How do you tell if a chair is a Thonet?

How do you tell if a chair is a Thonet?

A sure way of identifying a real Thonet from around the turn of the 20th century is the presence of the company name (THONET) with a solid line underneath carved somewhere into the chair. This mark could be on the bottom of the curved arms or legs or under the seat .

When was the Thonet chair invented?

The No. 14 chair is the most famous chair made by the Thonet chair company. Also known as the ‘bistro chair’, it was designed by Michael Thonet and introduced in 1859, becoming the world’s first mass-produced item of furniture. It is made using bent wood (steam-bending), and the design required years to perfect.

What is a Thonet chair?

The Origin of the Bentwood or Thonet Chair A Bentwood chair is sometimes called a Thonet Chair in honor of its creator Michael Thonet. Basically, the Thonet chair was the result of using light, strong types of wood that were bent into curved, very graceful forms thanks to the use of hot steam.

How old are bentwood rocking chairs?

The bentwood Thonet rocking chair was introduced in the mid-1800s in Austria by Michael Thonet and the Thonet Brothers Manufacturers. There were many variations on this chair design, but it was always made with steamed beech wood bent into a variety of swirls.

How can you tell if a rocking chair is antique?

You can also tell if a rocking chair is an antique by looking at how the joint is fastened. If it has glue or small wooden pegs, it was probably made in the 1700s. It wasn’t until the late 1800s that screws and bolts were used. In some cases, handmade nails were used in early rocking chairs.

Who made the first rocking chair?

Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin is often credited with inventing the rocking chair. It’s well-known that he owned several and used them, but it’s much more likely that Franklin was only an enthusiastic adapter of the rocking chair.

What was significant about the No 14 chair or Thonet chair?

It was the first piece of furniture designed to be shipped in parts to save space during transportation and came with simple instructions to put it together. The No. 14 could have been a source of inspiration for IKEA, the biggest manufacturer of ready-to-assemble furniture today.

Where was Thonet furniture made?

In 1941, as demand for their furniture in the USA continued to grow, Thonet came to the US and began production in Statesville, North Carolina.

Are all Thonet chairs marked?

The result was durable furniture that was attractive, fashionable, and lightweight. Thonet chairs are marked with a label on the underside of the seat. Most of the chair seats are rush or canned and the bent wood supports the back and legs of the chair in gentle curved styles.

What type of wood are rocking chairs made from?

Step 1: Material Types for Rocking Chairs In today’s market, rocking chairs are constructed with a few different materials: softwoods, hardwoods, teak, wicker, plastic, and HDPE lumber.

How can you tell how old a chair is?

One of the greatest telltale signs of a chair’s age include the markings or tags left by the manufacturer. Modern upholstered chairs may feature a tag listing both manufacturer and serial number or design name, which can be looked up on the manufacturer’s website or on collector websites.

What is difference between antique and vintage?

In the strictest sense, the difference between an antique and a vintage item is its age. Antiques are items which must be at least 100 years old. That means, as of the date of this posting, an antique item was made on or before April of 1918. Vintage items are not as old as antiques.

When was the first Thonet bentwood rocking chair made?

Familiarize yourself with the design of the first Thonet bentwood wicker rocker, the “Schaukel-Fauteuil No. 1” or “Rocking Chair No. 1.” Produced in 1890 in Koritschan, Moravia, it was the first rocking chair in the world created from “bentwood,” a technique Michael Thonet developed by wetting and bending beechwood.

How to tell the age of a Thonet bentwood Wicker rocker?

Look for manufacturing marks to authenticate your chair. There have been many reproductions and generic chairs called “bentwood rockers” through the years. A sure way of identifying a real Thonet from around the turn of the 20th century is the presence of the company name (THONET) with a solid line underneath carved somewhere into the chair.

What are the colors of the Thonet rocking chair?

In fall 2009, the Thonet company marked its sesquicentennial by producing a limited edition of chairs in the Thonet Collect series that replicated the famous “Rocking Chair No. 1.” This collector’s edition was limited to 25 pieces made of authentic beechwood and stained in one of three colors: black, hazelnut and mahogany.

When did Michael Thonet make his first chair?

In 1850 he produced his Nr 1 chair. The Great Exhibition in London 1851 saw him receive the bronze medal for his Vienna bentwood chairs. This was his international breakthrough. At the next World’s Fair, Exposition Universelle in Paris 1855, he was awarded the silver medal as he continued to improve his production methods.