Thonet Children and Doll Furniture

by Stable MARK

Thonet’s children’s and doll furniture combined playful charm with the same craftsmanship and design innovation as their full-size pieces.

In this article, you’ll discover a delightful range of Thonet’s children’s and doll furniture — from high chairs and rocking cradles to miniature sets of chairs, tables, and settees. Both museum pieces and catalogue illustrations reveal how these playful designs carried the elegance and innovation of bentwood craftsmanship into the world of childhood.

Collage showing Thonet children’s and doll furniture, with catalogue images and museum exhibits, including chairs, high chairs, rocking horses, cradles, tables, and canapés. — Image: Collage of Thonet children’s and doll furniture, combining original catalogue illustrations with preserved museum pieces. The selection includes children’s chairs, rocking horses, high chairs, cradles, small tables, and canapés, reflecting the diversity of bentwood furniture designed for the youngest customers.
Source: by Stable MARK - own work.

Table of Contents

Thonet Children Chair Model No. 1 Thonet Children Eating Chair Model No. 3 Thonet Children Hairdresser Chair Model No. 649 B Thonet Childern Settee Model No. 7 Thonet Children Swing Bed Model No. 1 Set of Thonet Doll Furniture - Chair Model No. 1, Settee Model No. 1 and Table Model No. 1

The production of children’s and doll furniture is a fascinating yet lesser-known chapter in the history of Thonet. Alongside their world-famous bentwood chairs, the company also created playful and functional designs for the youngest customers and even for their dolls. These pieces not only showcased Thonet’s craftsmanship but also helped introduce the elegance of bentwood furniture into everyday family life.

Thonet Children Chair Model No. 1

Photograph of Thonet Child’s Chair No. 14 with bentwood frame, rounded cane seat, and elegantly curved backrest, adapted to children’s size. — Image: Thonet Child’s Chair No. 14, designed and produced by Gebrüder Thonet around 1900. A smaller version of the iconic bentwood chair, adapted for children.
Source: by Stable MARK - own work.

Crafted from solid beechwood, partly bent and stained in a warm tone, with a finely woven cane seat.

Side view of Thonet Child’s Chair No. 1 with curved bentwood backrest and woven cane seat. — Image: Thonet Child’s Chair No. 1, side view.
Source: by Stable MARK - own work.

Catalogue illustration of Thonet Child’s Chair No. 12001, a small bentwood chair with round seat and curved backrest, designed for children. — Image: Thonet Child’s Chair No. 12001, height 63 cm, diameter 32 cm. Price: 4 Kr. — equivalent to EUR 35.60 today.
Source: Thonet Catalogue from 1904. Internet Archive.

Learn More Still qurious about bentwood furniture? Click here to learn about the Thonet Seettee and Table.

Thonet Children Eating Chair Model No. 3

Thonet bentwood child’s high chair Model No. 3 with woven cane seat and backrest, designed around 1900. — Image: Thonet bentwood child’s high chair, Model No. 3, designed and produced by Gebrüder Thonet around 1900. A fine example of functional bentwood furniture for children.
Source: by Stable MARK - own work.

Made of solid beechwood, partly bent and stained brown, with woven cane seat and backrest. This model includes a clapping mechanism, allowing it to serve as a table for the child while eating.

Catalogue illustration of Thonet children’s high chair Model No. 3 with woven cane seat and backrest, bentwood frame, and clapping mechanism. — Image: Thonet children’s high chair, Model No. 3, featured in the 1904 catalogue. Dimensions: 33 × 33 cm. Original price 14 Kr., which equals EUR 124.60 today (according to the Historical Currency Converter of the Austrian National Bank – OeNB).
Source: Thonet Catalogue from 1904, Internet Archive

Learn More Still qurious? Click here to learn about the Thonet Bentwood Rocking Child's Chair Model No. 12551.

Thonet Children Hairdresser Chair Model No. 649 B

Thonet Children’s Hairdresser Chair No. 649 B featuring a wooden carved horse’s head on the backrest, bentwood legs, and round seat. — Image: Thonet Children’s Hairdresser Chair No. 649 B with carved horse’s head, around 1900.
Source: by Stable MARK - own work.

Made of solid beechwood, carefully steam-bent and stained, with a hand-carved wooden horse’s head adding a playful decorative element.

Side view of Thonet Children’s Hairdresser Chair No. 649 B with carved horse’s head. — Image: Thonet Children’s Hairdresser Chair No. 649 B with horse’s head, side view.
Source: by Stable MARK - own work.

Catalogue illustration of Thonet Children’s Hairdresser Chair, Model B 649, shown with adjustable height. — Image: Thonet Children’s Hairdresser Chair, Model B 649, from the Thonet-Mundus catalogue of 1930. The model number was likely different in earlier catalogues.
Source: Thonet-Mundus Catalogue from 1930. Internet Archive.

Thonet Childern Settee Model No. 7

Thonet Children’s Settee, Model No. 7, bentwood construction with embossed ornamentation on seat and backrest. — Image: Thonet Children’s Settee, Model No. 7, with delicately embossed decorative patterns on the seat and backrest.
Source: by Stable MARK - own work.

Crafted from solid bent beechwood, stained brown, with pressed and embossed wooden panels featuring decorative motifs.

Illustration of Thonet children’s settee, Model No. 7, from the 1904 catalogue, with decorative embossed backrest and seat, dimensions 66 × 80 cm, original price 14 Kr. (EUR 124.60). — Image: Thonet children’s settee, Model No. 7, from the 1904 catalogue. The bench measures 66 cm in height and 80 cm in width. Priced at 14 Kr. at the time, equivalent to EUR 124.60 today (according to the Historical Currency Converter of the Austrian National Bank – OeNB).
Source: Thonet Catalogue from 1904. Internet Archive.

Thonet Children Swing Bed Model No. 1

Photo of Thonet children’s swing cradle, Model No. 1, bentwood design with high arch for canopy, made around 1900, displayed in a museum. — Image: Thonet children’s swing cradle, Model No. 1, designed and manufactured by Gebrüder Thonet around 1900. A rare example of bentwood nursery furniture combining elegance with function.
Source: by Stable MARK - own work.

Crafted from solid beechwood, steam-bent into elegant curves, stained and polished to highlight the natural grain, this model demonstrates Thonet’s mastery of bentwood applied to children’s furniture.