Rare Thonet kneeler, marked, not mass-produced, circa 1880

Rare Thonet kneeler, not mass-produced, circa 1880. The most valuable original Thonet furniture pieces are those made during the "craft and design" phase of the mid-19th century. The first models made around the mid-century, first in Boppard, then in Moravia, are reference objects in the history of design and furniture, and are worthy of museum display. The production of 1880 maintains a notable artistic and collecting interest as the production was still carefully crafted, limited in number, and with techniques similar to the prototypes. The mass production that spread at the end of the century and the beginning of the 20th century is considered less interesting. Thonet kneelers are also relatively rare compared to other types of furniture because they were produced in much smaller numbers at the time. This work is certainly of high collecting interest. A similar piece is exhibited at the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna in the gallery dedicated to Michael Thonet. Steam-bent beech wood, originally stained and partly in natural color combined. French polished with shellac using museum-standard techniques. Intact object. Stamp and label of the manufacturer. Vienna, circa 1880. Height 91, maximum depth 60, width 53. History of the prestigious Thonet manufactory. In the years around 1830, Thonet conducted his experiments with veneer strips softened in boiling glue before inventing "bentwood furniture". In 1842, Prince Metternich, impressed by the talent of the cabinetmaker,