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Thonet Stools

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
Thonet Bauhaus White Vinyl & Chrome Model SS33 Cantilever Barstool Anton Lorenz
By Thonet, Anton Lorenz
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 Stools

Materials

Chrome

Vintage Beech Bentwood Stool by Thonet Industries with Label
By Thonet
Located in San Diego, CA
A vintage beech bentwood stool by Thonet Industries with original label, circa 1940s. The stool is in good vaintage condition showing appropriate wear and patina. It measures 14.5"...
Category

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

Materials

Bentwood, Beech

Piano Stool Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
Original state with a pleasant patine of age, perfectly cleaned and re-polished with shellac polish. Minor repairs made.
Category

Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Thonet Stools

Materials

Bentwood

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 Stools

Materials

Chrome

Mid Century Modern Bentwood Bar Stools, Thonet Style Chairs, Italy 80a
By Thonet
Located in Lucija, SI
This three beautiful vintage Thonet style, Wooden Stools were made in Italy in '80s. They are made of brown bentwood and beige wicker. *Price is for one Stool. Stool is very comfor...
Category

1980s Italian Art Nouveau Vintage Thonet Stools

Materials

Rattan, Beech

Set of '3' Thonet Model 214 PH Cafe Stools in Beech & Textured Velvet, c. 1950's
By Thonet
Located in Norwalk, CT
Embrace the legacy of design with this stunning set of (3) Thonet model 214 PH stools. Designed by the Thonet brothers in 1880, the 214 PH stool embodies the elegance and innovation ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Thonet Stools

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Low Bar Stool, designed by Thonet, 1970s
By Thonet
Located in Antwerp, BE
Midcentury modern design low bar stool by Thonet is based on the original design by Gebrüder Thonet from the 1880s. The legs of the stool are made from bentwood and a brass ring add...
Category

1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Stools

Materials

Leather, Bentwood

Vintage Pair of Anton Lorenz Thonet Chrome Barstools Bar Stools
By Anton Lorenz, Thonet
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Vintage pair of Anton Lorenz Thonet chrome barstools bar stools. The chrome has been polished. The upholstery was as found. However, I do not see any damage to upholstery. Dimensions...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Stools

Materials

Chrome

Thonet walking stick chair, Vienna. Ca. 1880
By Thonet
Located in Oostende, BE
Victorian bentwood folding walking stick stool by the Austrian makers Thonet. With its swans neck handle and circular caned seat, this elegant example of t...
Category

Late 19th Century Austrian Victorian Antique Thonet Stools

Materials

Rattan, Bentwood

Swivel Piano Stool from Thonet, Austria, 1900s
By Thonet
Located in Lisboa, PT
This piano stool was design and produced by Thonet, in Austria, during the 1900's. It is a rare variant of a swivel stool. Bentwood legs with turned wood vertical standard, and wood ...
Category

Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Thonet Stools

Materials

Bentwood

Thonet Causeuse No.22
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Thonet causeuse no.22 in original vintage condition with signs of usage.
Category

1910s Slovak Vienna Secession Vintage Thonet Stools

Materials

Fabric, Bentwood

Rare Thonet Swivel Piano Stool, Circa 1940's.
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
Made in Czechoslovakia Made of Wood Labeled Maximum height 68cm Good original condition
Category

1940s Czech Art Deco Vintage Thonet Stools

Materials

Ceramic, Fabric, Wood

Thonet Wood Stool
By Thonet
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Thonet stool, manufactured by Thonet, circa 1920. It preserves the original label to the underside. In good original condition, with minor wear consistent with age and use, pre...
Category

1890s German Other Antique Thonet Stools

Materials

Wood

Alvar Aalto Style Side Table or Stool by Thonet
By Thonet, Alvar Andersson, Joe Atkinson
Located in Ferndale, MI
This laminated wood stool or side table by Thonet, New York and attributed to Joe Atkinson as designer. A circular top and three bentwood legs made of plywood. Perfect mid-century mo...
Category

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

Materials

Bentwood, Plywood

Lovely Pair of Bentwood Thonet Bar Stools + Cast Iron Cocktail Bar Top Table
By Thonet
Located in GB
We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely pair of Thonet Bentwood bar stools with tall cast iron bar table with gallery rail. A good lookin...
Category

20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Thonet Stools

Materials

Iron

Thonet Wicker stools model 4601 1960s Tjechie
By Thonet
Located in Den Haag, NL
2 Thonet bentwood stools , model 4601. 1960s Wicker seat . good condition .
Category

1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Stools

Materials

Wicker

Sample Stool by Thonet Brothers - Statesville N.C., United States 1940s
By Thonet
Located in Milan, IT
Sample stool manufactured by Thonet Brothers - Statesville N.C. Plywood frame with maple finish, this rare piece comes with original paper label dated 1948.
Category

