Thonet Vienna Bentwood and Vienna Straw Chair

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We kindly suggest that you read the entire description, as with it we try to give you detailed technical and … Read more We kindly suggest that you read the entire description, as with it we try to give you detailed technical and historical information to ensure the authenticity of our items. For shipping this item, as courier rates change daily, we prefer, if you are interested in the item, that you contact us directly so that we can offer you the best possible price.
Iconic and famous Viennese chair by the Thonet Company of Vienna model no.56; the whole structure, with characteristic sinuous lines, is made of steam-curved beech wood; the seat is made of solid Vienna straw; under the seat, we find the original label of the Thonet Company and to the side, the brand embossed "Thonet Austria" attesting to the authenticity of the chair; it was designed and made in Vienna between 1905 and 1910 by the Thonet Company using the bending technique he devised; as can be seen from the page of the old catalog, the chair is model no.56 modified and improved in that it has more massive and comfortable armrests. The history of the Thonet firm is very interesting. A German cabinetmaker since 1819, as early as 1830 Michael Thonet experimented with new ways of producing furniture industrially by hot-bending plywood. In 1860 he perfected the technique of bending solid beech by using steam and placing the wood in special cast-iron molds. Then the forms were placed in kilns to dry. The wood thus fixed the new shape forever. The seats were then assembled with large screws; to make his famous chairs with their elegantly sinuous lines, he made use of this very innovative technique. The Thonet firm was the first and true furniture industry. Michael Thonet was formed in the Biedermeier period. The period in which the concept of comfort, ornamental simplification, and enhancement of wood as a material was born. Thonet will meet the tastes of a new and immense market: that of the small and middle class and public establishments and venues. Thonet moved with his entire family to Vienna, where he established the first factory in 1849 and enjoyed enormous success. Thonet's experiments even attracted the interest of Austrian Prince Klemens von Metternich, among others. Soon, the inventor of the chair was entrusted with making furniture for the Liechtenstein Palace and the Schwarzenberg Palace. The production enjoys the acclaim of the Prince of Metternich and the Emperor himself-it is a success. Present at universal expositions, Thonet achieves the renown he needs to secure large-scale manufacture. In London, in 1851 its production receives a bronze medal and creates an opportunity to forge valuable relationships for the possibility of export. Thonet furniture begins to appear in the pages of sales catalogs (comprising 25 models in 1859, 114 in 1884, and as many as 1,400 in 1915) identified by a simple number and all derived from a single beech rod, modified and curved into long loops, curls, scrolls, and rings. According to a legend in vogue in France, during the 1867 Expo, Thonet's Chair No. 14 fell from the Eiffel Tower, plummeting 57 meters. In the crash, to everyone's surprise, the chair remained intact. From then on, the myth of this legendary chair spread. Simple, yet elegant, light, yet sturdy, thanks to these characteristics, Thonet chairs have become true icons, eventually becoming among the most famous chairs in history. Measurements width cm.60, depth cm.45, height cm.88, seat cm.48. For all our shipments we use special packaging materials (wooden crates, styrofoam, etc.) for maximum protection and safety of the objects. See less