Pair of Modular Lounge Chairs designed by Esko Pajamies for Asko
About the Item
- Creator:Thonet (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 34.5 in (87.63 cm)Width: 31 in (78.74 cm)Depth: 34.5 in (87.63 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1970's
- Condition:Reupholstered. Wear consistent with age and use. Excellent reupholstered.
- Seller Location:Pasadena, TX
- Reference Number:
Thonet
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 a collection of antique Thonet furniture on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Pasadena, TX
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
- Pair Of White Fiberglass Lounge ChairsLocated in Pasadena, TXA pair of mid century modern lounge chairs made of white fiberglass with navy blue cushions. There is a slight difference in the shades of white. As...Category
Vintage 1960s American Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Fiberglass
- 1 Charles Pfister for Knoll Lounge ChairBy Charles Pfister, KnollLocated in Pasadena, TXCharles Pfister for Knoll Lounge Chairs Designed by Pfister and manufactured by Knoll, these cube lounge chairs are a classic design that ...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric
- Pair of Lounge Chairs by DunbarBy Edward Wormley, Dunbar FurnitureLocated in Pasadena, TXA pair of Mid-Century Modern lounge chairs by Edward Wormley for Dunbar. Down cushions with a textured beige fabric and casters. Reupholstery recommended.Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric
- Pair of John Stuart Barrel Lounge ChairsBy John StuartLocated in Pasadena, TXPair of vintage midcentury lounge chairs by John Stuart Inc. Low and deep with white upholstery and casters. Reupholstery recommended.Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Club Chairs
MaterialsFabric
- Pair Of Gardner Leaver For Steelcase Lounge ChairsBy Steelcase, Gardner LeaverLocated in Pasadena, TXA pair mid century modern lounge chairs designed by Gardner Leaver and manufactured by Steelcase. Brown leather tufted seat and ...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsStainless Steel
- Pair of Modern Lounge Chairs by Hickory FurnitureBy Hickory Chair Furniture CompanyLocated in Pasadena, TXHickory Pair of modern lounge chairs by Hickory Furniture Pair of contemporary lounge chairs in a Mid-Century Modern design. Features a patterned up...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric
- Lounge Chair by Esko Pajamies for Asko, Finland, 1970sBy Esko Pajamies, AskoLocated in Esbjerg, DKLounge chair by Esko Pajamies for Asko, made in Finland in the 1970s. New upholstered with walnut aniline leather. Frame of rosewood.Category
Vintage 1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Rosewood
- Asko Bonanza by Esko PajamiesLocated in Los Angeles, CAArmchair with black leather cushions.Category
20th Century Danish Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Pair of 1970s Esko Pajamies Lounge ChairsBy Esko PajamiesLocated in Turners Falls, MAPair of Esko Pajamies “Africa” chairs for Asko. Finland. Unique chairs made of oak, brown leather and wide canvas strapping. 1970’s Delivery To NYC $425. Please inquire.Category
Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Canvas, Oak
- Esko Pajamies "Bonanza" Armchair for ASKO Finland, 1970By Esko PajamiesLocated in Paris, FREsko Pajamies, A pair of 1970s 'Bonanza' armchairs for Asko, Finland. Solid oak, frame original red leather upholstery. Measures: Width 80 cm. Height 74 cm, height to seat 39 cm. G...Category
Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Oak
- Pair of "Polar" Lounge Chairs by Esko Pajamies, Finland 1960sBy Esko PajamiesLocated in Utrecht, NLThis pair of “Polar” lounge chairs was designed by the eminent Finnish designer, Esko Pajamies, and produced by Lahden Lepokalusto Oy Finland during the 1960s. These leather chairs ...Category
Vintage 1960s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Esko Pajamies, 1970's lounge chair Pele for LepokalustokalustoBy Esko PajamiesLocated in Turku, Varsinais-SuomiIntroducing the Esko Pajamies lounge chair Pele, an iconic piece of 1970's design for the Lepokalustokalusto collection. This stylish and comfortable lounge chair features a sleek an...Category
Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsPine