Thonet Dining Chair Model No.10 from the 1880's

A rare bentwood dining chair with beautiful patterned wood and weaved rattan seat. This piece was designed and made by gebrüder thonet around 1850. We can find the chair in the old thonet furniture catalogue as ‘model number 10’. This particular piece is believed to be produced around 1880. This model nicely shows the simple elegance of the thonet trademark technique of wood bending. The main design feature is a the oval shape effortlessly placed within the backrest, the oval spikes on the top of the two front legs but most importantly the subtle linear decoration on all the wooden parts. This detail is captivating and an unusual form of decoration and approach; the technique of brush graining was widely used in the furniture production even back in the second part of the 19th century but usually only as a substitute for wooden patterns. However on this chair we can see a drawn decorative thin lines on all different wooden parts of the chair. The chair is in good vintage condition with some minimal wear and patina on the wooden surface gained over the years. In a recent restoration, the frame has been strengthened and surface hand finished by shellac and nitro varnishes in order to achieve an original gloss. There is some small damage on the weaved rattan seat, mainly in the front by the wooden frame. The structure of the seat is also a bit loose.