Thonet History

by Stable MARK

From humble beginnings in a small workshop to shaping the modern furniture industry, Thonet’s bentwood designs transformed how the world sits.

In this article, you will discover the fascinating story of Michael Thonet and his family. From the first café chairs that shaped Vienna’s coffeehouse culture to the creation of the world-famous Chair No. 14. Along the way, you will see rare historical images and original advertisements.

Illustrated portrait of Michael Thonet with decorative Art Nouveau-style framing, including inscriptions noting his birth and death dates, his motto Bend or break, and the title Inventor of bentwood furniture and Founder of the bentwood furniture industry. — Image: Portrait of Michael Thonet (1796–1871), inventor of bentwood furniture and founder of Gebrüder Thonet, as depicted in a commemorative company print.
Source: Thonet Catalogue from 1904, Internet Archive

Table of Contents

Next Thonet Generations 1819 The Beginning 1850 First Success: The Café Chairs 1851 The London World Exhibition 1853 Founding of Gebrüder Thonet 1856 Patent Privilege 1859 Chair No. 14 was created 1860 The first rocking armchair 1869 First Competitors after Patent Expiration 1888 Folding Theater Armchairs 1891 Garden Chairs 1903 Global Expansion and Impact Thonet Advertisements Through the Year 1889 Today’s Production in Frankenberg

Seldom has an industry grown so quickly from modest craft to global fame as bentwood furniture. Its rise began with Michael Thonet (1796–1871), whose experiments with steam-bent wood laid the foundation for the company Gebrüder Thonet and the modern furniture industry.

Next Thonet Generations

The Second Thonet Generation

Black-and-white portrait of Jakob Thonet seated at a desk, wearing a dark suit with white beard, depicted in a formal 19th-century style. — Image: Portrait of Jakob Thonet (1815–1864), one of Michael Thonet’s sons, who helped expand Gebrüder Thonet after 1853.
Source: Austrian National Library

Jakob Thonet (1815–1864) was one of Michael Thonet’s five sons who took over the firm in 1853 under the name Gebrüder Thonet. He played a key role in managing production and expanding the business, helping to establish the company’s dominance in bentwood furniture during the mid-19th century.

Engraved portrait of Josef Thonet with beard and formal coat, shown in oval frame, captioned with his name. — Image: Josef Thonet (1822–1877)
Source: Wiener Moebelhalle No. 1 - 1 January 1887, Google Books

Josef Thonet was not only an industrial leader but also active in civic and cultural life in Vienna. He was decorated as a Knight of the Franz Joseph Order, awarded the French Legion of Honor, and the Italian Order of the Crown. Josef Thonet’s death in 1877 was widely mourned in Vienna. His funeral drew large crowds of family, employees, civic officials, and industrial peers. He was remembered as a tireless and successful entrepreneur who secured Gebrüder Thonet’s reputation as a leading Austrian and international furniture manufacturer.

The Third Thonet Generation

Alfred Thonet (1867–1935) represented the third generation of the family firm. As co-owner, he played a decisive role in modernizing production at the Koryčany factory after 1907 and ensured the continuity of Gebrüder Thonet’s global success well into the 20th century.

1819 The Beginning

Wooden Boppard chair with a woven cane seat, made circa 1836–1840 by Michael Thonet during his early attempts at bending wood veneers. — Image: Early Boppard chair, made by Michael Thonet around 1836–1840, showing his first experiments with bending veneers.
Source: by Stable MARK - own work.

In 1819, Michael Thonet Sr. opened his own workshop in Boppard on the Rhine. By the early 1830s he began experimenting with bending thin wood veneers into chair parts. From 1836 to 1840, he created the first Boppard chairs, precursors to his later bentwood furniture.

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1850 First Success: The Café Chairs

Café Daum Order Chairs No. 4

Wooden Thonet bentwood Chair No. 4 with a round cane seat and curved backrest design, produced around 1850 and used in Vienna’s cafés. — Image: Thonet Chair No. 4, introduced in 1850 and first ordered for Café Daum in Vienna — the earliest bentwood café chairs in Vienna.
Source: by Stable MARK - own work.

In 1850, Vienna’s Café Daum became the first public venue furnished with Thonet’s bentwood chairs. The order introduced Chair No. 4, an early model made of mahogany, which remained in use until 1876. This marked the company’s first major success and the beginning of Thonet’s long association with Viennese café culture.

