Vintage Bentwood Circular Stool by Thonet
View Similar Items
Vintage Bentwood Circular Stool by Thonet
About the Item
- Creator:Michael Thonet (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 15.25 in (38.74 cm)Diameter: 15 in (38.1 cm)Seat Height: 15.25 in (38.74 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1970s
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Washington, DC
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1063215125711
Michael Thonet
The development of bentwood for use in furniture is one of history’s most significant innovations in design. A range of renowned mid-century modern designers such as Alvar Aalto, Arne Jacobsen, and Charles and Ray Eames drew heavily on this technological advancement, and the success of their enduring works owes to the efforts of pioneering German-Austrian industrialist and designer Michael Thonet — founder of Thonet and widely considered the father of bentwood furniture.
Bentwood furniture dates as far back as the Middle Ages, but it is the 19th-century cabinetmaker and master of parquetry Michael 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. He experimented with bending birch rods into rounded shapes — forming delicately seductive, curving Art Nouveau creations that were a daring departure from the heavy, hand-carved designs attributed to his contemporaries.
The Boppard-born Thonet 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. He received an invitation from Austrian Chancellor Prince Metternich to contribute Neo-Rococo interiors to the Liechtenstein City Palace in Vienna. From there, 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. 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 — or Gebrüder Thonet — with his sons in 1853.
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.
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. Composed of just six parts, the chair, with its simple, lightweight design, belies its durability. 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.)
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.
Thonet’s patented bentwood technology also yielded an improvement to rocking chairs for his company — 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. And bentwood furniture was embraced by a series of design greats — the innovation can be found in the seating that Josef Hoffman designed for Thonet, in the elegant Superleggera chair created by Gio Ponti and Alvar Aalto’s expressive Paimio armchair.
The No. 14 chair earned a gold medal at the 1867 Paris World’s Fair and reportedly sold 50 million copies prior to World War I. Today it’s a staple furnishing in countless movies, television shows, restaurants, bars and homes.
On 1stDibs, find an array of antique Michael Thonet seating, tables and more.
- Organic Brutalist Bronze Pair of Table Lamps VintageLocated in Washington, DCExceptional and unique pair of vintage bronze table lamps. Lamps retain the original bronze finial and have a beautiful warm patina. These unique lamps are high quality made and hea...Category
Vintage 1950s Organic Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsMetal, Bronze
$2,250 / item - Ceramic Vase by Tim KeenanBy Tim KeenanLocated in Washington, DCBeautiful ceramic vase by Tim Keenan. Condition is excellent.Category
21st Century and Contemporary Vases
MaterialsCeramic
$358 Sale Price34% Off - Aluminum Nut Cracker by Pierre Mandel, France, 1970sBy Pierre VandelLocated in Washington, DCWonderful functional sculptural nut cracker by French designer by Pierre Vandel. Made in solid aluminum.Category
Vintage 1970s French Mid-Century Modern Barware
MaterialsAluminum
$245 Sale Price30% Off - Surreal French Painting "The Black Pearl" with Harlequin FrameLocated in Washington, DCExceptional and original one of a kind painting. Work on paper and signed lower left corner, titled "La Perle Noire..." and dated 1985. Frame is also hand pai...Category
Vintage 1980s French Paintings
MaterialsPaper
$1,500 Sale Price40% Off - Carl Auböck Horn BowlBy Werkstätte Carl AuböckLocated in Washington, DCImpressive large horn bowl by Austrian designer Carl Auböck. Bowl measures 8.5" x 3".Category
Vintage 1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls
MaterialsHorn
$520 Sale Price20% Off - Antique Albertus Seba Pair 18th Century Hand-Colored Engravings ButterflyBy Albertus Seba 1Located in Washington, DCRare pair of original hand-colored prints from Sir Albertus Seba's cabinet of natural curiosities. Prints come from published volumes in Amste...Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Dutch Prints
MaterialsPaper
- Bentwood and Wicker Cane Stool or Side Drinks Table in the Style of ThonetBy ThonetLocated in New York, NYA beautiful modern bentwood and cane top stool or side drinks table, in the style of Thonet, circa early to Mid-20th Century, Europe, possibly Austria. ...Category
Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsCane, Bentwood, Wicker
- Wicker Cane and Bentwood Side Drinks Table or Stool in the Style of ThonetBy ThonetLocated in New York, NYA modern bentwood and wicker cane top stool or side drinks table, in the style of Thonet, circa mid-20th century, Europe, possibly Austria. Piece works ...Category
Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsWicker, Cane, Bentwood
- Bentwood Stool or Drinks TableLocated in New York, NYA rich modern European bentwood stool or drinks table, Midcentury Modern period, circa mid-20th century, Yugoslavia. Marked "Made in Yugoslavia" underneath as shown in last image. Di...Category
Mid-20th Century Macedonian Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsWood, Bentwood
- Bentwood Cane and Glass Top Side Drinks Table or Stool in the Style of ThonetBy ThonetLocated in New York, NYA beautiful modern bentwood, wicker cane and glass top side drinks table or stool, circa Mid-20th Century, Europe, possibly Austria. This table or stool has a beautiful rich dark bentwood, blonde cane top, and custom glass top to protect and effortlessly use stool...Category
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsCane, Glass, Bentwood
- Thonet Style Revolving Stool with Cane SeatBy ThonetLocated in Barcelona, ESRevolving stool in bentwood with cane seat. In the style of Thonet. Austria, 1930s. Nicely constructed. Height adjustable. The wood structure is strong...Category
Early 20th Century Austrian Arts and Crafts Stools
MaterialsCane, Wood, Bentwood, Wicker
- 2 Michael Thonet Bentwood Cane Stool Ottoman Side Table End Table Rustic AustriaBy Thonet, Michael ThonetLocated in Miami, FLPair of Michael Thonet attributed classic and timeless Mid-Century Modern bentwood and cane stool, ottoman, side table, drinks table or end table made in Europe, Austria. All rustic ...Category
Vintage 1950s Austrian Bohemian Side Tables
MaterialsCane, Bentwood