Bentwood Early 1900s Rocking Chair Produced by Mundus, Budapest
About the Item
- Creator:Thonet-Mundus (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 38.98 in (99 cm)Width: 23.23 in (59 cm)Depth: 53.15 in (135 cm)Seat Height: 17.33 in (44 cm)
- Style:Art Nouveau (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1910
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Minor structural damages. Minor fading. The chair requires a complete restoration.
- Seller Location:Varese, IT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU3023321976282
Thonet-Mundus
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.
Changes in the organizational structure of Thonet since its inception in 1853 included a merger with Mundus, a Viennese company that Rudolf Weill & Co.'s Leopold Pilzer founded in 1907. Mundus was a joint stock firm that comprised a range of small bentwood furniture makers. The Thonet and Mundus merger took place in the early 20th century, which followed Mundus’s becoming a majority stakeholder in J. & J. Kohn. The merger yielded the formation of Thonet-Mundus in 1922.
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 Thonet-Mundus furniture on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Varese, Italy
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- Vintage Italian Rattan 1960s Rocking ChairLocated in Varese, LombardiaThis beautiful rocking chair was produced in Italy during the 1960s. It is handmade from rattan and remains in very good vintage condition, few rush losses close to the base as showe...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
MaterialsRattan, Rush
- Hand-crafted wrought iron pedestal from the early 1900s attr to A. MazzucotelliBy Alessandro MazzucotelliLocated in Varese, LombardiaRare hand-crafted wrought iron pedestal from the early 1900s attributed to Alessandro Mazzucotelli. The pedestal comes from an elegant apartment in Milan created and decorated by Ale...Category
Vintage 1920s Italian Art Nouveau Pedestals and Columns
MaterialsWrought Iron
- Early production steel Foglio Sconces by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Flos, 1960sBy Flos, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Varese, LombardiaSet of 4 "Foglio" sconces design by Tobia Scarpa and produced by Flos since 1966. The wall lights are made of chrome plated and white painted Metal. This set belongs to an early prod...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Space Age Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsSteel, Chrome
- Italian wood & Vienna straw Chiavari chair by Fratelli Levaggi, 1950sBy Fratelli LevaggiLocated in Varese, LombardiaElegant and decorative Chiavarina chair in wood and original Vienna straw seat. Partially restored: one leg was repaired. general polishing of the wooden structure.Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
MaterialsStraw, Wood
- Wooden Mid-Century Modern Pinocchio Chair by Yngve Ekström for StolabBy Yngve Ekström, StolabLocated in Varese, LombardiaWooden chair produced in Sveden around 1950-60s. Good vintage condition: visible signs of wear due to time and use.Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsWood
- Metal, Brown Leather Castiglietta Chairs by A. Castiglioni for Zanotta, Set of 4By Achille Castiglioni, ZanottaLocated in Varese, LombardiaSet of 4 stackable armchairs in chromed tubular steel, seat and back in dark brown leather and spring structure for a comfortable seat. Model "2062 Castiglietta" designed by A. Casti...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Space Age Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsMetal, Steel, Chrome
- Children's Rocking Chair, Finland, early 1900sLocated in Espoo, FIStep back in time with our charming and children's rocking chair, handcrafted in the early 1900s by an unknown talented Finnish artisan. This unique piece showcases Arts & Crafts des...Category
Early 20th Century Finnish Folk Art Rocking Chairs
MaterialsWood, Birch
- Bentwood Rocking ChairBy ThonetLocated in Saint-Ouen, FRAn attributed thonet rocking chair as it is not signed in good condition in tinted beech.Category
Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Rocking Chairs
MaterialsBeech
- Oak Arts & Crafts Mission Rocking Chair, 1900sLocated in Amsterdam, NLMagnificent and rare Arts & Crafts Mission rocking chair. Striking American design from the 1900s. Quarter-sawn oak frame with two hand-carved monks in the back rest. The rocking cha...Category
Antique Early 1900s American Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Oak
- Chunky Brass Rocking Chair with Damask Velvet Upholstery, France, 1900sLocated in Isle Sur La Sorgue, VaucluseAn unusual brass rocking chair with an agreeable, chunky frame that has acquired a nice patina over time. The seat is of padded peacock-blue velvet with a bold damask-style motif in ...Category
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Rocking Chairs
- 1900s French Wooden Rocking ArmchairLocated in High Point, NCIntroduce timeless elegance and a touch of nostalgic charm to your living space with this exquisite 1900s French Wooden Rocking Armchair. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail,...Category
Early 20th Century French Rocking Chairs
MaterialsWood
- Vintage Bentwood Rocking ChairLocated in Brooklyn, NYVintage Bentwood Rocking chair. This unique chair is a perfect conversation piece for any living room or lounge space. Please confirm...Category
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
MaterialsWood, Bentwood