Bentwood Armchair

This chair is a descendant of designs by Michael Thonet who discovered a way to bend wood by applying steam pressure. It is one of the first examples of machine production and a deliberate manifestation of a manufacturing technique in a finished product.

These chairs were chosen by Thom for Rubidge Hall library. Sixty-five were purchased for Trent University; at least two have survived and are located in Trent University Archives reading room.

Photo credit: Bernadine Dodge