1940s American Vintage Thonet Stools

Materials

Maple

Bentwood Bakelite Stacking Stool by Thonet
By Alvar Aalto, Thonet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Classic, art deco, stackable stool by Thonet features bentwood legs with a black, 14 inch diameter, hard plastic, Bakelite top.
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Art Deco Thonet Stools

Materials

Birch, Bakelite

1950s Rare Thonet Swivel Piano Stool No.6, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Made of Beech Bentwood - Stamped by Producer - Maximum height is 60 cm - Original condition with minor signs of use
Category

1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Stools

Materials

Beech

Vintage 1980s Chrome Bar Stools by Anton Lorenz for Thonet
By Anton Lorenz, Thonet
Located in San Antonio, TX
Designed by Anton Lorenz for Thonet, this beautiful pair of chrome bar stools feature Chiseled in Travertine upholstery by Knoll textiles, creating a unique and timeless design. Both...
Category

1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thonet Stools

Materials

Chrome

Thonet Stools No.144
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Thonet stools no.144 professionally stained and repolished.
Category

1910s Czech Vienna Secession Vintage Thonet Stools

Materials

Rattan, Bentwood

Thonet Style Switchboard Operator Bentwood Stool
By Thonet
Located in Denton, TX
Nice combination of bentwood and cast iron that make this stool unusual style very pleasing to the eye.  
Category

20th Century Romanian Thonet Stools

Materials

Iron

Black Art Deco Round Piano Stool Made by Thonet, Original Condition, 1920s
By Thonet
Located in Horomerice, CZ
Small round Art Deco piano chair. Material: Beech Maker: Thonet Source: Czechia Period: 1920-1929 Adjustable height: 45 - 70 cm (18 in - 27.5 in) ...
Category

Early 20th Century Czech Art Deco Thonet Stools

Materials

Beech, Lacquer

Swivel Office Chair Thonet
By Thonet, D. G. Fischell
Located in Praha, CZ
Original state. Solid, can normally be used.
Category

Early 20th Century Czech Bauhaus Thonet Stools

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

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 Stools

Materials

Chrome

Pair of Thonet Bar Stools with Red Wooden Base and Black Seats, circa 1930s
By Thonet, Thonet
Located in Aramits, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
An authentic pair of Thonet stools from the 1930s, marked on the underside with Thonet Logo and certificate. Red painted wooden base with chrome foot support and black faux leather ...
Category

1930s American Art Deco Vintage Thonet Stools

Materials

Chrome

Pair of Thonet White and Black Bakelite Stacking Stools, 1930s
By Thonet, Alvar Aalto
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Early, classic pair of Thonet Nesting Tables, Stacking Stools in White Bakelite atop Black, ebonized, bentwood legs. Attributed to Alvar Aalto. Seat 14D. Stackable. Additional seati...
Category

1930s American Art Deco Vintage Thonet Stools

Materials

Bakelite, Wood

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 Stools

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Jugendstil Thonet Brown Beech Shoe Stool by Josef Hoffmann attr. c 1907, Vienna
By Thonet
Located in Vienna, AT
Jugendstil Thonet brown beech shoe stool was designed circa 1907 and executed by Gebr. Thonet Vienna attributed to Josef Hoffmann. A gorgeous Jugendstil sho...
Category

Early 1900s Austrian Jugendstil Antique Thonet Stools

Materials

Beech

Vienna Secessionist Thonet Bentwood Stool
By Thonet
Located in New York, NY
Unusual stool height bentwood chair marked Thonet. This is an early example from the classic Vienna Secessionist school of design, in an unusual height, not often seen. This example...
Category

Early 20th Century Austrian Vienna Secession Thonet Stools

Materials

Beech

Thonet piano chair
By Thonet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Thonet piano chair in nice original vintage condition with signs of use.
Category

1910s Slovak Vienna Secession Vintage Thonet Stools

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Thonet Bentwood Stool, 1920s, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Prague 8, CZ
A classic bentwood stool from the 1920s. The circular stool is made from beech, with a plywood seat top. Manufacturer’s mark stamped under the seat. In very good condition, after ren...
Category

Early 20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Thonet Stools

Materials

Wood, Beech, Plywood

1940s Thonet Stool, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Item has been carefully refurbished.
Category

1940s Czech Bauhaus Vintage Thonet Stools

Materials

Wood

Thonet stools for sale on 1stDibs.

Thonet stools 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 stools, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original stools 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 stools by Herman Miller, Arne Jacobsen, and Pierre Jeanneret. Prices for Thonet stools can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $145 and can go as high as $3,692, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $872.
Questions About Thonet Stools
  • 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
    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 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 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 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.

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