Brothers Thonet Set of 8 Armchairs for Ligna Drevounia, Czechoslovakia, 1960s
About the Item
- Creator:Ligna (Manufacturer),Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 30.32 in (77 cm)Width: 22.45 in (57 cm)Depth: 23.23 in (59 cm)Seat Height: 18.12 in (46 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Circa 1960
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Antwerpen, BE
- Reference Number:
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH
For more than 180 years, Thonet — or Gebrüder Thonet — has produced elegant and durable tables and cabinets as well as chairs, stools and other seating that wholly blur the lines between art and design. Widely known as a trailblazer in the use of bentwood in furniture, the European manufacturer has reimagined the places in which we gather.
Noted for his skill in parquetry, German-Austrian company founder Michael Thonet received an invitation from Austrian Chancellor Prince Metternich to contribute Neo-Rococo interiors to the Liechtenstein City Palace in Vienna. The Boppard-born Thonet had honed his carpentry skills in his father’s workshop, where he carried out experiments with plywood and modified the Biedermeier chairs that populated the studio.
Thonet’s work for the chancellor raised his profile, and the cabinetmaker gained international recognition, including at London’s Great Exhibition of 1851, which featured works created by members of the Arts and Crafts movement as well as industrial products of the day. Thonet showed a range of furniture at the fair and won the bronze medal for his bentwood chairs. He incorporated his family’s company, the Thonet Brothers, with his sons in 1853.
Bentwood furniture dates as far back as the Middle Ages, but it is the 19th-century cabinetmaker Thonet who is most often associated with this now-classic technique. Thonet in 1856 patented a method for bending solid wood through the use of steam, and from there, the bentwood look skyrocketed to furniture fame. The works of renowned mid-century modern designers such as Alvar Aalto, Arne Jacobsen, and Charles and Ray Eames that put this technological advancement to use would not be as extensive or celebrated were it not for the efforts of the pioneering Thonet.
Considered the world’s oldest mass-produced chair, Michael Thonet’s ubiquitous Chair No. 14 demonstrated that his patented bentwood technology made it possible to efficiently produce furniture on an industrial scale. Now known as the 214, it won the German Sustainability Award Design for 2021, a recognition of the company’s commitment to environmentally responsible production.
Often called the Coffee House chair — the company’s first substantial order was for a Viennese coffeehouse — the No. 14 remains an icon. Thonet originally designed the chair in 1859, and it is considered the starting point for modern furniture.
The bentwood process opened doors — there were investments in machinery and new industrial processes, and the business began mass-producing furniture. By the end of the 1850s, there were additional Thonet workshops in Eastern Europe and hundreds of employees. Michael Thonet’s reputation attracted the attention of notable architects including Otto Wagner, Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
The No. 14 was followed by the No. 18, or the Bistro chair, in 1867, and the 209, or the Architect’s chair, of which Le Corbusier was a fan. (The influential Swiss-French architect and designer used Thonet furniture in his Pavillon de l’Esprit Nouveau at the 1925 International Exposition of Decorative Arts in Paris.)
Thonet’s chair designs also appeared in artwork by Toulouse-Lautrec, John Sloan and Henri Matisse in his Interior with a Violin Case. The noteworthy Thonet rocking chair remains a marvel of construction — in the middle of the 19th century, Michael produced a series of rockers in which the different curved parts were integrated into fluid, sinuous wholes. Thanks to Thonet, the humble rocker acquired something unexpected: style. It was captured in the paintings of Pablo Picasso, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and James Tissot.
Thonet is currently split into global divisions. Thonet Industries U.S.A. was acquired in 1987 by Shelby Williams and joined the CF Group in 1999, while the Thonet brand in Germany is owned by Thonet GmbH.
Find antique Gebrüder Thonet furniture on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Antwerpen, Belgium
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- Easy chair Penguin, model 107, by Theo Ruth, for Artifort, Netherlands 1960sBy Theo Ruth, ArtifortLocated in Antwerpen, BEPenguin Easy chair designed by Theo Ruth and produced by Artifort in the Netherlands around 1960. This chair was designed as part of a collection, w...Category
Vintage 1960s Dutch Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- Alfred Hendrickx Wardrobe for Belform, Belgian Design, 1960sBy Alfred HendrickxLocated in Antwerpen, BEWardrobe designed by Alfred Hendrickx and produced by Belform in Belgium around 1960. Made from bubinga veneer. Apart from a small crack in the black lacquered base on the left and r...Category
Vintage 1960s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Wardrobes and Armoires
MaterialsBubinga
- Illum Wikkelso 3-Seater Sofa for Niels Eilersen, Denmark, 1960sBy Illum Wikkelsø, Niels EilersenLocated in Antwerpen, BE3-seater sofa by Illum Wikkelsø, produced by Eilersen in Denmark in the 1960’s. Solid teak frame garnished with pillows upholstered in the original woolen quality fabric. The singels...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric, Teak
- Arne Vodder Writing Desk for Sibast Furniture, Denmark, 1960sBy Sibast, Arne VodderLocated in Antwerpen, BEExecutive writing desk designed by Arne Vodder and produced by Sibast furniture in Denmark around 1960. This large L-shaped desk is made of solid rosewood and rosewood veneer and it ...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks
MaterialsRosewood
- Ole Wanscher Colonial Chair, PJ-149, for Carl Hansen & Son, Danish Design, 1990sBy Carl Hansen & Søn, Ole WanscherLocated in Antwerpen, BEColonial easy chair with ottoman, model PJ-149, designed by Ole Wanscher and produced by Carl Hansen & Son around 1990. An iconic design in solid oak finished with burgundy leather c...Category
1990s Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Oak
- Louis van Teeffelen Wall Unit for Wébé, Dutch design, 1960sBy WéBé, Louis Van TeeffelenLocated in Antwerpen, BE3-piece wall unit by Louis van Teeffelen for Wébé, Dutch design 1960’s. This set features four organic uprights in black lacquered wood and a variety of shelves and cabinets. This is...Category
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
MaterialsWood
- Set of Armchairs Designed by Thonet and Manufactured by Ligna in the 1950sBy Ligna, ThonetLocated in Copenhagen, DKRemarkable set of armchairs, designed by Thonet and expertly manufactured by Ligna in the 1950s. Combining Thonet's visionary design aesthetic with Ligna's craftsmanship, these armch...Category
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsRattan, Bentwood
- 2 of 8 Ligna chairs, 1960s-1970s, Czechoslovakia, VintageBy LignaLocated in Hannover, DEPair of bentwood chairs from Czechoslovakia by manufacturer Ligna. Production period: 1960s-1970s. Displayed price is for a set of 2. Totally up to 8 chairs (4 pairs) available. ...Category
Vintage 1960s European Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsTeak
- 1960s Ton/Thonet Beech Armchair, CzechoslovakiaBy ThonetLocated in Praha, CZNewly upholstered - wooden parts have been repolished.Category
Vintage 1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric
- 1960s Ton/Thonet Beech Armchair, CzechoslovakiaBy ThonetLocated in Praha, CZ- Newly upholstered - Carefully refurbished - The seat height is 39cmCategory
Vintage 1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Wood, Upholstery, Beech
- 1960s Ton/Thonet Beech Armchair, CzechoslovakiaBy ThonetLocated in Praha, CZNewly upholstered - wooden parts have been repolished.Category
Vintage 1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric
- 1960s Pair of Ton/Thonet Beech Armchairs, CzechoslovakiaBy ThonetLocated in Praha, CZ- Newly upholstered - wooden parts have been repolished, mint colour.Category
Vintage 1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric