Cantilever chair: how to identify an original (Breuer, Stam, Mies)
A chair without back legs that seems to float on a single bent tube: the cantilever chair, in German "Freischwinger", is one of the great inventions of modernism. Several architects developed it almost at the same time, its authorship was fought over in court for decades, and several manufacturers still make it today. Here you will learn who makes which cantilever chair and how to identify an original.
The short answer: An original cantilever chair comes from an authorised manufacturer such as Thonet or Knoll, formerly also Gavina, or from a historical production of the Bauhaus era. You recognise it by its marking, model name and construction. A missing marking does not rule it out, because labels get lost; then a comparison with the model decides.
Who invented the cantilever chair?
In 1926 the Dutch architect Mart Stam built the first prototypes of a chair without back legs from gas pipes. His chair was shown in 1927 at the Werkbund exhibition "Die Wohnung" in the Weissenhof Estate in Stuttgart. Because the bends were reinforced with iron rods, it did not yet spring. In the same year Ludwig Mies van der Rohe filed a patent for a chair whose bent frame, in the words of the patent specification, "allows sprung sitting". Marcel Breuer had been experimenting with tubular steel at the Bauhaus since 1925 and designed his cantilever chair B 32 in 1928.
The lawsuit: why Mart Stam is regarded as the author
Anton Lorenz, who held the rights to Stam's chair, sued Thonet. In 1932 the Reichsgericht, then Germany's highest court, recognised Mart Stam as the artistic author of the cantilever chair. As a result, Stam's name replaced Breuer's in the Thonet catalogues for two-legged cantilever chairs such as the B 32. The Federal Court of Justice confirmed Stam's artistic copyright in 1961. That is why Thonet still lists the S 32 today as "Design Marcel Breuer" with the addition "artistic copyright Mart Stam".
Who makes which cantilever chair? Manufacturers today
Several designs are made by two manufacturers, each as part of its own product range:
| Model | Design | Manufacturer today |
|---|---|---|
| S 33 and S 34 | Mart Stam, 1926 | Thonet |
| S 32 and S 64 (formerly B 32 and B 64) | Marcel Breuer, 1928, copyright Mart Stam | Thonet, since 1930 |
| Cesca Chair (B 32 and B 64) | Marcel Breuer, 1928 | Knoll |
| MR Chair and MR Side Chair | Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, 1927 | Knoll |
How Thonet models are marked in detail is shown in our guide How to identify an original Thonet: stamps and labels.
The early manufacturers of the Bauhaus era
The first tubular steel furniture came from small workshops. At the end of 1926 or the beginning of 1927 Breuer founded the company Standard-Möbel in Berlin with Kálmán Lengyel, the first company to specialise in tubular steel furniture. In 1929 Thonet took over the company and in 1930 set up its own tubular steel department. In the 1930s Thonet became the largest manufacturer of tubular steel furniture. Cantilever chairs from this early period are rare and are classified by their provenance.
From B 32 to Cesca: Breuer's cantilever chair at Thonet, Gavina and Knoll
Thonet has made Breuer's B 32 as the S 32 since 1930. In the early 1960s the Italian manufacturer Gavina acquired rights to the design, and Dino Gavina named it "Cesca" after Breuer's daughter Francesca. In 1968 Knoll took over the Gavina group; since then the chair has been called the Cesca Chair at Knoll. A Cesca and an S 32 therefore go back to the same design, they come from two manufacturers.
Markings by manufacturer
- Thonet: paper labels and engraved stamps that help with dating. If both are missing, Thonet names screws, frame, dimensions and, for tubular steel models, the tube diameter as the decisive features. Thonet also answers authenticity enquiries.
- Knoll: in the current production of the Cesca and the MR Chair, the Knoll logo and the designer's signature are stamped into the frame.
- Gavina and early Knoll International: according to dealers, usually only stickers, which may be missing.
A missing marking alone is therefore no argument against an original.
Checking the construction: tube, cane, spring
Thonet explicitly names the tube diameter as a feature; for the MR Chair, Knoll specifies seamless steel tubing with a diameter of one inch. On the S 32 and S 64, according to Thonet, seat and back are made of bent solid wood with cane work. Measure the tubes and compare dimensions and proportions with the stated model. Chrome damage, rust or newly woven cane tell you something about the condition, nothing about authenticity.
"von", "nach", "im Stil von": what the wording in a listing means
Many listings at 2nd home use these German terms. This is what they mean:
- "von Marcel Breuer für Thonet" (by Marcel Breuer for Thonet): designer and manufacturer are named.
- "nach Mart Stam" (after Mart Stam): the form follows Stam's principle, the manufacturer is a different one or unknown.
- "im Stil von" (in the style of): there is no attribution to a designer or manufacturer.
Over the decades, cantilever chairs were also made by other manufacturers, for example in Czechoslovakia. So read carefully what a listing names.
Used cantilever chairs at 2nd home
Offer prices at 2nd home, as of October 2026: 46 cantilever chair listings from 165 to 3,999 euros, half of them under 460 euros, by Thonet, Knoll, Gavina and other manufacturers. Professional sellers are vetted by 2nd home, private sellers are admitted. Every piece is described with its condition, dimensions and photos, and its provenance as far as known. You can find all available pieces under cantilever chairs, by designer under Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, by manufacturer under Thonet and Knoll.
Frequently asked questions about the cantilever chair
Who invented the cantilever chair?
Mart Stam built the first prototypes in 1926 and showed his chair without back legs in 1927, Mies van der Rohe patented a sprung cantilever chair in 1927, Marcel Breuer designed the B 32 in 1928. In legal terms, Mart Stam is regarded as the artistic author.
What is the connection between Marcel Breuer and Thonet?
In 1929 Thonet took over Breuer's company Standard-Möbel and has made the S 32 and the S 64 since 1930.
Is a Cesca the same as an S 32?
Both go back to Breuer's B 32. Cesca is the name at Knoll, originally given by Gavina, S 32 the model number at Thonet.
My cantilever chair has no marking. Is it a reproduction?
Not necessarily. Labels get lost. Compare the tube diameter, dimensions and construction with the model; for Thonet you can also ask the manufacturer.
Are cantilever chairs good for your back?
The frame springs, and Mies van der Rohe described "sprung sitting" in his patent. Whether a chair suits you is best found out by sitting on it.
What does "nach Mart Stam" mean?
It means "after Mart Stam": the form follows Stam's cantilever chair, but the manufacturer is a different one or unknown.
Sources: Thonet, S 32 V, Thonet, press kit (German), Thonet, An original is just that, Victoria and Albert Museum, Model B32, Knoll, Cesca Chair, Knoll, MR Chair, German Patent and Trade Mark Office, Die Neue Sammlung.
