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Bauhaus Dining Room Chairs

BAUHAUS STYLE

The Bauhaus was a progressive German art and design school founded by the architect Walter Gropius that operated from 1919 to 1933. Authentic Bauhaus furnituresofas, dining chairs, tables and more — and the school’s followers married industrial and natural materials in simple, geometric forms. The goal of the Bauhaus was to erase the distinction between art and craft while embracing the use of new technologies and materials.

ORIGINS OF BAUHAUS FURNITURE DESIGN

CHARACTERISTICS OF BAUHAUS FURNITURE DESIGN

  • Emphasis on craft
  • Simplicity, order, clarity and a prioritization of functionalism
  • Incorporation of geometric shapes
  • Minimalist and refined, little to no ornamentation
  • Use of industrial materials such as tubular chrome, steel and plastic as well as leather, cane and molded plywood in furniture and other products

BAUHAUS FURNITURE DESIGNERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

AUTHENTIC BAUHAUS FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

The name Bauhaus is derived from the German verb bauen, “to build.” Under the school’s innovative curriculum, students were taught the fine arts, such as painting and sculpture, as well as practical skills like carpentry and metalworking. 

The school moved from Weimar in 1925 to the city of Dessau, where it enjoyed its heyday under Gropius, then Hannes Meyer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The period from 1932 to 1933 when it operated in Berlin under Mies was its final chapter. Despite its brief existence, the Bauhaus has had an enduring impact on art and design in the United States and elsewhere, and is regarded by many as the 20th century’s chief crucible of modernism

The faculty roster at the Bauhaus reads like a who’s who of modernist creative genius — it included such artists as Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky and László Moholy-Nagy along with architects and designers like Mies and Marcel Breuer, who became known for his muscular brutalist-style concrete buildings in the postwar years. In 1925, while he was head of the Bauhaus carpentry workshop, Breuer gave form to his signature innovation: the use of lightweight tubular-steel frames for chairs, side tables and sofas — a technique soon adopted by Mies and others. Breuer’s Cesca chair was the first-ever tubular steel frame chair with a caned seat to be mass produced, while the inspiration for his legendary Wassily chair, a timeless design and part of the collection crafted to furnish the Dessau school, was the bike he rode around campus.

Bauhaus design style reflects the tenets by which these creators worked: simplicity, clarity and function. They disdained superfluous ornament in favor of precise construction. Seating pieces such as side chairs, armchairs or club chairs for example, were made with tubular metal or molded plywood frames, and upholstery was made from leather or cane. Above all, designs in the Bauhaus style offer aesthetic flexibility. They can be the elements of a wholly spare, minimalist space, the quiet foundation of an environment in which color and pattern come from one’s own collection of art and artifacts.

Today, from textiles to typefaces, architecture, furniture and decorative objects for the home, Bauhaus creations continue to have an outsize influence on modern design.

Find a collection of authentic Bauhaus furniture on 1stDibs.

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Style: Bauhaus
Period: Early 20th Century
Rare and early S 43 cantilever chair by Mart Stam
Located in PRAHA 5, CZ
Rare early version of famous tubular steel chair manufactured by Vichr & co. , former Czechoslovakia in the 1930s. Bauhaus cantilever chair with a sturdy tubular steel frame, showcas...
Category

1920s Czech Vintage Bauhaus Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Bauhaus Oak Bentwood Chairs Attributed to Thonet #18 Café Chair Set of 6
Located in Topeka, KS
Handsome vintage Bauhaus style bentwood chairs attributed to Thonet #18 Café chair set of 6. These chairs have been attributed based upon archived research including online sources, vintage documentation and catalogs, designer literature, and other materials. Beautiful condition, keeping in mind that these are vintage and not new so will have signs of use and wear even if it has been refinished or restored. Specifically, each seat has varying conditions. Two have splits in the seats that do not affect their durability plus it looks age & style appropriate. Please see photos and zoom in for details as they are part of the condition report. We attempt to portray any imperfections. Circa, Early 20th Century. Talk about the ability to withstand the hands of time!! Of course, when you create a style this classic and incredible, why change it? This is a set of six Bauhaus style bentwood chairs attributed to Thonet #18 Café chair. These chairs were originally designed in 1876 by Michael Thonet. Famously known as design #18 or “THE” Café Chair, the design is still produced today by Thonet and there are and have been many knockoffs through the years. It was the first chair where the seat and back insert were directly connected and the back insert, which echoes the shape of the back, creates extra support and stability. They have additional support including side braces and a ring stretcher surrounding the slightly splayed legs under the solid oak seats. They are Bauhaus in style with an Art Deco and Art Nuovo...
Category

Early 20th Century Unknown Bauhaus Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Oak

