Icons of design: Thonet

Founded in Frankenberg, Hesse, in 1819, Thonet looks back on a 200-year history rich in milestones and innovations regarding materials, forms and production techniques. In the 19th century, company founder Michael Thonet succeeded in bending solid wood for the first time: the legendary Vienna Coffee House Chair marked the transition from artisanal to large-scale production – and Thonet made design history.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Bauhaus masters Marcel Breuer, Mart Stam and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe experimented with cold-bent tubular steel and invented the cantilever chair – and with Thonet, they had a manufacturer brimming with pioneering spirit at their side. Thonet soon became the world’s biggest producer of these tubular steel icons, which are today considered timeless. And to this very day, the renowned designers and architects commissioned by Thonet continue to create furniture with the potential to achieve classic status.

Always cutting-edge in its day, Thonet furniture has come to embody enduring value and cultural heritage for people all over the world. Thonet sees this legacy from the past as a promise for the future: “In our anniversary year 2019, the development and production of authentic originals with a clear vision, perfect form and the highest standards of quality at our own factory is still right at the top of our agenda,” says Philipp Thonet, a fifth-generation member of the founding family. In addition to the possibility of customisation, ecological, social and economic sustainability are another important area of focus for the company.

Photos: Thonet

Thonet GmbH
Michael-Thonet-Strasse 1
35066 Frankenberg
Tel.: +49 (0) 6451 508 0