Engraved portrait of Anna Daum, dressed in 19th-century attire with an off-shoulder gown and elaborate hairstyle, identified as the owner of Café Daum in Vienna. — Image: Anna Daum (1791–1855), owner of Café Daum in Vienna, who placed the first major order of Thonet’s bentwood chairs in 1850.
Source: Google Books

Café Griensteidl Chairs No. 4

Painting of Café Griensteidl in Vienna by Reinhold Richard d. J. Völkel, showing guests reading newspapers and drinking coffee under arched ceilings, with Thonet bentwood Chair No. 4 used at the tables. The painting is exhibited in the Vienna Museum. — Image: Café Griensteidl at Michaelerplatz, painted by Reinhold Richard d. J. Völkel (1873–1938). Thonet’s bentwood Chair No. 4 is visible among the furnishings, a hallmark of Vienna’s café culture. The painting is exhibited in the Vienna Museum.
Source: by Stable MARK - own work

Enlarged detail of Reinhold Richard d. J. Völkel’s Café Griensteidl painting, focusing on Thonet bentwood Chair No. 4 around café tables with men reading newspapers. — Image: Detail from Reinhold Richard d. J. Völkel’s painting of Café Griensteidl at Michaelerplatz, showing Thonet Chair No. 4 in use.
Source: by Stable MARK - own work.

A Hallmark of Vienna’s Café Culture

Black-and-white illustration of three men in a Viennese café reading newspapers, with Thonet bentwood chairs No. 19 visible around the table. — Image: Men reading newspapers in a Viennese café, seated on Thonet bentwood chairs (model No. 19), a common sight in the late 19th century.
Source: Wienerstadt from 1895, Google Books

Thonet chairs quickly spread beyond cafés into restaurants and public venues across Vienna. Their light, durable bentwood design made them the preferred seating for bustling urban life.

Black-and-white illustration of a Viennese restaurant interior with several men seated at tables and a waiter serving dishes, furnished with Thonet bentwood chairs No. 15. — Image: A Viennese restaurant scene with guests seated on Thonet bentwood chairs, model No. 15.
Source: Wienerstadt from 1895, Google Books

1851 The London World Exhibition

Black-and-white photograph of an exhibition interior showing bentwood chairs, tables, and furniture by Gebrüder Thonet, displayed with curtains, a fireplace, and decorative mirrors at the 1851 London World Exhibition. — Image: Interior view with bentwood furniture exhibited by Gebrüder Thonet at the Exhibition.
Source: Geschichte der österreichischen Land- und Forstwirtschaft und ihrer Industrien 1848–1898 (History of Austrian Agriculture and Forestry and Their Industries 1848–1898), Google Books

In 1851, the company presented its products for the first time at the London World Exhibition, where important connections for export were established. From then on, Gebrüder Thonet never missed a major international exhibition.

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1853 Founding of Gebrüder Thonet

On November 1, 1853, Michael Thonet Sr. and his sons officially founded Gebrüder Thonet, registering the company in court and marking the beginning of their family enterprise.

1856 Patent Privilege

On July 10, 1856, Gebrüder Thonet received an Austrian “privilege” — an early form of patent — granting them exclusive rights to bend wood with steam or boiling liquids for chairs and table legs. This protection, valid until 1869, gave the company a temporary monopoly on its groundbreaking method and secured its lead in the bentwood industry.

Engraving of a 19th-century wood-bending machine with flywheel, press, and support frame, patented by Weiszeamonski in Halle, used for shaping curved bentwood parts. — Image: Wood-bending machine used in the 19th century for shaping steam-softened wood, similar to those employed in Thonet factories for bentwood furniture production.
Source: Deutsche Industrie-Zeitung from 1876, Google Books

These wood-bending machines shaped steam-softened wood into precise curves. They enabled the mass production of identical parts, forming the foundation of Thonet’s industrial success in bentwood furniture.

1859 Chair No. 14 was created

Collage image showing two chairs side by side: left, a Thonet bentwood Chair No. 14 with a cane seat; right, a Biedermeier chair from Laxenburg with a solid wood frame and upholstered seat, which served as a model for Thonet’s design. — Image: Comparison of two chairs: on the left, Thonet’s iconic Chair No. 14 (1859); on the right, an earlier Biedermeier chair from the Blue Court at Laxenburg, whose double-arc backrest inspired Thonet’s design.
Source: by Stable MARK - own work

In 1859, at the Koritschan factory, Thonet introduced Chair No. 14, which soon became the company’s best-known model and the main product of the bentwood industry. By the end of 1903, production across domestic and foreign factories was estimated at around 45 million pieces, making it one of the most successful chairs in history.

