Skip to main content

Thonet Armchairs

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.

7
to
1
5
2
7
7
7
4
1
6
3
3
1
1
1
Height
to
Width
to
Depth
to
2
3
1
1
6
4
3
3
2
4
2
2
2
2
367
37
30
29
18
Color:  Beige
Creator: Thonet
Set of Ten Dining Chairs by Anton Lorenz for Thonet
By Thonet, Anton Lorenz
Located in Dallas, TX
Set of ten armchairs designed by Anton Lorenz for Thonet. Each chair has tan upholstered backrest and seat with polished chrome tubular frames. Mid-Century Modern S-37 chairs were originally designed by Anton Lorenz in 1929 and later manufactured by Gebruder Thonet in the 1970s. In 1929 Anton Lorenz founded the firm Desta (Deutsche Stahlmobel) in Berlin making Anton Lorenz the first to manufacture tubular-steel furniture on a commercial scale.
Category

1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Chrome

Mid-Century Modern Tubular Chrome Accent Chair by Thonet Industries
By Thonet
Located in Wilmington, DE
Mid-Century Modern tubular chrome accent chair What a find. Offered is a vintage Mid-Century Modern chrome accent chair signed by Thonet Industries...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Chrome

Pair of Cantilevered Chrome Barrel Back Club Chairs by Anton Lorenz for Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Houston, TX
A pair of cantilevered chrome barrel back club chairs by Anton Lorenz for Thonet. In very good sturdy condition. There was a Thonet tag on the bottom of the chair, but it fell off an...
Category

1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Chrome

Pair of Pierre Paulin CM 194 Armchairs for Thonet, France, circa 1958
By Pierre Paulin, Thonet
Located in Miami, FL
Distinctive pair of mid 20th century design armchairs, model CM 194. This pair of chairs are early works designed by the visionary designer Pierre Paulin for Th...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Steel

Early Thonet S533 RF Cane Weißenhof Armchair Chair Mies van der Rohe Set of 2
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Thonet
Located in Munich, Bavaria
These Cantilever vintage armchairs are Bauhaus classics and were designed by Mies van der Rohe and knowned by the name Weißenhof Chair.This pair were produced by Thonet with the Model name S533 RF. 3 license holders are producing this chair today. As well as Knoll International MR10. Tecta B42 and this 2 Thonet S533...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Bauhaus Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Set of Six Dining Chairs by Jozef Gorcia & Andreas Krob for Thonet Model S78
By Thonet
Located in Vienna, AT
Set of six very comfortable armchairs. Made in the 1990s by Thonet in Germany. Classic model, straw back, the backs are slightly damaged on some chairs, see pictures. Designed in t...
Category

1990s German Post-Modern Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Steel

Thonet Armchair
By Thonet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Thonet Armchair
Category

19th Century French Antique Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Walnut

Related Items
Vintage Mies van der Rohe Armchair Barcelona by Knoll International, 1980's
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Vilnius, LT
Vintage Barcelona Chair designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1920-1949. The base is in chrome metal and black leather upholstery. Labeled on the base: Knoll, Knoll International,...
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Chrome

Six Black Patent Leather and Chrome Thonet Dining Chairs
By Anton Lorenz, Thonet
Located in Dallas, TX
Six armchairs designed by Anton Lorenz for Thonet. Each chair has black patent leather upholstered backrest and seat with polished chrome tubular frames, labeled underneath. Mid-C...
Category

1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Chrome

Four Black and Chrome Dining Chairs by Anton Lorenz for Thonet
By Anton Lorenz, Thonet
Located in Dallas, TX
The Hungarian designer Anton Lorenz is famous for his timeless steel tube furniture. The original cantilevered chrome base and professionally uphols...
Category

1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Chrome

Ludwig mies Van Der Rohe Barcelona Chairs
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A fine original Pair of Mies Van Der Rohe Barcelona Chairs Original Full Grain Leather Seats and Straps Clean Polished Steel Frame Or...
Category

1960s American Vintage Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Leather

