Bentwood chairs are perhaps the most iconic chairs of all time. The name ‘bentwood’ refers to a manufacturing technique invented after years of painstaking research and development by Michael Thonet, the entrepreneur behind the Thonet chair maker Thonet. Bentwood chairs are made by heating solid beech in steam chambers and then bending the now pliable timber into components for chairs. The iconic model number 14 designed in 1859 is the most chair produced in the history of furniture. The familiar designs of bentwood and the soft curves bring an timeless character to any interior. We love everything about vintage bentwood chairs and scour Europe for the best examples, Thonet, Fischel, Luterma and of course Baumann are our favourite makers.