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Zweite Fabrik der Gebrüder Thonet in Bistritz am Hostein 
Gebrüder Thonet’s second factory in Bystrice pod Hostynem 
Lichtdruck von Josef Löwy, Wien, um 1890, gezeichnet von F. Kopallik 
Heliography from Josef Löwy, Vienna, ca. 1 890, drawn by F. Kopallik 
Foto aus einem Album „Thonet Mundus“, Mitte der 1920er Jahre 
Photo from a “Thonet Mundus" album, mid-1920s 
friend Jakob Heinrich in Boppard dated 15 August 1851, we learn that 
a certain J. Bartl had ordered, in addition to four dozen chairs, also a 
dozen model No. 4 armchairs for seating at the hotel called “Zur Königin 
von England" in Pest (Budapest) approximately six months betöre Anna 
Daum's order. The second public establishme.nt with this chair was Anna 
Daum’s Cafe at the corner of Wallnerstraße and Kohlmarkt in Vienna. 
“[...] in Daum’s cafe at the Kohlmarkt, we have to furnish the front room 
facing the Street in mahogany, namely 4 dozen chairs, 20 benches along 
the walls, 16 tables, 1 credenza, and several racks, all of this we have 
to deliver by 10 September, according to the contract.” 22 
There were further Orders from Budapest and Trieste. At that time, 
September 1851, Michael Thonet employed eight journeymen and three 
dayworkers. The workshop was bursting at the seams. “[...] We had to 
make our entire apartment into a workshop and have so much to do 
that we had to take up another apartment and also use Sandner's apart 
ment as a workshop.” 23 In August 1850, work began on luxury furniture 
for the 1851 World Fair at Joseph Paxton's Crystal Palace in London. 
Although it was not yet definitively decided, it was foreseeable that the 
path would lead in a different direction: To the production of furniture for 
public places, for apartments, later for the needs of Offices and cinemas. 
Michael Thonet’s dream of factory production of high quality and at the 
same time inexpensive furniture started taking shape. 
Demand for this “consumer furniture" increased in such a way, that pro 
duction and distribution were separated in 1852. 24 The first sales location 
was opened in the Palais Montenuovo. 25 The workshop, which had long 
since become too small, was moved in the spring of 1853 to larger 
premises in the former Mollardmühle [Mollard Mill], at 173 Mollardgasse. 
On 1 November 1853, the Company Gebrüder Thonet [Thonet Brothers] 
was founded. A steam engine was purchased and at that time the Com 
pany employed approximately 40 workers. 
22 Letter from 15 August 1851 (see note. 18), quote, 41. 
23 Ibid. 
24 In addition to the shop which was set up in the Palais Montenuovo on Strauchgasse in 1852 
and lasted until 1958, there was another shop on the Jägerzeile (now Praterstraße), which was 
abandoned in 1861 and replaced by a new branch at Leopoldstadt No. 586. 
25 The establishment of the branch is dated with July 1852 in Exner, the commemorative inscription 
mentions the end of 1852. Cf. Wilhelm Franz Exner, Das Biegen des Holzes, Leipzig 4 1922, 45, 
and Michael Thonet, Ein Gedenkblatt aus Anlass der hundertsten Wiederkehr seines 
Geburtstages 2. Juli 1896, Von seinen Söhnen und Enkeln, Vienna 1896, 20. 
33