Authenticating Thonet Austria Stamps: What To Look For

Thonet is a German furniture manufacturer that has been producing chairs since the 1860s. The company's name is often stamped or embossed on the bottom of the seat frame, and this is one of the key ways to identify a genuine Thonet chair. Other details that can help to distinguish a Thonet chair include the construction of the seat frame, the use of laminated wood, and stylistic aspects such as the capitals and overall appearance.

The Thonet stamp should be embossed into the bottom of the seat frame

If there is no stamp or label on the chair, it is highly unlikely to be a Thonet. However, there are other ways to tell if a Thonet is real. For example, the construction of the seat frame (laminated, three layers, enforcements etc.) as well as stylistic aspects such as the capitals and overall appearance.

Thonet also used paper labels, which can be found in natural as well as black and white. The first label, used until 1881, has three variants, called label 1a, 1b and 1c. These can be distinguished by the way in which the curls are crossing each other, as well as the thickness of the print. Label 1a was used between 1861 and 1870, and labels 1b and 1c between 1870 and 1881.

You can also check the authenticity of a Thonet chair by contacting the brand via its website.

The stamp should be accompanied by a paper label

The stamp and label should be found on the bottom of the seat frame. If no label or stamp can be found on a chair, it is highly unlikely to be a genuine Thonet.

There are other details that can help to tell a genuine Thonet apart from its competitors, such as the construction of the seat frame (laminated, three layers, enforcements, etc.) and stylistic aspects such as the capitals and overall appearance.

The stamp should be underneath the company's name, carved into the chair

The Thonet company name should be carved into the chair, with a solid line underneath. This stamp should be found on the bottom of the seat frame. The stamp may be embossed, or it may be in natural, black or white.

The stamp may be accompanied by a paper label. The first labels, used until 1881, have three variants: 1a, 1b and 1c. These can be distinguished by the way in which the curls are crossing each other, as well as the thickness of the print. Label 1a was used between 1861 and 1870, and labels 1b and 1c between 1870 and 1881.

If no label or stamp can be found on the chair, it is unlikely to be a genuine Thonet. Other details that can help to identify a genuine Thonet include the construction of the seat frame (laminated, three layers, enforcements etc.) and stylistic aspects such as the capitals and overall appearance.

The stamp should be one of the following: Thonet Wien Gump. 396, Thonet Wien, GB. Thonet Wien or GT

The stamp on a Thonet chair should be one of the following: Thonet Wien Gump. 396, Thonet Wien, GB. Thonet Wien or GT. These stamps were embossed into the bottom of the seat frame. The first of these was used on chairs made from laminated wood, while the others can be found on partially or fully massive furniture.

If no label or stamp can be found on a chair, it is unlikely to be a Thonet. However, there are other ways to tell if a chair is a genuine Thonet. The seat frame, for example, should be laminated with three layers and enforcements. You can also look at stylistic aspects such as the capitals and overall appearance.

Thonet also used paper labels, which can be found in combination with the stamps. The first of these labels was used from 1861 to 1881 and has three variants, called label 1a, 1b and 1c. These can be distinguished by the way the curls cross each other and the thickness of the print.

Finally, Thonet chairs will have the company's name with a solid line underneath carved somewhere on the chair.

The stamp should be on a chair made of laminated wood

Later, Thonet used stamps in combination with paper labels. These stamps can be found in natural, black and white colours. The first labels, used until 1881, have three variants: 1a, 1b and 1c. These can be distinguished by the way the curls cross each other and the thickness of the print. Label 1a was used between 1861 and 1870, and 1b and 1c between 1870 and 1881.

Other details that can help to tell a genuine Thonet chair apart from its competitors include the construction of the seat frame and stylistic aspects such as the capitals and overall appearance. An authentic Thonet chair will also have the company's name with a solid line underneath carved somewhere on the chair.

Frequently asked questions