Jacob & Josef Kohn

In 1850, Jacob Kohn and his son Josef founded a factory in the Czech Republic, initially producing lumber and later matches. Their company, Jacob & Josef Kohn, quickly entered the bentwood furniture market. Josef contested Michael Thonet's patents, prompting Thonet to relinquish his patent in 1869, allowing J. & J. Kohn to create similar furniture. By 1900, they were one of Europe's largest furniture producers, with around 6,000 employees. They hired architects like Gustav Siegel and Josef Hoffmann for innovative designs, including Hoffmann's adjustable No. 670 chair. In 1914, they merged with Mundus to form Mundus-Kohn, which became Thonet-Mundus in 1922, with the Kohn name removed in 1937.