To mark the 150th birthday of the café chair ‘No 14’ (today called the 214) Thonet is announcing a worldwide photo competition. Anyone can take part: prizes include a trip to New York, a trip to Thonet’s headquarters in Frankenberg, Germany, which comprises a workshop on bentwood manufacture, and many other great prizes. In addition, the senders of the 214 best photos will have the opportunity to have their work featured in an anniversary publication. The most famous chair in the world is celebrating its birthday: Thonet’s ‘No.14’, today known as the ‘214’. Over 50 million originals of the ‘Vienna cafe chair’ have been sold, not to mention the numerous copies of this classic piece of furniture history.
To mark the 150th birthday of the café chair ‘No 14’ (today called the 214) Thonet is announcing a worldwide photo competition. Anyone can take part: prizes include a trip to New York, a trip to Thonet’s headquarters in Frankenberg, Germany, which comprises a workshop on bentwood manufacture, and many other great prizes. In addition, the senders of the 214 best photos will have the opportunity to have their work featured in an anniversary publication. The most famous chair in the world is celebrating its birthday: Thonet’s ‘No.14’, today known as the ‘214’. Over 50 million originals of the ‘Vienna cafe chair’ have been sold, not to mention the numerous copies of this classic piece of furniture history.
A historical photo of café chair ‘No 14’
When Michael Thonet first introduced his ‘Consumsessel Nr. 14’ in Vienna in 1859, he could have had no idea that it would become the chair with the highest production run of all time. Since then, the chair—still today made from solid bentwood—has been in continuous production by Michael Thonet’s descendants at the firm’s headquarters in Frankenberg, Germany. Developed specifically to appeal to - and be affordableby - broad levels of the population, it was to launch Thonet's international reputation in the 19th century. Today, the company is run by the fifth generation of the Thonet family, direct descendents of Michael Thonet, in Frankenberg in North Hesse, Germany, Thonet's head office.
The chair can be found the world over – in private dwellings or in public buildings – in Asia, Australia, Africa, North- and South America and, of course, in Europe.
To mark the 150th birthday of the café chair ‘No 14’ (today called the 214) Thonet is announcing a worldwide photo competition. Anyone can take part: prizes include a trip to New York, a trip to Thonet’s headquarters in Frankenberg, Germany, which comprises a workshop on bentwood manufacture, and many other great prizes. In addition, the senders of the 214 best photos will have the opportunity to have their work featured in an anniversary publication. The most famous chair in the world is celebrating its birthday: Thonet’s ‘No.14’, today known as the ‘214’. Over 50 million originals of the ‘Vienna cafe chair’ have been sold, not to mention the numerous copies of this classic piece of furniture history.
the latest 214 chair
details about the photo competition
Owners of an original model, or their friends are now invited to send in a digital photo of ‘their’ chair and, in a few sentences, to tell a short story about it. You can find examples and the exact conditions of entry—as well as a list of prizes to be won—on the website www.214x214.de. The aim is to decide on the 214 best or most original photos of the 214 Chair, which will then feature in a publication.
Among the jury are the designer James Irvine, as well as members of the Thonet family.
Competition start date: 15th April 2009
Closing date for entries: postponed until 31st December 2009
Organisers:
THONET GmbH
Michael-Thonet-Straße 1
35066 Frankenberg
