The innovation to be patented involved the use of an industrial chemical-mechanical steam bent process, introducing new possibilities to wood furniture design, and manufacturing on a larger scale. Thonet also had the forethought of launching a distribution and sales network that was capable of penetrating any market. GTV invented marketing long before the word and the whole concept came into use.
The first pieces, chairs #1 and #14 (1860), were designed by Michael Thonet himself for the Schwarzenberg Palace in Prague. They came to be known as the 'Vienna chairs' because they were suggested by various architects for the terraces of the famous Viennese cafés. In 1911, the Gebrüder Thonet catalogue boasted 980 different models.
After more than a century of continuous editions of all the classics, there are now new collaborations with international creators such as Martino Camper, the studios Nendo and Front, the duo Lucidi Pevere, among others, who reinterpret the concept of the brand giving it a contemporary twist. It is from this intersection that the identity of GTV is made.
GVT: Gebruder Thonet Vienna design is now available in our stores in Lisbon, also featuring in QuartoSala catalogue.
