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Armchair

ca. 1905 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This chair was made in Vienna by the Austrian firm of Gebrüder Thonet (Thonet Brothers). The design was first produced by the firm in about 1905. It has often been suggested that the chair was designed by the Austrian architect and designer Josef Hoffmann (1870–1956), whose early work was in a curvilinear Art Nouveau style. There is no direct evidence for this, however, and it may well have been designed by someone working in the company’s in-house studio. By 1905, Gebrüder Thonet were producing hundreds of designs for domestic use and for restaurants, shops and offices in their famous bentwood technique using solid turned sections of beechwood steamed and then bent into shape.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Steam-bent beechwood, stained, with cane seat
Brief description
Armchair made by Thonet; steam-bent beechwood, stained; Austria; ca.1905.
Physical description
Armchair of steam-bent beechwood, with a caned seat, the woodwork stained.
Dimensions
  • Height: 106cm
  • Width: 55.5cm
  • Depth: 55.3cm
  • Seat height height: 46.5cm
Measured on object
Marks and inscriptions
Stencil 'THONET' to inside of seat rail. Label 'Thonet/Wien' to inside front seat rail.
Gallery label
SETTEE Designer unknown Manufactured by Gebru"der Thonet, Vienna, Austria Steam-bent beechwood, stained about 1905 This design is frequently misattributed to the Viennese architect Josef Hoffmann. It is possible the chair was designed by the Thonet Company's in-house studio. W41 & 42-1979 (Label for rooms 103-106)(1989)
Object history
Also available in white paint finish and as a rocking chair
Summary
This chair was made in Vienna by the Austrian firm of Gebrüder Thonet (Thonet Brothers). The design was first produced by the firm in about 1905. It has often been suggested that the chair was designed by the Austrian architect and designer Josef Hoffmann (1870–1956), whose early work was in a curvilinear Art Nouveau style. There is no direct evidence for this, however, and it may well have been designed by someone working in the company’s in-house studio. By 1905, Gebrüder Thonet were producing hundreds of designs for domestic use and for restaurants, shops and offices in their famous bentwood technique using solid turned sections of beechwood steamed and then bent into shape.
Associated object
W.41-1979 (Object)
Collection
Accession number
W.42-1979

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Record createdJanuary 13, 2003
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