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.
$1,521Sale Price / set|20% Off
Josef Hoffmann Armchair – Model No. A 811/F for Thonet
By Thonet, Josef Hoffmann
Located in Budapest, HU
Josef Hoffmann Armchair – Model No. A 811/F for Thonet (1900s) This exquisite armchair, Model No. A 811/F, designed by the renowned architect and designer Josef Hoffmann for Thonet ...
Reed, Beech
1930s Pair of Restored Thonet Armchairs, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Carefully refurbished and finished in shellac - Newly upholstered - Labeled - Beech wood
Fabric, Wood, Beech
Pair of Armchairs No. 752 by Josef Frank for Thonet, 1930s
By Thonet, Josef Frank
Located in Praha, CZ
A pair of legendary bentwood armchairs Model No. 752, designed by Josef Frank in 1933 for Thonet, Very good condition relative to age. Carefully cleaned and gently restored while pre...
Bentwood
$880Sale Price / item|20% Off
'1' Thonet Anton Lorenz Cantilevered Chrome Armchair
By Anton Lorenz, Thonet
Located in Pasadena, TX
(1 ) Thonet Lorenz arm chair The Lorenz arm chair was designed by Anton Lorenz in 1929 and manufactured by Thonet. In 1929 Anton Lorenz founded the firm Desta (Deutsche Stahlmöbel) in Berlin making Anton Lorenz the first to manufacture tubular-steel furniture on a commercial scale...
Chrome
$2,933Sale Price|35% Off
Bentwood Cane Salonfauteuil Easy Chair Thonet No. 1, circa 1890
By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Thonet
Located in Lucenec, SK
Very rare antique Thonet easy chair no 1 produced by Gebruder Thonet from the late 19th century in a very good condition with new cane on seat, cane ...
Cane, Bentwood
$8,720Sale Price / set|20% Off
Josef Maria Olbrich, set of 4 armchairs for Thonet, Austria, 1910
By Thonet, Joseph Maria Olbrich
Located in Argelato, BO
Josef Maria Olbrich, set of 4 armchairs for Thonet, Austria, 1910 Rare and extraordinary set of 4 bent beech chairs by the architect and designer Olbrich for Thonet from an important office in Trieste...
Bentwood
$575Sale Price / item|20% Off
Ton Bentwood Armchair With Gold Velvet, Czechoslovakia 1930s, 40 Available
By Josef Hoffmann, Thonet, TON a.s.
Located in Zohor, SK
Iconic and elegant armchair produced by TON in Czech republic in 1930s. This particular chair is a variation on the classic model '811' Thonet Hoffman chair...
Velvet, Bentwood
Pair of Mid-Century Danish Bentwood Armchairs by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Pair of Danish Mid-Century bentwood armchairs with original yellow & white vinyl upholstery by Thonet Industries. Featuring Thonet's signature build quality, the back and seat ar...
Wood, Teak, Bentwood
$3,246 / set
Secession tripod chairs no.81 by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Secession tripod chairs no.81 by Thonet with new secession fabric.
Beech, Bentwood
G80 Deck Chair - Thonet, 1930s by Hans Luckhardt
By Hans & Wassili Luckhardt, Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good condition. - wooden parts refreshed - new textile - marked by manufacturer
Wood, Textile
$4,600 / set
Pair Vintage Leather Lounge Chairs by Thonet
By Thonet, Pierre Paulin
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This beautiful pair of chrome base leather lounge chairs by Thonet offer exquisite Mid-Century style suitable for almost any seating situation. Sturdy stretchers and vintage leather ...
Chrome
Modernist Thonet A 745/F Armchair manufactured by Tatra, Stained Wood, c. 1930
By Thonet, Tatra
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.
