Modern furniture manufacturing began in the mid-18th century, when cabinet makers, following the English model, manufactured luxury furniture in box construction and for stock according to the principles of rationalization and specialization. Other companies are used as examples to trace the transition to industrial production, until furniture made entirely by machines came onto the market at the beginning of the 20th century and the question of good design became increasingly important. Therefore, the second part of the essay uses selected examples to examine how companies were influenced from the outside, by large customers, the state or artists, with the aim of producing high-quality and well-designed products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]