Engraving of the Thonet factory in Koritschan, Moravia, showing a large industrial building with smoking chimney, surrounded by hills and countryside. — Image: The Thonet factory in Koritschan (Koryčany, Moravia), where Chair No. 14 was first produced in 1859 and went on to become the company’s most famous model.
Source: by Stable MARK - own work.

Black-and-white illustration of women in elegant dresses and hats sitting in a busy Viennese café, with Thonet bentwood Chair No. 14 clearly visible around the tables. — Image: Ladies in a Viennese café, seated on Thonet Chair No. 14, the most popular bentwood model of the late 19th century.
Source: Wienerstadt from 1895, Google Books

In the 1860s, shortly after the success of Chair No. 14, Thonet expanded its range with children’s furniture and miniature puppet pieces, crafted in the same bentwood style.

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1860 The first rocking armchair

Photograph of a Thonet rocking chair with curved bentwood frame, cane backrest, and cane seat, demonstrating the company’s signature bentwood craftsmanship. — Image: A classic Thonet rocking chair with bentwood frame and cane seat and backrest, showcasing the elegance of steam-bent design.
Source: by Stable MARK - own work

In 1860, Thonet’s Koritschan factory built the first bentwood rocking armchair. Until then, only heavy iron models existed and sold poorly. With bentwood, production soon reached about 100,000 pieces annually, making the rocking chair a popular household item worldwide.

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1869 First Competitors after Patent Expiration

Collage showing two bentwood chairs with cane seats: on the left, an authentic Thonet Chair No. 14; on the right, a competitor’s imitation (Model 14v) made after Thonet’s patent expired. — Image: Side-by-side comparison of Thonet’s Chair No. 14: left, an original produced by Gebrüder Thonet; right, a competing version (Model 14v) made by another manufacturer after the patent expired in 1869.
Source: by Stable MARK - own work

After Thonet’s patent (Austrian “privilege”) expired in 1869, the first competing factories were established. Many immediately copied Thonet’s chair types, but the company remained the benchmark and continued to dominate the bentwood industry.

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1888 Folding Theater Armchairs

Historic black-and-white photograph of the ornate interior of the Deutsches Volkstheater in Vienna, showing rows of bentwood folding theater chairs installed by Gebrüder Thonet in 1888. — Image: Interior of the Deutsches Volkstheater in Vienna, the first theater in the world equipped with folding bentwood armchairs by Gebrüder Thonet, 1888.
Source: Thonet Catalogue from 1904, Internet Archive

In 1888, Gebrüder Thonet introduced the first folding theater armchairs made of bentwood for the Deutsches Volkstheater in Vienna, setting a new standard for modern theater furnishing.

1891 Garden Chairs

Light-colored Thonet garden chair with curved metal backrest and slatted seat, showing the patented construction introduced in 1891. — Image: Thonet garden chair from 1891 with innovative construction. Its technical perfection made it a bestseller, with sales reaching hundreds of thousands.
Source: by Stable MARK - own work.

1903 Global Expansion and Impact

Production growth chart of Thonet bentwood furniture from 1858 to 1874, illustrating the sharp rise in output that laid the foundation for global expansion by 1903. — Image: Graph showing the rapid growth of Thonet’s bentwood furniture production between 1858 and 1874, peaking at over 533,000 pieces annually. By 1903, bentwood furniture had become a global industry, with 52 firms operating over 60 factories, employing 25,000 people, and requiring 250,000 hectares of beech forest.
Source: Central Journal of Forestry by Robert Micklík - Imperial-Royal Chief Forestry Master and Gustav Hempel Extraordinary Professor of Forestry at the Imperial-Royal University of Agricultural Sciences. (Centralblatt für das Gesammte Forstwesen. Redigiert von Robert Micklík, k. k. Oberlandforstmeister, und Gustav Hempel, außerordentlicher Professor der Forstwissenschaft an der k. k. Hochschule für Bodenkultur. Zweiter Jahrgang 1876.), Google Books