Thonet Bauhaus White Vinyl & Chrome Model SS33 Cantilever Barstool Anton Lorenz
By Anton Lorenz, Thonet
Located in Topeka, KS
Fabulous vintage white vinyl & chrome tube barstool by Thonet Model SS33 Bauhaus cantilever chair by Anton Lorenz. This piece is tagged Thonet but has been attributed to Anton Lorenz based upon archived research including online sources, vintage documentation and catalogs, designer literature, and other materials. Beautiful condition, keeping in mind that this is vintage and not new so will have signs of use and wear even if it has been refinished or restored. Specifically, there is a stain on the seat vinyl that we have tried many things to remove to no avail. Please see photos, zoom in for details, and see long description as they are part of the condition report. We attempt to portray any imperfections. Circa, 1980’s but designed circa 1930’s. Did someone say Thonet?? Yes, we sure did!! This is a fabulous labeled Thonet cantilever barstool circa 1980’s. It is in the style of the model SS33 Bauhaus cantilever chair designed in the 1930’s for Thonet by famed designer Anton Lorenz. The chair design was later adapted to create this wonderful barstool! It is comprised of a chrome tube cantilever frame, black block stabilizers on the base, and white vinyl seats and back rests. A simple, stunning, and oh-so-comfortable design! It is the perfect stool for your kitchen, bar, or rec room whether you live in a Bauhaus or mid-century modern home, an industrial loft, or Art Deco style home. It’s a classic, sleek style that has stood the test of time!! If you’ve been searching for a barstool or just the right extra seating, this stool is exactly what you’ve been looking for! Thonet was founded by Michael Thonet. Michael was born in 1796 and was apprenticed by his father to a cabinetmaker. Shortly after he married, Michael opened his one-man cabinetmaking shop creating furniture and cabinetry in the traditional manner by carving the needed parts and then joining them together. In 1830 he began experimenting with bending wood into curved shapes and thus began a successful furniture company that has remained continually in operation for nearly 200 years. Thonet’s early work was very Biedermeier in style and not made for the common man. Gradually his designs became more Art Nouveau. In 1951 his chairs for the Crystal Palace at the London World’s Fair won a prize medal and by the late 1950s he began to make his first “consumer” chair. In 1875, a year before Michael’s death, Thonet’s five factories made 620,000 chairs. Then in 1876 after his death the company became Gebruder Thonet. But all was not roses. In 1869 the Thonet patents lapsed and by 1893 there were 52 bentwood companies in Europe. However, Thonet persevered. They branched out. They merged. They added designs by Le Corbusier and Breuer and alternative materials such as tubular chrome in place of bentwood to their offerings. Business boomed and waned through the years and there was even a Thonet revival, so to speak, beginning in the 1940s on into the mid-20th century. Till today, in the 21st century, Thonet is still a furniture company to be reckoned with almost 200 years later. Anton Lorenz was known as the man behind the Bauhaus’ “machined aesthetic.” He was born in Budapest in 1891, became a teacher, and later married an opera singer, and entered a lock manufacturing business. They relocated to Berlin in the early 1920’s. in Berlin he met architects Marcel Breuer and Kalman Lengyel who were both associated with Bauhaus in Dessau. Breuer became the first designer to construct furniture out of tubular steel, joined forces with Lengyel and found a manufacturing company and Anton Lorenz became manager. He was business savvy and obtained patents to establish a network of rights for new tubular steel furniture and would go on to do the same for Desta and Thonet who dominated the industry. In 1939 Lorenz emigrated to the United States where he established the design technology for the well-known recliner. He developed his own design in 1940 called the BarcaLounger and later partnered with Morris Futorian...
Category

20th Century American Bauhaus Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Chrome

Set of Six Dining Chairs Designed by Bruno Weil for Thonet, Bentwood
By Thonet, Bruno Weil
Located in Miami, FL
Set of Six Dining Chairs Designed by Bruno Weil for Thonet in the 1960s, oak plywood with a walnut lacquer finish. Ready for a new home, we have another set available.
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Bentwood, Plywood

1980's Anton Lorenz for Thonet Black and Chrome Cantilever Bar Stools, Set of 3
By Anton Lorenz, Thonet
Located in Doylestown, PA
Later edition cantilever chrome bar stools designed by Anton Lorenz for Thonet in 1929. Stools feature black faux leather upholstered seat and backrest with chrome-plated tubular st...
Category

Late 20th Century North American Bauhaus Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Chrome

Pierre Paulin F598 Groovy Armchair for Artifort
By Artifort, Pierre Paulin
Located in The Hague, NL
Groovy lounge chair designed by Pierre Paulin in 1972 and manufactured for Artifort, Holland. Model No: F598, or also known as "M" chair. Chair has been newly reupholstered in green ...
Category

1970s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Metal

Cantilever Chrome and Wicker Dining Chairs Anton Lorenz Style
By Harvey Probber
Located in W Allenhurst, NJ
Wonderful chrome and wicker dining chairs. Cantilevered chrome frames with wicker bucket seats. Each with black vinyl seat and back cushion for ad...
Category

1970s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Chrome

Pierre Paulin Set of 2 F598 Groovy Armchairs for Artifort New Upholstery, 1972
By Artifort, Pierre Paulin
Located in The Hague, NL
Set of 2 groovy lounge chairs designed by Pierre Paulin in 1972 and manufactured for Artifort, Holland. Model No: F598, or also known as "M" chair. Chairs has been newly reupholstere...
Category

1970s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Metal

Set of Six Cane Back Dining Chairs by Edward Wormley
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An elegant and unusual set of six dining chairs with a cane wrapped barrel back and an upholstered seat atop four slender legs.
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Mahogany, Upholstery

