Boppard chair

Indelibly identified as classics of modern design, the remarkable bentwood furnishings of Gebrüder Thonet continue to turn heads more than a century later. The history of bentwood furniture dates back centuries, but it was Michael Thonet, an enterprising cabinetmaker from Boppard-am-Rein in Germany, who propelled the notion of steam-bending woods (and subsequently, tubular metal) into the 20th century, representing a significant passage from craft to industrial production. In 1819, Thonet began producing delicate, lightweight Biedermeier designs in his hometown, one surrounded by forests. This led to experiments with laminated wood a decade later. Having gained the patronage of Prince Metternich, he moved to Vienna where this side chair was made. Today, this chair serves as a celebrated example in which the stylish forms of Biedermeier furniture converge with a new, revolutionary technology. Incidentally, we continue to struggle with the correct pronunciation, many preferring the French Tho-Nay rather than the correct German TONN-ett.