Bentwood
$5,566 / set
Rare bentwood armchairs by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Rare bentwood armchairs by Thonet. Professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
Extremely rare armchair no.6521 by Otto Wagner for Thonet
By Otto Wagner, Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Magnificent and highly sought-after piece of design history: an original Otto Wagner Armchair, Model No. 6521, manufactured by the world-renowned Thonet around 1900-1905. This icon...
Beech, Bentwood
$1,671Sale Price|20% Off
Thonet - Michael Thonet - No. 511 - Armchair - Beech
By Michael Thonet, Thonet
Located in Budapest, HU
Thonet Armchair, Model No. 511 — Black Lacquered Wood and Red Upholstery This elegant armchair, Model No. 511, was manufactured by the iconic Viennese firm Thonet, a name synonymous...
Upholstery, Beech
1930 Pair of Armchairs + Spider Table, by Halabala for Thonet, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet, Jindřich Halabala
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good original condition - Table: 65 x 65 x 65 cm.
Fabric, Wood
Antique Armchair No. 752 by Josef Frank for Thonet, 1920s
By Josef Frank, Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
This antique armchair, model no. 752, was designed in the 1920s by Josef Frank for Thonet and originates from Austria. It is made from beech and features an upholstery seat. This pie...
Upholstery, Beech, Bentwood
$4,641 / set
Secession armchairs no.6513 by Otto Wagner
By Thonet, Otto Wagner
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Secession armchairs no.6513 by Otto Wagner for Thonet in original vintage condition.
Fabric, Beech, Bentwood
Rare Bauhaus Mart Stam tubular chair by Thonet / original green colour!!
By Thonet, Mart Stam
Located in Praha, CZ
- Thonet - Before 1930, earliest model, practically unseen - Original red eisengarn, iron fabric, perfect condition, original screws - Lacquered in original green seen in Thonet col...
Steel
Armchair number 6151 by Adolf Loos for Thonet, 1900s, France
By Thonet, Adolf Loos
Located in Brussels, BE
Armchair number 6151 by Adolf Loos for Thonet, 1900s, France Adolf Franz Karl Viktor Maria Loos( 10 December 1870 – 23 August 1933) was an Austrian and Czechoslovak architect, influ...
Beech
Extremely rare armchairs no.6521 by Otto Wagner for Thonet
By Otto Wagner, Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Extremely rare armchairs no.6521 Thonet Otto Wagner in very good original contidion with signs of use.
Beech
$5,218 / item
Very rare art deco armchairs Thonet A 60F
By Thonet
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Very rare Art Deco armchairs Thonet model A 60F, designed around 1929 at the beginning of the Bauhaus era. This model evokes the idea that it was originally designed using bent tubul...
Fabric, Beech, Bentwood
1951 W199 Dining Armchair by Walter Gropius and Ben Thompson for Thonet in Birch
By Thonet, Walter Gropius, Ben Thompson
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a W199 Dining Armchair, originally designed by Walter Gropius and Ben Thompson for Thonet in 1951. The chair was produced in Austria in the early 1950s. The design features b...
Birch, Nutwood
Gerd Lange Thonet Molded Plastic and Birch Wood Mid Century Modern Arm Chair
By Thonet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Please message us with your zip code to request a more reasonable domestic U.S. shipping quote. Vintage Gerd Lange for Thonet Molded Plastic and Birch Wood Mid Century Modern Arm Ch...
Plastic, Birch
Pair Mid Century Modern Armchairs by Joe Atkinson for Thonet, 1950
By Joe Atkinson, Thonet
Located in Detroit, MI
This set of two vintage mid century modern bent plywood armchairs designed by Joe Atkinson for Thonet are circa 1950. This unique set of chairs features distinctive wooden frames cra...
Fabric, Wool, Wood, Plywood
$695Sale Price|51% Off
Thonet Office Armchair in Oak, Czechoslovakia, circa 1930s
By Thonet
Located in Zohor, SK
This beautiful office chair was produced by Thonet company. Original burnt in label still slightly visible in the bottom of the chair (see pictures). Made of strong oak wood and plyw...
