THONET

Founded by Michael Thonet in the mid 19th century Thonet pronounced "Tone-eT" with a hard beginning and ending t, is responsible for the fundamental techniques behind bentwood furniture today. Thonet’s technique made use of rods of beech wood, proven to be less prone to splitting than other timbers. After placing the rods of beech in a pressure vessel steam was applied so the resin surrounding the timber fibers became pliable. In this changed state the rods could be bent around a form; once the rod had taken shape it was left to cure. The hardened resin would effectively hold the timber fibers firm in the new shape which would then be used as a solid component in the manufacture of bentwood furniture.
The name Thonet quickly became synonymous with a high standard of exquisite craftsmanship, and Thonet's Company grew into the most famous and imitated furniture company to date. In addition to residential applications the Thonet brand/collection has evolved to include products for the corporate, education and healthcare sectors today. For vintage Thonet selections refer to 1stdibs.com.

related links:
www.thonet.com
www.1stdibs.com

images:
Bentwood armchairs, vintage; interior bt Form Architecture + Interiors http://www.formarch.com/ (top)
Port (2nd)
Escape TU640 Lounge chair (3rd)
Schaukel-Fauteuil No.1, 2009 reissue 25-limited edition (4th)
MOSS - Multiple Occupancy Seating Solutions (bottom)