▷ Thonet- Chairs of chairs

Michael Thonet was born in a small town in Germany called Boppardem in 1796. He was a skilled craftsman who discovered the complex technical properties of wood, exploring the limits of its flexibility. His furniture designs were simple and elegant with a distinct quality. In 1941, Thonet was exhibited at the Loblen fair, organized by the Art Association Koblenz. It was during this exhibition that he attracted the attention of Prince Metternich, who immediately recognized his work.

He intended to promote industrialization in Austria and therefore invited Thonet to his castle, convincing him to move to Vienna.

Thonet- Chairs of chairs

In 1842, the Austrian court granted Michael Thonet the right to “bend” any type of wood, even the most fragile, into the shapes he desired.

In 1851, Thonet and his children exhibited new models of furniture at the Universal Exhibition in London, where they received a gold medal.

In 1856, the Thonet company was created to manufacture bentwood chairs and table legs.

However, she built a large number of chairs with high aesthetic standards, which allowed them to be sold at affordable prices thanks to their mass production.

In the Vienna company, he devoted himself to steam bending wood.

During this process, the company’s best-known model was born, the Nº 14 chair.
This model has become a symbol of modern design.

This chair was introduced in 1859. It is a wooden chair made of only six pieces. Functional, elegant and innovative in its composition.

These 6 pieces were made of wood assembled and contained 6 screws with a seat generally made of straw.
The chair is still produced with the same design in Germany and has been made of metal since the 1930s.
It is common to see these chairs in domestic spaces, cafes, bars and restaurants.
Another chair, also identical to the one we are talking about just now, is chair Nº18.
Chair Nº18 is also a great classic that has left its mark on history. Designed by the company in the second half of the 19th century, this chair is one of the most popular, particularly in the world of restaurants and bars.The backrest and legs are made from a single piece of wood and are still steam-bent today, as tradition dictates.
Thonet – Chair N.18

The Thonet company has enjoyed immense success, and not only with the classic models created by Thonet.

Another masterpiece created for the company dates from 1926, designed by a Dutch architect, urban planner and designer, Mart Stam, with the S33 and S34 chairs.

These chairs were the first cantilever chairs (a type of construction supported at a single point) in furniture history. The S33 chair, without armrests, and the S34 chair, with armrests are recommended for indoor or outdoor use.

In a short time, Thonet has become one of the largest furniture manufacturing companies with a global distribution network.

In the 1930s, expansion occurred with the addition of tubular steel furniture created by famous designers associated with the Bauhaus.

Another classic is the elegant Bentwood chair.

Michael Thonet was considered the pioneer of industrial design and his company “Thonet” is today an extremely advanced factory but its identity remains the same and all designs, even the most recent ones, are interpretations of Thonet history and technology.