Antique bentwood chairs TON – Czechoslovakia, circa 1960 #9 – Set of 2 pieces

Set of two antique bentwood chairs, featuring a curved backrest and vertical slats, with a moulded wooden seat. Originating from Czechoslovakia, where beech was steam-bent in iron moulds and assembled with through screws. The steam-bent beech chair was born in Vienna in the mid-19th century and became the most widespread seat in Europe: lightweight, sturdy, disassemblable, and inexpensive to transport. Its presence in cafés, dining rooms, and waiting areas made it so common that it became almost invisible. The chairs retain the paper label from TON, a national company based in Bystřice pod Hostýnem. This is the former factory founded by Michael Thonet in Moravia in 1861, nationalised in 1953 and renamed TON, an acronym for Továrny na ohýbaný nábytek, factories for bent furniture. The label also specifies the wood used: beech. Details Dimensions: Length 40 cm – Depth 39 cm – Height 82 cm Piece #1: Length 40 cm – Depth 39 cm – Height 82 cm – Seat height 46 cm Piece #2: Length 45 cm – Depth 45 cm – Height 83 cm – Seat height 46 cm Style: Viennese Secession Materials and techniques: Solid steam-bent beech; moulded wooden seat; original varnish. Place of origin: Czechoslovakia Period: Post-war Central European production Date of manufacture: Circa 1960 Condition / Observations: Retains its original varnish with wear on the edges and supports. The joints are firm. Wear consistent with age and use.