The unique success story of Thonet began with the work of master carpenter Michael Thonet (1796-1871), which established the transition from manual furniture production to industrial production. Michael Thonet succeeded in making the breakthrough to industrial production in 1859 in Vienna with chair No.14, later called the „Vienna coffee house chair“, for which the innovative technique of bending solid beech wood was used. The individual production steps were standardized and the division of labor concept was implemented for the first time in furniture production. In addition, the chair was easy to disassemble and could be shipped in a space-saving way. Chair No.14 cleared the way for Thonet to become a global enterprise, and numerous successful bentwood designs followed. Thonet’s production peaked in 1912: that year, two million units were produced and sold worldwide.
Tubular steel furniture is the second constant in Thonet’s product line. In the 1930s, the company was the world’s largest producer of this innovative furniture, which was designed by a number of famous architects including Mart Stam, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer. Today, the early tubular steel furniture designs are considered milestones in design history. Their clear, open and simple forms were an expression of a new attitude in every-day culture and architecture, which became famous under the catchphrase “New Objectivity”. Currently, numerous successful classic models are still in the product line, among them the first cantilever chair S 33 for which Mart Stam was awarded the artistic copyright for its form and basic principle, as well as models S 32 and S 64 by Marcel Breuer.
The family company has had its head offices in Frankenberg in the north of Hesse. Today, all bentwood and tubular steel classics as well as the contemporary collections are produced here in a facility with cuttingedge production equipment and a staff of workers with vast experience to draw upon. Thonet still develops innovative products that stand out due to their quality materials and timeless formal language and always take sustainability and durability under consideration.
Thonet Product
Other Furniture Products
Member Promotion
Elinor ELN150X150 PEDRALI
The Elinor table collection, with its soft and curving lines, conveys a refined yet contemporary image. The base is formed of two moulded elements of...
Ginger_37 armchair TON Czechia
Created by the design studio Yonoh, the compact Ginger_37 armchair blends gentle contours with a comfortable, contemporary design. Inspired by the bul...
Our Products are Used in Projects by
MVRDV
studio mk27
Studio Tate
i29
SENSO | THINK UNITED
Technē Architecture + Interior Design
ÁBATON
Neri&Hu Design and Research Office
Biasol Studio
Fokkema & Partners Architecten
concrete
Liong Lie Architects
Billard Leece Partnership Pty Ltd Architects & Urban Planners
PSLab
Benn + Penna Architecture
RAU
bauzeit architekten
Francesc Rifé Studio
SUPPOSE DESIGN OFFICE Co.,Ltd.
Carter Williamson Architects
K2LD Architects
DENGLAB Architects
OHLAB
Atelier Barda architecture
John Pawson
IF Architecture
Projects with Products from Thonet
Thonet Offices
Furniture Brands
Is this your brand and would you like to remove content from other manufacturers on your brand page? Contact Archello