Bend it or break it!

"Bend it or break it" was the motto of Michael Thonet during his lifetime. The Boppard native is regarded as a pioneer in furniture production; his bentwood technique revolutionized furniture design because bending solid wood was revolutionary in the 19th century and has not lost any of its fascination to this day.


Though the chair consists of just six parts that need to be manufactured and assembled, a total of 124 steps are required to transform it into the elegant final product of the classic Viennese coffeehouse chair. The film demonstrates this process, a wood mechanic, showcasing the creation of the iconic coffeehouse chair No. 214.

Footnotes: 
Text and photos: thonet.de

Shop the look

Button Text
In Stock
214 Chair, black TP29 - Thonet - Thonet Design Team - Furniture by Designcollectors

214 Chair, black TP29 Thonet

955,90 €
(790,00 € excl.VAT*)
Button Text
In Stock
214 Chair, natural beech - Thonet - Thonet Design Team - Furniture by Designcollectors

214 Chair, natural beech Thonet

955,90 €
(790,00 € excl.VAT*)
Button Text
In Stock
209 Chair Pure Materials - Thonet - Thonet Design Team - Furniture by Designcollectors

209 Chair Pure Materials Thonet

1 790,80 €
(1 480,00 € excl.VAT*)
Button Text
In Stock
209 Chair, Black TP29 - Thonet - Thonet Design Team - Furniture by Designcollectors

209 Chair, Black TP29 Thonet

1 306,80 €
(1 080,00 € excl.VAT*)
Button Text
In Stock
209 Chair, Natural beech - Thonet - Thonet Design Team - Furniture by Designcollectors

209 Chair, Natural beech Thonet

1 306,80 €
(1 080,00 € excl.VAT*)
Button Text
In Stock
14 KR Children's Chair - Thonet - Furniture by Designcollectors

14 KR Children's Chair Thonet

482,79 €
(399,00 € excl.VAT*)