Art Nouveau Nest Of 4 Tables By Thonet

Michael Thonet (1796-1871) perfected a new technique of bending solid wood during the 1850s, enabling mass production. His experiments and dedication to the craft enabled him to pioneer the steam bending technique that would forever change of the world of furniture design .

The process of bentwood involves carefully steaming pieces of wood to increase their flexibility, then shaping them into curves and allowing them to dry and solidify creating strong, resilient furniture with elegant curves and contours that conventional carpentry methods could not achieve.