Essay Sample on Iconic Chairs Presentation: Thonet Chair No. 14 and Michael Thonet Michael

Thonet was born in Boppard am Rhein, Germany in the year 1796 where he worked as a carpenters apprentice. Michael established his workshop as a cabinetmaker in 1819 where he specialised in parquetry. He further developed a steam system comprising of bent veneers which he glued together and made chairs. In 1841 Thonet exhibited at the Koblenz fair and gathered the attention of Prince Metternich who requested him to visit him and stay in Vienna and work in Liechtenstein Palace. Michael was able to establish a technique of bending solid wood where long rods made from woods were made flexible with steam and pressure and then turned them into the desired form with muscle power and specialized equipment. In 1851 Michael was able to present his works at the Great Exhibition in London where he gained his popularity. In 1856 he could perform a constant bending by heating of a solid Benchwood into curvilinear shapes which were then followed an increased production in which he started exporting to South Africa. Due to the activities by Thonet, companies were later established in Hungary and Moravia and at the same time salons opened up in the United States because they borrowed some idea from the works by Thonet. Thonet succumbed in 1871, but his work was taken over by his son.

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Thonet Chair No. 14

Chair No. 14 became Michael Thonet established the most famous that and it was later launched in 1859. The other name that was given to Thonet chair was bistro chair or the bentwood chair. The chair was made from a unique technology of steam bending that was comprehensively referred to as the bentwood. Bentwood technology comprises of bending, durable, and light types of wood into curves through the use of hot steam. The technique of designing the chair is economical, and besides, it works through an anticipated classical modernism. It was in 1867 at an exhibition in Paris where Thonet gained a gold medal for such an excellent design, and the familiarity of the chair started growing at a fast rate.

Chair No. 14 and mass production

The chair could be developed into a work-sharing process, and entirely dismantled into six pieces of wood, two nuts, and ten screws. The chair was among the first to be shipped into different parts of the world and was accompanied with simple instructions to mount the chair so that it can start operation. Around 36 chairs could be packaged into a space of one cubic meter box and be assembled while on site.

The impact of Bentwood furniture making

Thonet came up with a process of twisting in the presence of heat for numerous parts of veneer which is stick at the same time and laminated. The pristine material was used by Thonet to develop curved rails and the legs of chairs and also cruelled arms that were meant for sofas. In 1900 the curvilinear furniture was developed widely by all manufacturers of furniture in the US. At the same time, the process was applied by the manufacturers to facilitate mass production of simple and less costly chairs. We also have Otto Wagner, Josef, and Adolf who employed the technique of the bentwood to develop a classic chair that is still designed today. Le Corbusier also used the furniture in a de l'Espirit Nouveau that took place in Paris exploration which took place in 1925. In the modern world, the contemporary world Thonet chair technique is applied in the Japanese Brand Muji and German furniture manufacturer Thonet.

Modern day influences

The primary method of manufacturing furniture from bent materials has not changed since the nineteenth century. For example, in Australia, the technique is used in the innovation of Michael Thonet. The bentwood that is commonly used by the current world population is manufactured at one of the factories that belonged to Thonet, and they use the original specifications of the Thonet designs. The Thonet technology forms the basis of using strong wood types which are curved to establish a variety of designs that are durable and unique in its features. The America civil war which took place in 1861 also formed a milestone in the application of the technique started by Thonet. Recently several chairs of the design No 14 have been developed which encouraged mass production. , and this was much practical in the Bentwood chairs of all types. The Bentwood chairs later occupied the world. Several designers of furniture of the world have placed personal stamps on the uniqueness of the chair, and they can make several shapes from the materials that are sold to a variety of customers in different locations. The US has currently started the markets that provide the chairs to those who can afford only low priced furniture for their homes. , and this has created success in the industry. While it was being launched in 1859, is comprised of attractive features which could be admired by everyone.

The unskilled workers find the assembling process very simple since the parts are easy to assemble into the desired shapes. Transportation is simple in the modern world as compared to other forms of furniture which are bulky and requires a lot of space to be packaged and transported to the desired destination. The design is still admired in with recent tributes including the Baas' charred homage. The modern architecture from Japan has created a chair in the same shape as the Thonet chair No. 14 that looks like a rough outline which is drawn by a child. A young designer from Japan known as Tomas Alonso has developed the no. Seven chairs using a stem bentwood that borrows from the traditional design techniques. IKEA has used the same technology of a gas injected composite from plastic to create a cheap version of the Ogla which looks the same to the No. 14 chair developed by Michael Thonet. The Thonet Company has fragmented over time. Three Thonets have been established but each of them coming with a slightly different action of the designs that originated from Australia, Germany, and the United States. Recently the prices have risen with the cheapest available on sale at Moss is valued at $ 56. Therefore, the modern designs that are being established by manufacturers have lost the initial credentials from prices to the quality of the materials that were used. Thonet technique has influenced the furniture industry to the extent that the technology has continued to dominate, but the manufacturers have not considered the specific basics. The current event in the development of the furniture industry that does not promote quality but promotes profitability has significantly influenced the quality and the prices of the various designs.