1920s Thonet Model No. 14003 Folding Garden Chair

1920s Gebrüder Thonet Model 14003 folding garden chair in solid beech
Front view of antique Thonet Model 14003 garden chair with slatted wooden seat and backrest
Three-quarter view of 1920s Thonet folding chair showing curved beech legs and slatted construction
Side view of Gebrüder Thonet Model 14003 chair showing elegant curved rear legs
Rear view of antique Thonet folding garden chair with slender solid beech frame
Thonet Model 14003 garden chair partially folded showing its space-saving mechanism
Side view of 1920s Thonet garden chair folded into its narrow storage position
Detail of folding mechanism beneath the seat of Gebrüder Thonet Model 14003 chair
Detail of curved beech frame and original vintage patina on 1920s Thonet chair
Close-up of wooden joints and folding construction on Thonet Model 14003 garden chair
Antique Thonet Model 14003 folding chair showing warm aged beech and functional garden furniture design
Video showing Thonet Model 14003 garden chair
1920s Gebrüder Thonet Model 14003 folding garden chair in solid beech
Front view of antique Thonet Model 14003 garden chair with slatted wooden seat and backrest
Three-quarter view of 1920s Thonet folding chair showing curved beech legs and slatted construction
Side view of Gebrüder Thonet Model 14003 chair showing elegant curved rear legs
Rear view of antique Thonet folding garden chair with slender solid beech frame
Thonet Model 14003 garden chair partially folded showing its space-saving mechanism
Side view of 1920s Thonet garden chair folded into its narrow storage position
Detail of folding mechanism beneath the seat of Gebrüder Thonet Model 14003 chair
Detail of curved beech frame and original vintage patina on 1920s Thonet chair
Close-up of wooden joints and folding construction on Thonet Model 14003 garden chair
Antique Thonet Model 14003 folding chair showing warm aged beech and functional garden furniture design
Video showing Thonet Model 14003 garden chair

1920s Thonet Model No. 14003 Folding Garden Chair

€170.00

A rare Model No. 14003 folding garden chair by Gebrüder Thonet, produced in Czechoslovakia around the 1920s.

Made from solid beech, the chair combines elegant proportions with an ingenious folding construction. The gently curved rear legs create its distinctive silhouette, while the slatted seat and backrest keep the design visually light and practical.

Simply lifting the seat allows the entire chair to fold into a remarkably narrow profile for storage - a wonderfully functional piece of Thonet design that remains as useful today as it was a century ago.

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Design & History

Although Thonet is best known for the bentwood chairs that transformed European interiors during the nineteenth century, the company's catalogue extended far beyond the coffee house and dining room.

Garden furniture formed an established part of Gebrüder Thonet's production by the beginning of the twentieth century. Surviving period catalogues reveal an extensive collection of outdoor chairs, tables and other furniture designed for gardens, terraces and public spaces.

This folding chair appears in historic Thonet sales catalogues as Model No. 14003.

Its design reflects the same rational approach to furniture production that made Thonet internationally successful. Rather than adding unnecessary decoration, every element contributes to the construction, comfort or ability of the chair to fold.

The result is particularly elegant because the mechanism never dominates the design.

Open, it appears to be a beautifully proportioned wooden garden chair. Lift the seat, however, and the frame collapses inwards, dramatically reducing its depth and allowing it to be easily carried or stored.

This particular example is believed to have been produced in one of Thonet's factories in former Czechoslovakia around the 1920s.

Design Details

The chair is constructed from solid beech, with a slatted wooden seat and backrest.

Its most distinctive feature is the pair of gently curved rear legs, which sweep backwards from the seat before reaching the ground. Their shape gives the chair a particularly graceful side profile while providing the geometry necessary for the folding construction.

The seat is formed from parallel wooden slats, allowing water and air to pass through - a practical solution for furniture intended for outdoor use.

The backrest follows the same restrained approach, with horizontal wooden elements held within the slender frame.

The folding mechanism itself is beautifully straightforward.

By lifting the seat, the front and rear sections of the frame draw together, reducing the chair from approximately 52 cm deep when open to just 25 cm when folded.

There are no unnecessary decorative elements. Instead, the character comes from the proportions, visible construction, warm beech and gentle curves of the wooden frame.

Why We Like It

We love objects where good design makes everyday life slightly easier, and this chair is a perfect example.

There is no complicated mechanism and nothing is hidden simply for the sake of appearance. You lift the seat, the chair folds, and suddenly a full-sized dining or garden chair occupies remarkably little space.

What makes it particularly successful is that practicality hasn't compromised the proportions.

The gently curved rear legs give it an elegant silhouette, while the slatted seat and back keep the whole construction visually light. Even when folded, it becomes an interesting object in its own right.

We also like the fact that this was designed for real life.

Garden furniture needed to be moved, stored and brought out again when required. More than a century later, exactly the same qualities make the chair particularly useful in contemporary homes - on a balcony or terrace, around a dining table, or simply kept as an occasional chair that can be folded away when it isn't needed.

Simple, practical and beautifully resolved - exactly the kind of everyday design that Thonet did exceptionally well.

Condition

The chair remains in very good vintage condition.

The beech has developed a warm natural patina over many decades, with small marks and signs of previous use consistent with the age and history of the piece.

There is no visible Thonet label remaining on this particular example. The identification is based on the chair's construction and its correspondence with Model No. 14003 documented in historic Thonet catalogues.

The folding mechanism remains functional and the chair is stable and ready for use.

Please refer to the photographs for a detailed record of its condition.

Details

Model: No. 14003
Manufacturer: Gebrüder Thonet
Period: Circa 1920s
Origin: Czechoslovakia
Materials: Beech
Condition: Very good vintage condition
Quantity: 1

Dimensions

Width: 40 cm
Depth: 52 cm open / 25 cm folded
Height: 84 cm
Seat height: 47 cm

Delivery & Returns

The chair will be carefully packed and shipped from our studio in Brno, Czech Republic.

EU shipping: €20, confirmed at checkout

We also ship worldwide using trusted international couriers. Please contact us for a tailored shipping quote outside the EU.

EU customers have a 14-day right of withdrawal. Please see our Terms & Conditions for full details.

If you would like to check anything before ordering - from condition and dimensions to delivery - Martin and Amy are always happy to help before and after your purchase.