Antique bentwood chairs in Thonet style – Hungary, circa 1960 #5 – Set of 2 pieces

Set of two antique bentwood chairs, featuring a curved backrest and vertical slats with a molded plank seat. Originating from Hungary, where beech was steam-bent in iron molds 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, dismountable, 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 labels of their Hungarian manufacturer. Hungary maintained its own bentwood industry, parallel to those in Vienna and Moravia, supplying cafés and dining rooms throughout the region. Made around the same time as Thonet productions, this chair illustrates the bentwood technique developed in Central Europe at the end of the 19th century. Its construction and typology evoke a parallel production, possibly a period copy or a licensed production within the vast network of workshops that adopted this innovative process. Beyond any precise attribution, it retains the functional character and essential aesthetics of period bentwood. The seat circles and stretchers are made from a single piece of steam-bent beech; the rear legs extend into the backrest posts. The joints are screwed from the inside, with visible heads under the seat. Details. Dimensions: Length 45 cm – Depth 53 cm – Height 74 cm. Piece #1: Length 45 cm – Depth 53 cm – Height 74 cm – Seat height 47 cm. Piece #2: Length 47 cm – Depth 51 cm – Height 75 cm – Seat height 48 cm. Style: Viennese Secession. Materials and techniques: Solid steam-bent beech; molded plank seat; original varnish. Place of origin: Hungary. Period: Post-war Central European production. Date of manufacture: Circa 1960.