Press Release Milan/Frankenberg, April 2015

Elegant movement for enthusiasts: the rocking chair S 826 is reissued in a special edition and added to the Thonet Collect series Design: Ulrich Böhme, 1971

The rocking chair S 826 by Ulrich Böhme has combined two traditions of the Thonet brand for 44 years: in its type and form, it is a reinterpretation of the classic bentwood rocking chair no. 1; in its materials, it is oriented towards the tubular steel designers from the 1920s. The tubular steel frame of the S 826 is bent into an endless loop and is characterised by a clear, lightweight form, offering an especially yielding comfort due to the flex of the frame. At the Salone del Mobile 2015, Thonet presents this timeless design in a limited special edition: collectors and enthusiasts can look forward to two different versions of the chair; 125 copies of each will be available.

The two new versions have a striking frame made of elegant black chrome. The ergonomically shaped seat shell is covered with a soft, white fabric by Rohi in the first version. For the second version, Thonet has applied the new Pure Materials leather option “Olive Galicia”, which not only lends a distinctive look to the chair but also an appealing haptic experience. The high quality leather with a natural grain in dark brown is sustainably tanned with olive leaf extracts. Further extra details in the limited edition are the armrests covered with fabric or leather, and a striking cushion made of Casamance fabric. Thanks to its colourful patterns, the cushion sets a refreshing contrast to the simple monochrome chair covers.

The original design of rocking chair S 826 from the year 1971 goes back to architect and designer Ulrich Böhme. He took the traditional rocking chair no. 1 as a model: “I put our old Thonet bentwood rocking chair aside and traced the outlines, sought the radii and centres of the circles for the individual curves, which led to finding the construction sketch for the tubular steel frame. The prototype was right: functional, aesthetic and static. The sketch did not need any corrections – in no small part due to the superiority of the model,” says Böhme.

Thonet Collect

In this particular series, Thonet produces special versions and limited editions of its classic designs. Each individual piece from the Edition Thonet Collect is numbered and delivered with hand-signed certificates of authenticity. The rocking chair S 826 is the sixth product in this special Thonet Collect series, following the tubular steel armchair S 533 (2014), the tea trolley S 179 (2010) and the rocking recliner S 828 (2009) as well as the bentwood rocking chair no. 1 (2009) and wardrobe G 25 (2008).

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Press Release Milan/Frankenberg, April 2015

Thonet press contact international neumann Thonet GmbH Claudia Neumann, Anne Polch, Hanna Reif Susanne Korn Eigelstein 103-113 Michael-Thonet-Straße 1 50668 Köln 35066 Frankenberg Germany Tel. +49 (0) 221 – 91 39 49 0 Tel. +49 (0) 6451 – 508 160 Fax +49 (0) 221 – 91 39 49 19 Fax +49 (0) 6451 – 508 168 E-mail [email protected] E-mail [email protected]

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QuickStep PR Crest Contracts Stephanie Bretherton Harriet Knight Unit 405 United House Tel. +44 (0) 845 – 299 3491 North Road E-mail [email protected] N7 9DP United Kingdom Tel. +44 (0) 20 – 7609 1151 E-mail [email protected]

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Thonet – future-oriented furniture design with a long tradition

The unique success story of Thonet began with the work of master carpenter Michael Thonet. Since establishing his first workshop in on the River Rhine in 1819, the name Thonet has stood for high-quality, innovative and elegant furniture. The breakthrough came with the iconic chair no. 14, the so-called coffee house chair: the pioneering technique of bending solid beech wood for the first time enabled the mass production chairs. The second milestone in design history was the tubular steel furniture by the famous Bauhaus architects Mart Stam, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer in the 1930s. At the time, Thonet was the world’s largest producer of these tubular steel furniture designs, which are considered timeless today.

For the company today, the continuous process of innovation stands in the foreground alongside a focus on tradition and fine craftsmanship. Thonet collaborates with renowned national and international designers – in addition, some of the furniture is designed by the in-house Thonet Design Team. All of the furniture is produced in the company-owned manufacturing facility, and, following the motto “Individuality is our standard”, custom-tailored solutions are part of everyday life in Frankenberg. Thorsten Muck is the Managing Director of Thonet GmbH at the corporate head offices and production site Frankenberg/Eder (Germany). The descendants of Michael Thonet, the fifth and sixth generations, are actively involved with the company’s business as partners and sales managers.

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