Thonet S34 Cantilever chairs by Mart Stam in black leather and chrome – Germany
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Designer: Mart Stam Manufacturer: Thonet (stamped in leather underneath seat) Country: Germany Model: Thonet S34 Cantilever (Freischwinger) armchair Color: Black / Silver Material: B...
Category

1920s German Vintage Bauhaus Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Chrome

Josef Hoffman Bentwood and Cane Prague Chair for Thonet, 8 available
Located in Greensboro, NC
Labeled set of Josef Hoffman Prague "811" Chairs, circa 1930s, produced by Thonet. Amazing original condition on this set of 8 side chairs- could be 19...
Category

Early 20th Century European Bauhaus Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Cane, Bentwood

'1' Thonet Anton Lorenz Cantilevered Chrome Armchair
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...
Category

1920s European Vintage Bauhaus Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Chrome

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Thonet Bauhaus White Vinyl & Chrome Model SS33 Cantilever Barstool 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...
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Prague Chairs by Josef Hoffmann & Frank in Bentwood and Cane, Set of Six, 1930s
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Previously Available Items
Set 4 Bauhaus Style #18 Café Chairs by Thonet Bentwood Frames & Hand Caned Seats
Located in Topeka, KS
Fabulous Late 19th to Early 20th Century Bauhaus style #18 Café Chairs by Thonet comprised of bentwood frames and newly hand canes seats. Beautiful condition, keeping in mind that these are vintage and not new so will have signs of use and wear even if it has been refinished or restored. Specifically, we have repaired breaks several places in these chairs. These chairs vary in size. 1 chair is a little larger than the other 3 and 1 chairs’ side braces attach differently than the others. One chair retains a partial “Made in Austria” tag. 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, Late 19th to Early 20th Century. They’re Thonet, They’re Tantalizing, and Talk about the ability to withstand the hands of Time!! Of course, when you create a style this classic and incredible, why change it? This is a set of four Bauhaus style #18 Café Chairs comprised of bentwood frames and wonderful hand caned seats by Thonet. These chairs were originally designed in 1876 by Michael Thonet. Famously known as design #18 or “THE” Café Chair, the design is still produced today by Thonet and there are and have been many knockoffs through the years, but these are of the very early generation!! It was the first chair where the seat and back insert were directly connected and the back insert, which echoes the shape of the back, creates extra support and stability. They have additional support including side braces and a ring stretcher surrounding the slightly splayed legs under the incredible newly hand caned seats. This set is a bit unique as each chair bears slight differences. One chair is slightly larger than the other three. One chairs’ side braces attach differently than the others and one chair retains a partial tag that says “made in Austria” which is why we feel they are all the same age and among the earliest of the design created by Thonet. They are Bauhaus in style with an Art Deco and Art Nuovo...
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Located in San Diego, CA
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Robert Mallet Stevens 222 Chairs Set of 4
Robert Mallet Stevens 222 Chairs Set of 4
H 32.5 in W 15.75 in D 19 in
Pair of Thonet Austrian Bentwood Chairs, 1925
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Pair of chairs in bent beech, restored and polished maintaining the original patina, original Thonet type 3 label in paper from 1925ca.
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1920s Austrian Vintage Bauhaus Dining Room Chairs

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Mies Van Der Rohe Mr10 Cantilever Chairs in Cane for Thonet, Germany
Located in Amsterdam, NL
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Set of Four Bauhaus Cantilever Armchairs by Marcel Breuer, Model D40, 1928
Located in La Teste De Buch, FR
Set of 4 Bauhaus cantilever armchairs by Marcel Breuer Model D40, designed in 1928 and manufactured by Tecta Chromed steel, wood and fabr...
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Cesca Dining Chairs 'B64' Marcel Breuer for Thonet
Located in Antwerp, BE
Marcel Breuer, 'Cesca' armchair model S64, Thonet Austria 1992 Bauhaus design Classic in tubular chrome steel, rattan seating, ebonised wood. Mart Stam S64 Marcel Breuer B64 Th...
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Cesca Dining Chairs 'B64' Marcel Breuer for Thonet, Set of Four
Located in Antwerp, BE
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1928, Marcel Breuer for THonet, B34 Side Chair in Black Leather
Located in Amsterdam IJMuiden, NL
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1927, Mart Stam for Thonet, S33 Chair, in Black Netweave Version
Located in Amsterdam IJMuiden, NL
Please ask KC Godrie Ibiza/Amsterdam for our competitive personal shipping quotes. Beautiful Thonet chair S33 with net weave upholstery in black. Timeless and elegant design. The ch...
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Bauhaus dining room chairs for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Bauhaus dining room chairs for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage dining room chairs created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include seating, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, chrome and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Bauhaus dining room chairs made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original dining room chairs, popular names associated with this style include Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Thonet, Knoll, and Marcel Breuer. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for dining room chairs differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $250 and tops out at $22,000 while the average work can sell for $2,388.

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