Gebrüder Thonet Vienna benches

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna is a furniture brand from Vienna founded in 1853 by Michael Thonet together with his five sons, under the name “Gebrüder Thonet”.

In the Hapsburg capital, Michael Thonet moved from the more traditional technique of glued laminated wood to focus on the industrial chemical steam-bending process. This innovation allowed him to create furniture in a new way that was elegant, practical and could be produced on a larger scale. The N. 1 Chair, designed for the famous Viennese Palais Schwarzenberg, was produced during this period.

Classic design with quality

The design for the N. 1 Chair became known as “typical Thonet” and would be used to create many other models, including the classic N. 14 Chair, over 50 million copies of which were produced between 1850 and 1930 and which made history with its design and quality. At the end of the Second World War, independent production plants were set up in various countries and developed into separate companies. Relatives of Michael Thonet rebuilt the business in Austria, including his great-grandson Fritz Jakob Thonet, and Fritz Jakob’s children Evamarie Thonet and Richard Thonet. Later they rented a production plant in Rohrau, Styria before finally building their own plant in Friedberg in 1962. In 1976 the business changed its name from Gebrüder Thonet to the current name, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna.