Thonet was the pioneer of bentwood furniture at the end of the 19th century. This rocking chair is a variant on the Model No. 511, which is made from molded beech. The flat edges make it feel a little more Viennese, along the lines of Josef Hoffman, maybe, than the typical ice cream parlor profile.
Christie's is selling this particular example, dating from around 1890, on Thursday [oh wait, that's today already!] in New York. The estimate, $2,000-2,500, is roughly in line with the EUR1200-1500 estimate placed on a No. 511 rocker in 2006 by Dorotheum in--hey!--Vienna.
Lot #411, Thonet, no 511 rocking chair, c.1890 update; sold for $16,250? no recession here! [christies.com]
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