Set of Six Model 3238 'Spanish' Dining Chairs Designed by Borge Mogensen
By Børge Mogensen
Located in Stockholm, SE
Set of six model 3238 ‘Spanish’ dining chairs designed by Borge Mogensen for Fredericia Stolefabrik, Denmark, 1950s. Oak and leather. The set contain...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Oak

Previously Available Items
Eight Sleek Chrome Dining Chairs by Anton Lorenz for Thonet
By Anton Lorenz, Thonet
Located in Dallas, TX
This attractive set of eight designed by the legendary Anton Lorenz. The man who brought tubular steel furniture to the masses. The classic bauhaus design features a sleek, sculptura...
Category

1970s Vintage Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Chrome

Pair Art Deco Bauhaus Machine Age Thonet Club Tubular Chrome Armchairs
By Thonet
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
This newly reupholstered pair of Thonet armchairs are representative of the Machine Age and Bauhaus era including the tubular bent arm and substantial seating profile. Contrasting we...
Category

20th Century Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Chrome

German Bauhaus Chair, Marcel Breuer and Thonet, Chrome, 1930s
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Horomerice, CZ
License Thonet according to the design of Marcel Breuer Original condition Style: Bauhaus. Period: 1930-1939. Material: Chrome-plated steel Source: Germany.
Category

Early 20th Century German Bauhaus Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Chrome

Pair of Pierre Paulin CM 190 Lounge Chairs in Pierre Frey, Thonet, 1950s
By Pierre Paulin, Thonet
Located in London Road, Baldock, Hertfordshire
A pair of Pierre Paulin CM 190 lounge chairs, newly upholstered in soft heavy loop wool, mohair and alpaca fabric which is produced by one of the ...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Metal

Pierre Paulin CM 194 Lounge Chairs in Pierre Frey fabric, Thonet, France, 1950s
By Pierre Paulin, Thonet
Located in London Road, Baldock, Hertfordshire
A pair of scarce CM 194 armchairs by Pierre Paulin, upholstered in a fabulously soft and luxurious heavy loop alpaca and wool fabric by one of the most luxuriou...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Metal

Marcel Breuer Vintage B35 Leather and Chrome Cantilever Armchair and Footstool
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Highclere, Newbury
An early 20th century designed lounge chair set by Marcel Breuer featuring a cantilever chrome and tan leather lounge chair with matching footstool. Marcel Breuer was one of the key architects and designers of the 20th century and one of the most influential exponents of modernist design having both studied and taught at the Bauhaus school of design. He is credited with creating the first chrome tube...
Category

1920s German Bauhaus Vintage Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Chrome

Set of 50 Marcel Breuer Bauhaus "Cesca" Armchairs, Manufactured in Italy
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Almelo, NL
Beautiful set of 50 “Cesca” armchairs by Marcel Breuer, manufactured in Italy. Black finish cane seats and backs. Classic chrome cane. Caning very good condition and a beautiful Carm...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Bauhaus Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Chrome

Fully Restored B-970 Lounge Chairs by Thonet, 1920s
By Otto Prutscher, Thonet
Located in Lucenec, SK
Art Deco armchairs catalogue no. B-970 by Thonet, manufactured in Czechoslovakia, circa 1920s. Fully restored and reupholstered in velvet fabric. Thonet label.
Category

Early 20th Century Czech Art Deco Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Upholstery, Velvet

Six Classic Anton Lorenz for Thonet Dining Chairs
By Anton Lorenz, Thonet
Located in Dallas, TX
Set of six armchairs designed by Anton Lorenz for Thonet. Each chair has tan upholstered backrest and seat with polished chrome tubular frames. Mid-Century Modern S-37 chairs were...
Category

1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Chrome

Ponyskin Armchair and Footstool Cantilever Base S411 Gebruder T, Thonet
By Thonet, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH
Located in New York, NY
Armchair with cantilever base Footstool with cantilever base Ponyskin The outstanding properties of this armchair are elegance, timelessness and exceptional seating comfort. Added...
Category

2010s European Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Leather

Four Thonet White & Chrome Cantilever Dining Chairs
By Thonet
Located in Chicago, IL
An early design of tubular chromed steel cantilevered frames, updated in this 1970s version. Single piece of tubular chromed bent steel, wood framed seat and back covered in white le...
Category

1970s American Vintage Thonet Armchairs

Materials

Steel

Thonet armchairs for sale on 1stDibs.

Thonet armchairs 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 armchairs, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original armchairs 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 armchairs by Knoll, Pierre Paulin, and Artifort. Prices for Thonet armchairs can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $332 and can go as high as $27,500, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,449.
Questions About Thonet Armchairs
  • 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 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 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
    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 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 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.
  • 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.

Recently Viewed

View All