By Valentina
Thonet chairs are still famous all over the world, synonymous with quality, but at the same time with refinement and elegance of shapes.
Very popular, it is not difficult to find them in well-kept rooms or in refined private homes.
The fortune of Thonet production reached its peak between the second half of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the next, placing itself as the foundation of a new concept of furniture. The idea is due to Michael Thonet, an Austro-Hungarian cabinetmaker who began his activity in 1819 in a small workshop, where he specialized in inlaid floors and decorations on traditional furniture.
Starting from 1830 Thonet started experiments on wood bending, a working method that distinguished the production of the following decades.
Between 1841 and 1842 he obtained the patent of this processing system in several European countries, such as France, England, Belgium and Austria. The procedure involved the use of an autoclave and, therefore, the exposure of the pieces of wood to steam, previously reduced to a circular section. This gave it a new and wide flexibility, so as to allow it to be modeled into elaborate curved shapes, thanks to the help of metal formwork. It was then dried, in order to definitively fix the new shape obtained.
Right from the start, Thonet paid great attention to the essence to be used: red beech. This wood is in fact characterized by a certain compactness and homogeneity, to guarantee durability and resistance, but also by the light color that allows it to be easily dyed.
This process, which began as experimentation in a small laboratory, quickly turned into a real industrial production. From 1853 Thonet named the company after his sons, changing its name to “GEBRÜDER THONET” and becoming a full-fledged company.
The Thonet working method was well suited to the needs of the most modern industries, in particular to the need for seriality of the proposed items, possible thanks to the use of identical formwork.
Thonet production also stood out for being one of the forerunners in the assembly of articles. The various components came out of the factory, which were then assembled in the showrooms or by the customer himself. This innovative method was the basis of the company’s export strength. The possibility of transporting their items more easily allowed the Thonets to open stores not only in the main European cities, but also in Russia (Petersburg and Moscow) and even overseas, in New York and Chicago. But Thonet’s production was appreciated above all for the refinement demonstrated by its articles, with sinuous and airy shapes that were well suited to emerging aesthetic demands.
Famous are the GEBRÜDER Thonet catalogs made between the seventies and eighties of the ‘800. Here the great heterogeneity of the production is revealed, not only limited to the chair, but also to other types such as sofas, tables or hangers. The catalogs show a very wide proposal, with various models that could be modified and customized.
The protagonists of our Classic Monday, two Thonet chairs, are an exceptional example in this regard, as a rare version of the model n. 233 whose peculiarity was to have the armrests integrated into the backrest.
This variant, compared to the one presented in the catalog, has an open-perforated backrest and, an element of great value, the seat covered with faux leather papier pressed with a diamond and rose motif and fixed with studs.
A very popular chair, it was used especially as furniture in cafes and even more as a desk seat. Even today it is highly sought after for its characteristic shape, which in this version takes on an even greater character of refinement.