Oak, Plywood
Pair of Restored Art Deco Armchairs, by Thonet, Walnut, Germany, 1930s
By Thonet
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This elegant pair of armchairs, which dates back to the 1930s, was manufactured in Germany by the renowned and highly regarded Thonet company and represents an exceptional and authen...
Walnut
Very rare amrchairs A562 by Otto Prutscher for Thonet
By Thonet, Otto Prutscher
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
An exceptional and highly collectible pair of Austrian Vienna Secessionist (Jugendstil) bentwood armchairs, manufactured by the legendary firm Thonet. This iconic geometric design fe...
Beech, Bentwood
$1,119Sale Price|20% Off
1950's Mid-Century Modern Walnut Armchair by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Burbank, CA
Vintage original Midcentury Modern armchair for sale. Manufactured in the 1950's by Thonet, and still has the original tag nicely intact. It has the original naugahyde vinyl upholste...
Naugahyde, Walnut
Restored Bauhaus Armchair, by Marcel Breuer for Thonet, Chrome, Czech, 1930s
By Marcel Breuer, Thonet
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This cantilever armchair represents the absolute pinnacle of interwar world design and the avant-garde Bauhaus aesthetic from the 1930s. This revolutionary concept of a resilient, sp...
Steel, Chrome
$2,553Sale Price / set|24% Off
Set of 2 Thonet Armchairs, Model B246, 1930s, Restored & Reupholstered
By Josef Frank, Thonet
Located in Wrocław, Poland
This set of 2 armchairs was produced by Thonet (original paper labels are still under the seats as you may see in the attached picture) and most probably designed by Josef Frank. Thi...
Linen, Bentwood
$5,009Sale Price / set|20% Off
Josef Maria Olbrich, Pair of armchairs for Thonet, Austria, 1910
By Thonet, Joseph Maria Olbrich
Located in Argelato, BO
Josef Maria Olbrich, Pair of armchairs for Thonet, Austria, 1910 Rare and extraordinary set of 2 bent beech chairs by the architect and designer Olbrich for Thonet from an important office in Trieste...
Bentwood
Children Size Vienna Secession Bent Oak & Cane Bistro Armchair by Thonet No.016
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Childrens size Thonet number 16 oak armchair features an elegant, sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striking fluid curves and elegant round arched back rest. The...
Wicker, Oak
1951 Set of 4 Bauhaus W199 Arm Chairs by Walter Gropius and Ben Thompson
By Walter Gropius, Thonet, Ben Thompson
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an outstanding set of 4 W199 Birch Armchairs, designed by Walter Gropius and Ben Thompson for Thonet in 1951. They were produced in Austria in the early 1950s and the listed ...
Birch
$8,697 / set
Jindrich Halabala H-269 Armchairs
By Jindřich Halabala, Thonet
Located in Mouscron, WHT
Jindrich Halabala H-269 Armchairs the wood has a very nice patina, the fabric needs to be redone
Beech
7er Set Thonet Stühle 210 P Bugholz 1960er gelb Designklassiker
By Thonet
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes 7er Set äußerst seltener Thonet 210 P Bugholzstühle der frühen Generationen aus den 1960er Jahren zum Verkauf an. Das Holz wurd...
Fabric, Bentwood
Austrian wooden foldable Thonet armchair with Vienna straw, late 1800s
By Thonet
Located in MIlano, IT
Austrian wooden Thonet armchair with Vienna straw, late 1800s Armchair in wood and Vienna straw. The wooden structure has a round section and has rounded lines that form the elements...
Straw, Wood
Early Thonet No. 209 Armchair, Reupholstered in Dedar Velvet Fabric
By Thonet
Located in Krefeld, DE
An iconic Thonet No. 209 armchair, beautifully reupholstered in luxurious Dedar velvet fabric. Designed in 1900, the Thonet 209 is one of the most celebrated examples of bentwood fu...
