Side Chair (No. 511)
Design Date c. 1905
Designer design attributed to either Gustav Siegel (1880–1970, Austrian), Michael Thonet (1796–1871, German), or Henry van de Velde (1863–1957, Belgian)
Manufacturer Gebrüder Thonet (1853–present), Frankenberg, Germany
Media steam-bent and stained beechwood with cloth upholstery
Dimensions 38 3/4 x 16 1/2 x 21 inches
This beautiful bentwood chair is a bit of a mystery. It was produced by the firm Gebrüder Thonet around 1905, but it is unknown who designed the striking bentwood form. It has been attributed to Gustav Siegel, Michael Thonet, Henry van de Velde and even Josef Hoffmann, but there is no hard evidence for any of those candidates. The V&A Museum suggests it could have been designed by someone working in Gebrüder Thonet’s in-house design studio.
ON VIEW in Promenade Gallery 2
Markings Stamped on bottom, "THONET 4"
Credit Line Collection Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art
Accession Number 2004.1587
