While the first name that comes to mind when thinking of bentwood furniture might be Thonet (maker of the iconic Thonet No. 14 chair or “bistro chair”), Michael Thonet and his subsequent studio, the Gebrüder Thonet (Thonet Brothers), had a strong competitor in 19th-century Vienna: Jacob & Josef Kohn (also referred to as J. & J. Kohn).
Founded in 1849 by a father and son with the motto “Be one step ahead,” Jacob & Josef Kohn created modern furniture for indoors and out from Austrian beech. At the turn of the 20th century, after establishing itself with mastery of everything from chairs to coatracks and even doll furniture, J. & J. Kohn began working closely with the Wiener Werkstätte, the artisan cooperative cofounded by Austrian architect and designer Josef Hoffmann (Gustav Klimt and Koloman Moser were also members). Through this partnership, J. & J. Kohn produced an array of furniture in bentwood, cane and upholstery, which it sold through showrooms across Europe and North America. Its designs throughout the first decade of the 20th century reflect the Art Nouveau movement that was quickly gaining traction across Europe.
Price wars and mergers ensued during the First World War. Changes in the organizational structure of Thonet included a merger with Viennese company Mundus in the early 20th century, which followed Mundus’s becoming a majority stakeholder in J. & J. Kohn — these mergers yielded the formation of Mundus-Kohn and later, in 1922–23, Thonet-Mundus. The new conglomerate went on to produce examples of its bentwood furniture in keeping with the modern style of the Vienna Secession. While Thonet rebuilt, rebranded and expanded in the United States and elsewhere after World War II, J. & J. Kohn never produced furniture under that name again.
On 1stDibs, find a variety of antique J. & J. Kohn furniture including bentwood wingback chairs designed by Josef Hoffmann and other seating, side tables, beech nesting tables and more.
Pair of Secessionist Style Oak Side Chairs with Ebonized Spindles
Located in London, GB
A pair of Secessionist style oak side chairs with curvaceous backs, stylized inlays and ebonized spindles. Professionally upholstered in quality leather.
Oak
Rare Fischel Bentwood Ebonized Side Chair with Incised & Gilded Decoration
By Fischel
Located in London, GB
A rare Fischel bentwood ebonized side chair incised gilded decoration and original cane seat. Original Fischel paper label to the underneath of the s...
Bentwood, Cane, Beech
Charles Mills & Sons. Three Aesthetic Movement side chairs w. ebonized turnings
Located in London, GB
Charles Mills and Sons Bradford. A set of three Aesthetic Movement side chairs with ebonized turnings to the backrest and all over turned detailing with through pegged joints to the double stretchers. Charles Mills and Sons Bradford was the maker of the furniture for the New Liberal Club House, Bradford, in 1877 and walnut fittings and furniture for the new restaurant and reading room at the Boar’s Head, Bradford, in 1885 (The Furniture Gazette, 7 July 1877 & 1 January 1886 respectively). The firm exhibited two oak sideboards, a rosewood mantel with overmantel and other furniture at the Yorkshire Fine Arts Society Show, Leeds, 1881 [The Furniture Gazette, 5 March 1881]. Its display at the Industrial & Fine Art Exhibition, Bradford Technical School, 1882, included a bedroom suite of wainscot oak, with purple wood mouldings, the panels of figured ebony and carvings of cedar, design modern Queen Anne. Also a Tudor bedstead, drawing room and Jacobean oak dining...
Walnut
James Plucknett A pair of Anglo-Japanese ebonized side chairs
Located in London, GB
James Plucknett attributed probably for Collier and Plucknett. A pair of Anglo Japanese ebonized side chairs professionally upholstered in a quality hide
Walnut
E W Godwin An Anglo-Japanese ebonized side chair professionally upholstered
By Edward William Godwin
Located in London, GB
E.W. Godwin, style of An anglo japanese ebonized side chair with professionally upholstered seat in a quality hide
Walnut
Morris & Co attr to Philip Webb. Aesthetic Movement pair rush seat Sussex chairs
By Ford Madox Brown 1, Morris & Co.
Located in London, GB
Ford Maddox Brown for Morris and Co. An Aesthetic Movement pair of rush seat Sussex side chairs with newly laid rush seat.These chairs have bee...
Rush
Rare dining chair no.234 by Otto Wagner for J&J Kohn
By Otto Wagner, Jacob & Josef Kohn
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Rare dining chair no.234 by Otto Wagner for J&J Kohn professionally stained and repolished.
Beech, Bentwood
Set of 3 dining chairs by Gustav Siegel for J&J Kohn
By Jacob & Josef Kohn, Gustav Siegel
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Set of 3 dining chairs by Gustav Siegel for J&J Kohn in very nice original condition with signs of use.
Leather, Beech, Bentwood
Mid-Century Modern Ebony Chairs, Italy, 1950s, Designer Unknown
By Non-Standard Furniture and Lighting
Located in Milano, IT
Ebony-stained wooden chairs, sprung seat with original period skai upholstery.
Wood
Svante Skogh for Seffle of Sweden Mid Century Ebonized Dining Chairs - Set of 4
By Seffle Möbelfabrik, Svante Skogh
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Svante Skogh for Seffle of Sweden Mid Century Ebonized Dining Chairs - Set of 4 Each chair measures: 18 wide x 17.5 deep x 36.25 inches high, with a seat height/chair clearance of 1...
Upholstery, Wood
Set of Four Classic Pre-Thonet Bentwood Cafe Chairs by Mundus and J. & J. Kohn
By J & J Kohn & Mundus, Thonet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Early 1900's, classic Thonet style bentwood cafe chairs by Mundus and J. & J. Kohn. Mundus was a furniture manufacturing company that operated in various locations across the Aus...
Bentwood
Dining Chairs by J. J. Kohn
By Jacob & Josef Kohn
Located in Vienna, AT
Beech bentwood with embossed plywood seat and with three tulips decorated back rest. Made in Austria in the 1900s by Jacob & Josef Kohn. only two chairs ...
Beech, Bentwood
