Set of Six Josef Hoffmann-Designed “Prague” Bentwood & Cane Chairs

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On offer is a mix of the classic seating styled after the iconic 1925 Model No. 811 "Prague" chair. Armless … Read more On offer is a mix of the classic seating styled after the iconic 1925 Model No. 811 "Prague" chair. Armless side chairs in the front row and armchairs with fluid, looping bentwood arms in the back row were originally designed by Austrian architect Josef Hoffmann and designer Josef Frank for Thonet. They feature sculpted, lightweight bentwood frames, traditionally made from beechwood or walnut, paired with woven rattan cane panels for the seats and backs.
Mid-century editions of this specific style were famously produced in Eastern Europe and imported to the United States throughout the 1960s by firms like Charles Stendig's Stendig Co. The manufacturer stamp on this set indicates that these chairs are authentic mid-century productions from the FMG factory in Poland, dating from approximately the 1950s to the 1960s.
Importantly, the factory that stamped these chairs has a direct lineage to the original creators of the design. In 1881, the legendary Thonet Brothers (Gebrüder Thonet) opened a major manufacturing plant in Radomsko, Poland, to mass-produce their revolutionary steamed bentwood chairs. Following the geopolitical reshuffling of World Wars I and II, Thonet lost control of the Radomsko facilities. The Polish state nationalized the factory, renaming it FMG, which stands for Fabryka Mebli Giętych (translated to Bentwood Furniture Factory)—the makers of this timeless set.
Signature/Maker’s mark: Under the seat (photo #5). See less