Thonet Advertisements Through the Year

Black and white Thonet Brothers newspaper advertisement from the 1890s, showing a bentwood chair and address at 834 Broadway, New York. — Image: Advertisement of Thonet Brothers in New York, promoting Viennese furniture made of bentwood, c. 1893.
Source: Österreichisch-Ungarische Zeitung, Chicago, 1893, Google Books

Black-and-white 1877 newspaper advertisement by Gebrüder Thonet in Café- und Gasthaus-Zeitung, featuring offers for elastic veneer wood seat chairs, rocking chairs, and other furniture. — Image: Advertisement of Gebrüder Thonet promoting elastic veneer wood seat chairs, rocking chairs, and children’s and garden furniture. .
Source: Café- und Gasthaus-Zeitung from 1877, Google Books

Vintage Gebrüder Thonet advertisement from 1889 in the Export-Compass, featuring bentwood chairs, medals, and a list of worldwide factories and showrooms. — Image: Advertisement of Gebrüder Thonet from the Export-Compass (1889), showcasing their bentwood furniture factories, awards, and international branches.
Source: Export-Compass. Commercielles Jahrbuch für die Interessenten des österreichisch-ungarischen Ausfuhr-Handels, Wien, 1889, Google Books

Victorian-era advertisement for Thonet Brothers’ Austrian bentwood furniture, featuring chairs and details about awards and exhibitions in Paris and beyond, published in 1869. — Image: Advertisement for Thonet Brothers’ bentwood furniture in Debrett’s House of Commons and the Judicial Bench (1869), highlighting international recognition and success at exhibitions.
Source: Debrett’s House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1869. Google Books

1888 French Thonet furniture advertisement showing bentwood chairs, rocking chairs, sofas, and tables, highlighting medals from exhibitions and warning against imitations. — Image: French advertisement from 1888 for Meubles Thonet en bois courbé (Thonet bentwood furniture), promoting chairs, armchairs, sofas, tables, and children’s furniture, with emphasis on authenticity and awards.
Source: La Silhouette, politique satirique, 1888. Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF)

1929 French-language newspaper ad for Thonet-Mundus chairs, featuring a bentwood chair illustration and text Nouvel arrivage de chaises by Yervant Hacopian. — Image: 1929 advertisement for Thonet-Mundus chairs, placed by Yervant Hacopian, announcing a new arrival of bentwood chairs.
Source: Le Courrier d'Éthiopie, 1929. Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF)

French newspaper ad from 1933 promoting Thonet-Mundus bentwood furniture, including different chair models, a folding bed, and a rocking chair, marketed in Madagascar. — Image: 1933 advertisement for Thonet-Mundus furniture in Madagascar, showing a variety of bentwood chairs, a folding bed, and a rocking chair.
Source: Mercure: journal illustré bi-mensuel, 1933.Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF)

Black-and-white 1925 French newspaper ad for Thonet bentwood furniture, showing a chair illustration and promoting the Lyon branch at 8, cours de la Liberté. — Image: 1925 French advertisement for Thonet bentwood furniture, highlighting the brand’s reputation for strength and fine craftsmanship, with a branch in Lyon.
Source: Semaine religieuse du diocèse de Lyon, 1925. Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF)

Vintage 1895 German newspaper ad for Gebrüder Thonet, showing various bentwood chairs, a bench, and rocking chairs, with text highlighting their use in hotels and households. — Image: 1895 German advertisement for Gebrüder Thonet, promoting bentwood furniture for hotels, restaurants, offices, and homes.
Source: Strassburger neueste Nachrichten – General-Anzeiger, 1895. Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF)

1889 Today’s Production in Frankenberg

Since 1889, Thonet’s production facility in Frankenberg (Hesse, Germany) has been the company’s heart, surviving two world wars and remaining family-owned. Today, the sixth generation of the Thonet family continues to play an active role, ensuring Michael Thonet Sr.’s legacy lives on in design and in the history of labor itself.

Black-and-white photograph of a 1929 hotel room designed by E. Guillot and furnished by Thonet Frères, featuring a lounge chair, bed, wardrobe, and other modern furniture. — Image: Hotel room interior designed by E. Guillot and published by Thonet Frères, showcasing modern Thonet furniture, 1929.
Source: Mobilier et décoration, 1929. Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF)

What began as one man’s vision of bending wood with steam became a global industry — and Thonet’s timeless furniture continues to embody innovation, resilience, and elegance more than 200 years later.

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