Velvet, Bentwood
Early Thonet S533 RF Cane Weißenhof Armchair Chair Mies van der Rohe Set of 2
By Thonet, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
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...
Steel, Chrome
Pair of Contemporary S 35 Lounge Chairs by Marcel Breuer for Thonet
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Norwalk, CT
This pair of iconic S 35 lounge chairs features heavy-duty black leather seats slung over tubular polished chrome frames, with black stained beechwood armres...
Chrome
Rare Armchair A 403/F by Adolf Schneck for Thonet
By Thonet, Gustav Adolf Schneck
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Rare armchair A 403/F by Adolf Schneck for Thonet professionally stained and repolished.
Bentwood
Pair of Mid-Century Modern Leather Bentwood Swivel Armchairs by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Pair of Mid-Century Modern, bent maple, swivel armchairs by Thonet with newly upholstered seats, backs and armrests in cream leather. Measure: The arm height is 26 inches.
Leather, Maple
$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
Pair of Bauhaus Armchairs, by Marcel Breuer for Thonet, Chrome, Czech, 1930s
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This exceptional pair of armchairs in the spirit of Bauhaus functionalism dates from the 1930s in Czechoslovakia and bears the unmistakable signature of prominent designer Marcel Bre...
Chrome, Steel
$1,101 / 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
$1,249Sale Price|30% Off
Late Victorian Bent Oak & Cane Nr. 8256 Armchair by DLG Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Victorian bent oak & cane number 8256 oak armchair chair by Thonet features an elegant, sculptural frame crafted from warm-toned bentwood with striking fluid curves and elegant round...
Wicker, Oak
Pair of Red Bauhaus Armchairs Made in 30s Germany, Designed by Anton Lorenz
By Anton Lorenz, Thonet
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Pair of red Bauhaus armchairs made out of high quality leather and Chrome plated steel. Made in´30s Germany by Thonet and Designed by Anton Lorenz. Full...
Steel, Chrome
$1,746Sale Price|30% Off
Vienna Secession Bent Oak Children's High Chair w/ Cane Seat by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Late Victorian children's high chair by Thonet, crafted from beautifully bent oak with a hand-woven cane seat. Featuring elegant flowing lines, a curved ladder-back, integrated feedi...
Wicker, Oak
Restored Bauhaus Armchair, Thonet, Marcel Breuer, Czechia, 1930s
By Marcel Breuer, Thonet
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...
Metal, Steel, Chrome, Iron
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
Set of Four Thonet 676 PF Armchairs after Charles Rennie Mackintosh, 1990s
By Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Thonet
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
Art deco armchair no.811 "Prague chair" by Josef Hoffmann
By Thonet, Josef Hoffmann
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
A stunning example of timeless modernist design, this Model No. 811 armchair (famously known as the Prague Chair) is a centerpiece of 20th-century furniture history. Originally desig...
Rattan, Beech, Bentwood
Restored Bauhaus Pair of Armchairs, by Thonet, by Marcel Breuer, Czech, 1930s
By Marcel Breuer, Thonet
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Restored Bauhaus Pair of Armchairs Made By Thonet. Designer: Marcel Breuer Maker: Thonet Material: Chrome-plated Steel Source: Czechia (Czechoslovakia) Period: 1930-1939 Made by in...
Steel, Chrome, Iron
$2,780 / set
Set of Chairs by Gerd Lange for Thonet
By Gerd Lange, Thonet
Located in Čelinac, BA
Set of four chairs by Gerd Lange for Thonet.
Metal
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
1951 Set of Four W199 Dining Arm Chairs by Walter Gropius and Ben Thompson
By Ben Thompson, Thonet, Walter Gropius
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an outstanding set of 4 W199 Birch Armchairs, designed by Walter Gropius and Ben Thompson for Gebruder Thonet in 1951. They were produced in Austria in the early 1950s and th...
Steel
$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
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
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
$3,979Sale 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