The story of the Vienna chair began with the development of a special wood bending technique. After being steamed or soaked in boiling liquid, wood can be bent into various shapes. Such wood has been used to make skis, sleds, barrels, wheels, carriages, and boats.

The first patent for bentwood furniture was obtained by the Austrian cabinet maker Michael Thonet in the mid-19th century. Together with his brother, he founded a large factory and became the pioneer of mass-produced designer furniture.

Vienna chairs became famous thanks to their recognizable design, durability, lightness, and affordability. A chair made using the new technology required less material than a solid wood chair, which is why it was cheaper. Initially, bentwood chairs became widespread in Viennese cafés and restaurants. Soon, the new design flooded the market and appeared in many houses of Viennese citizens.

Thonet’s main competitor on the international market was Jacob & Josef Kohn — a company founded by Jacob Kohn and his son Josef in Austria-Hungary in the second half of the 19th century. They supplied up to a thousand and a half models of Vienna bentwood furniture to the Russian Empire and established their own production facilities there. The chair from the museum’s collection was manufactured at one of them.

At the turn of the 20th century, almost all public buildings were equipped with Vienna chairs, including cabarets, cinemas, cafés, and theaters. The chairs were delivered flat packed, which made their transportation easier and cheaper. They were assembled using special screws.

Nowadays, Vienna chairs are made of lightweight aluminum and upholstered using faux leather. They can still often be seen in cafés, restaurants, and parks.