At first glance, this exceptionally rare wooden armchair appears to be a version of Thonet’s model A 745 F—a striking modernist design introduced in 1929 for the Baťa company in Zlín.
Closer examination, however, reveals substantial differences that distinguish it from every documented example we have encountered. Its unusually large proportions, broader curved backrest and distinctive construction suggest that it may be an early variant, a prototype or an independently manufactured adaptation of the established A 745 F design.
Despite consultation with specialists at Thonet and with Jiří Uhlíř, one of the leading Czech authorities on Thonet and bentwood furniture, its precise maker and date remain unknown.
The mystery armchair examined in this article, closely related to Thonet’s model A 745 F but differing significantly in its proportions, detailing and construction. Image source: By Barnabas collection.
An Armchair Created for Baťa
An original Thonet production card provides unusually precise information about the origins of the documented A 745 F.
The card records that the model was created or introduced in August 1929 for T. & A. Baťa in Zlín. It was manufactured at Thonet’s factory in Bystřice pod Hostýnem, identified on the German-language document as Bystřitz.
Described as a Fauteuil, or armchair, the model measured 85 cm in height, 49 cm in width and 50 cm in depth, with a seat height of 46 cm. Its recorded weight was 7.8 kilograms.
Original Thonet production card for model A 745 F, created in August 1929 for T. & A. Baťa, Zlín, and manufactured at the company’s Bystřice pod Hostýnem factory. Image source: By Barnabas archive.
The production card transforms our understanding of the model. Its connection with Baťa is not simply based on later photographs or attribution: it is documented directly in the original Thonet records.
Although the card confirms that the A 745 F was developed for Baťa, it does not establish that the model was made exclusively for the company.
Furniture for a Modern Industrial City
During the interwar period, Baťa was one of Czechoslovakia’s most progressive and internationally successful companies. Its rapid expansion transformed Zlín into a remarkable experiment in modern industrial architecture, urban planning, education and social organisation.
Factories, offices, schools and residential districts were conceived as parts of a coordinated modern environment. Furniture intended for these interiors needed to be functional, durable and suitable for repeated production.
The A 745 F corresponded perfectly with this philosophy. Its geometric construction and restrained appearance were far removed from the decorative bentwood furniture traditionally associated with Thonet. Rather than concealing its structure, the chair made that structure part of its visual identity.
Period advertisement for the Baťa shoe company, whose modern factories, offices and educational buildings transformed interwar Zlín. Image source: By Barnabas archive.
Students seated on A 745 F armchairs at the Baťa boarding school in Zlín during the 1940s. Image source: By Barnabas archive.
A Radical Departure from Thonet Tradition
Thonet had built its international reputation on elegant bentwood furniture characterised by curved lines, economical construction and forms that could be produced efficiently on an industrial scale.
The A 745 F represented a striking departure from this familiar language. Its rectilinear frame, broad seat and architectonic armrests reflected the growing influence of European modernism and the functional requirements of institutional interiors.
Although Thonet increasingly embraced modern design during the 1920s, few chairs in its catalogue possessed the same powerful, almost architectural character.
Thonet model A 745 F illustrated in a company catalogue. The documented model can be compared with the unidentified variant discussed in this article. Image source: By Barnabas archive.
The design later appeared in catalogues associated with Bernkop and was also produced in related forms by successor manufacturers including EMEFES and Tatra after the Second World War.
Model A 745 F illustrated in a 1930s Bernkop furniture catalogue. Image source: By Barnabas archive
Poster advertising Tatra furniture, 1939. Image source: By Barnabas archive.
The Mystery Variant
The surviving chair examined here is unmistakably related to the A 745 F, but it does not correspond precisely to the model shown on the original production card or in the known catalogues.
It is considerably larger overall, with a broader and more strongly curved backrest. The backrest is attached using a single screw and a wooden support on either side, creating a construction different from that of the documented model.
The treatment of the lower frame also differs. Its legs are supported independently beneath the seat, without the additional structural connection visible on later examples manufactured by Bernkop and Tatra.
These are not merely small production variations. Taken together, the differences alter the chair’s proportions, construction and visual character.
The mystery armchair seen from the side, showing its unusually generous proportions, curved backrest and distinctive relationship between the seat and supporting frame. Image source: By Barnabas collection.
Photo of the broad curved backrest and its unusual attachment to the arm supports. Image source: By Barnabas collection.
The possibility that this is an early experimental version cannot be excluded. It may equally represent a special commission or an adaptation produced by another manufacturer.
A Disturbing Mark of Ownership
The underside of the seat carries another important—and deeply troubling—piece of evidence.
Burned into the wood is a small German eagle and swastika, accompanied by the abbreviated inscription “Sich.Pol.” This appears to refer to the Sicherheitspolizei, or Security Police, the Nazi organisation that brought together the Gestapo and Kriminalpolizei under Reinhard Heydrich from 1936.
German eagle and swastika accompanied by the inscription “Sich.Pol.”, burned into the underside of the chair’s seat.
The marking strongly suggests that the chair was owned or used by an institution connected with the Sicherheitspolizei during the Nazi occupation. It does not, however, identify its manufacturer or establish that the chair was originally made for that organisation.
The object may already have existed before the occupation and subsequently been acquired, requisitioned or transferred into institutional use. The mark therefore provides important evidence about one chapter in the chair’s history, but it cannot by itself determine when or by whom the chair was produced.
Gestapo official Wilczik, at the front, with other German occupation officials overlooking the Baťa factory complex in Zlín. Image source: visitzlin.eu
This provenance connects the chair with a dark period in the history of Czechoslovakia and with institutions responsible for persecution and state terror. It is a sobering reminder that furniture can carry evidence not only of design and manufacture, but also of the political systems and human histories through which it has passed.
An Unresolved Piece of Modernist Design
The original Thonet production card allows the recognised A 745 F to be dated precisely to August 1929 and connects it directly with T. & A. Baťa in Zlín and the Thonet factory at Bystřice pod Hostýnem.
Yet the surviving armchair presented here still refuses to fit the documented model.
Its unusual scale, broader curved backrest and distinctive construction separate it from the standard A 745 F, while the Sicherheitspolizei mark introduces another, later layer to its history. It remains possible that the chair is an early prototype, a special commission, an undocumented factory variant or the work of another manufacturer responding to the original design.
Until another example, catalogue illustration or archival record emerges, its precise origin remains a mystery.
If you recognise this unusual variant or know of another surviving example, we would be very interested to hear from you. Please contact By Barnabas and help us continue the investigation.
An unidentified early variant or adaptation of Thonet’s A 745 F armchair. Its designer, manufacturer and precise date of production remain unknown. , By Barnabas collection.
The unidentified armchair examined in this article is currently available from By Barnabas. Further photographs, dimensions and condition details can be found on the product page.
Written and researched by Martin Dohnálek, By Barnabas. Originally published 2 May 2023. Revised and expanded in September 2026 following the discovery of the original Thonet production card.
