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...
Category

1950s French Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Metal

1960s Set of Two Ton Armchairs, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Produced by Ton/Thonet Czechoslovakia - Good original condition with minor signs of wear - The wooden parts has been repolished - The fabric has been cleaned - High of seat 40 cm.
Category

1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Fabric, Wood, Upholstery

1970s Pair of Beech Armchairs and Coffee Table by TON, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good original condition with minor signs of use - table 50 x 60 X 60 cm
Category

1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

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.
Category

1910s Slovak Vienna Secession Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Rattan, Bentwood

Set of Six Thonet Dining Chairs in Wood and Fabric, Austria 1980s
By Thonet
Located in Hellouw, NL
Thonet's history goes back approximately two hundred years and is best known for its wood bending technique. This technique created the characteristic bentwood chairs that were wides...
Category

1980s Austrian Post-Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Vintage German Armchair from Thonet
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...
Category

20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Thonet Seating

Materials

Metal

1960s Pair of Ton/Thonet Beech Armchairs, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
Wooden parts have been repolished. Seat Height 43cm.
Category

1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Fabric, Wood

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...
Category

20th Century German Thonet Seating

Materials

Bentwood

Unique Armchair Thonet B 1045, since 1938
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
It is unique, the only known piece, made to order for a special customer. This unique armchair has never been shown in a regular sales catalog. Documents about the armchair were kept only in the in-house archive of the Thonet company. Thonet B...
Category

Early 20th Century Czech Bauhaus Thonet Seating

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

1960 Set of 4 Design Retro Chair, Antonín Šuman for Ton, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet, Antonín Šuman
Located in Praha, CZ
- Design by Antonín Šuman, production by Ton Bystrice pod Hostýnem - Construction with bent beech wood and fabric upholstered seat - Original preserved condition - Measures: Heigh...
Category

1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Materials

Fabric, Beech

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...
Category

20th Century German Thonet Seating

Materials

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...
Category

1950s French Modern Vintage Thonet Seating

Thonet seating for sale on 1stDibs.

Thonet seating are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Thonet seating, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original seating by Thonet were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider seating by Karl Fostel Sen’s Erben, Wiesner-Hager, and Anna-Lülja Praun. Prices for Thonet seating can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $145 and can go as high as $27,500, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,015.
Questions About Thonet Seating
  • 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 23, 2024
    To identify a Thonet, first locate the maker's marking. On Thonet chairs, you'll usually find it carved into the wood frame on the underside of the seat. Markings may say “Thonet,” “Thonet Wien,” “GT,” “GBThonet” or “GBThonetWien,” depending on the age of your piece. Cross-reference the mark with information published on trusted online resources to get a rough idea of when your furniture was produced. Then, you can review Thonet catalogues available online to identify your piece's model number. Alternatively, you can enlist the help of a certified appraiser or knowledgeable antique dealer to perform the identification process for you. Shop a wide range of Thonet furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Thonet is a well known furniture company that was started by Michael Thonet in 1830 as he experimented with bentwood furniture. The brand is known for producing high-quality products with exquisite craftsmanship. Shop a collection of Thonet furniture from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2024
    A Thonet chair can be any chair developed by the furniture maker Thonet, which has been manufacturing furniture for more than 180 years. However, most people are referring to one designed by founder Gebrüder Thonet. It features a bentwood frame produced with a patent steam method that Thonet patented and a curved seat. Find a range of Thonet chairs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    An authentic Thonet chair will have the company’s name with a solid line underneath carved somewhere on the chair. The brand can also confirm the authenticity and age of a Thonet chair via its website. Shop a variety of authentic Thonet furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2023
    A Thonet-style chair is a wooden chair that has a curvy, bent backrest, a round seat and subtly flared legs. The chairs get their name from the original manufacturer, Thonet, which produced chairs in the mid-century modern style in Europe during the 20th century. Shop a range of Thonet furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 3, 2023
    Perhaps the most significant thing about the Thonet chair was that it was the first chair to ever be shipped in parts with instructions that allowed the purchaser to assemble it themselves. As a result, the beech wood and rattan chairs could be mass produced and sold all over the world more easily. Shop a range of Thonet chairs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Michael Thonet is a German-Austrian furniture maker who designed the famed bentwood chair in 1830. His last name, Thonet, is pronounced “TOE-net,” but it’s commonly mispronounced “tho-NAY.” Shop a collection of vintage and modern Michael Thonet pieces on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Yes, Thonet chairs are marked. You will usually find the brand's label on a tag or burned into the wood under the seat. On 1stDibs, you can shop a variety of expertly vetted Thonet furniture from top sellers around the world.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Whether or not Thonet chairs are stackable depends on their design. The bentwood chairs produced by the company do easily stack, but others like cantilever chairs do not. Find a range of Thonet chairs forms some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 27, 2024
    To identify a Thonet chair, look under the seat. Most Thonet chairs will feature a maker's marking. Often, you'll find the Thonet name carved into the wooden seat frame or printed on a paper label mounted on the seat's underside. Because Thonet changed its markings over the years, you can get a rough idea of the age of your chair by comparing the ones on your piece to images on trusted online reference guides. If you need help with the identification process, a certified appraiser or knowledgeable antique dealer can be of assistance. Find a range of Thonet chairs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2024
    To tell if a Thonet chair is real, you can use Thonet's authenticity verification service. To take advantage of it, you will need to take many photographs of the chair from different angles and close-up images of markings and paper labels. You can learn more about the authentication process on the Thonet website. Shop a diverse assortment of Thonet chairs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    To identify a Thonet rocking chair, look for the company name. You will normally find it stamped directly onto the underside of the seat, arms or legs. You can find a collection of expertly vetted Thonet rocking chairs on 1stDibs.

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