Thonet Style Bentwood Desk Chair

Seating

SOLD

In 1836, German-Austrian cabinet maker Michael Thonet (1796 – 1871) first produced bentwood chairs by a process of steaming then bending machined timber and allowing it to harden into curved shapes and patterns, thus laying the foundations of industrial furniture production. Transferring his company to his sons under the new name Gebrüder Thonet in 1853, they expanded to establish six production sites across Central Europe. Thonet is perhaps best known for his iconic 1859 Number 14 coffee house chair (also known as the “Vienna chair”), which was characterised by an elegant reduced design and is still in production today.

This is an early 20th Century desk chair in the Thonet Number 3 style. The growing interest in Thonet bentwood furniture had led Jacob & Joseph Kohn of Vienna to successfully challenge Thonet’s patent in 1856. This is likely to be a Model Number 704 office chair by J & J Kohn, pre-1914/15, when they merged with another Austro-Hungarian furniture producer, Mundus AG, due to lower sales during the First World War. Gebrüder Thonet thence merged with Mundus AG from 1922/23 to form Thonet-Mundus AG, becoming the world’s then largest furniture manufacturer.

Having a curved oak backrest and arms on beech bentwood supports, over a plywood seat panel with embossed decoration. Legs swept outwards for extra stability, joined with hoop stretchers. A strong, well-used piece with great patina.

This chair perfectly complements our early 20th Century French oak pedestal desk.

Dimensions:

Height: 82 cm (32.25 inches)

Height of seat: 48 cm (approximately 18.75 inches)

Width: 62 cm (approximately 24.5 inches)

Depth: approximately 54 cm (approximately 21.25 inches)