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Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Italian, b. 1935

Widely recognized as superstars of postmodern Italian design, husband-and-wife team Afra and Tobia Scarpa (1937–2011; b. 1935) collaboratively created chairs, sofas and other furniture that work equally well in both traditional and cutting-edge environments.

Afra Bianchin and Tobia Scarpa met as architecture students at the Università Iuav di Venezia. In a class led by architect and furniture designer Franco Albini, they created their first collaborative piece, the Pigreco armchair, later produced with Gavina. After graduating in 1957, Tobia Scarpa worked for Murano glass company Venini & Co. before the couple opened a studio in Afra’s hometown, Montebelluna, in 1960. (Tobia, the son of famed glass artist and architect Carlo Scarpa, was born in Venice.)

Ranging from architecture and interior design to furniture and clothing, the Scarpas’ practice from its beginnings in the mid-1950s to the 21st century has included a diverse scope of projects combining new technology with thoughtful function and sculptural yet simple forms.

For Afra and Tobia, a close collaborative process was pivotal to the success of their designs. The duo was also prolific — they designed for the most influential European manufacturers, including B&B Italia, Cassina, Knoll and FLOS. With respect to the latter, Afra and Tobia were among the legendary Italian lighting maker’s earliest collaborators, and their pioneering designs for the brand included the Papillon lamp, one of the first fixtures to use halogen technology. Their most recognized designs include the Bastiano sofa (1962), the Vanessa bed (1959), the Coronado sofa (1966) and the Soriana seating collection (1970). Work on the Soriana sofa began in late 1969 for an early 1970 debut, and it feels as radical today as it did in its heyday.

Architecture was also a central part of Afra and Tobia’s practice, which spanned residential buildings and factories for Italian companies such as Benetton. Their commissions for the global fashion brand included numerous industrial projects, from textile plants to storefronts. By 1985, Afra and Tobia Scarpa’s work was celebrated in a 30-year retrospective at Center Four in Queens, New York. Looking around the 30,000-square-foot exhibition space, Afra joked to the New York Times, “Seeing all those things makes us feel very tired, and now we feel that maybe we worked too much.”

It was not too much for their legacy, as Afra and Tobia Scarpa’s work continues to inspire new generations. Scarpa designs are in collections at the Louvre, the Museum of Modern Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum. The couple was awarded the Compasso d’Oro in 1970 for the Soriana armchair.

Find vintage Tobia Scarpa table lamps, sofas, dining chairs and other furniture today on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Tobia Scarpa
Bastiano sofa in canvas designed by Tobia Scarpa for Gavina 1960
By Tobia Scarpa
Located in Ozzano Dell'emilia, IT
Bastiano 3 seater sofa by Tobia Scarpa with original upholstery in canvas. Supporting structure in rosewood. Flying cushions with polyurethane bottom and top in feather on covered s...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Canvas, Rosewood

Bastiano Sofa by Tobia Scarpa for Knoll International
By Tobia Scarpa, Knoll
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Leather sofa by Tobia Scarpa for Knoll International, c.1970s, USA. The three seater plush sofa features the original leather upholstered cushions encased in an angular wood frame. ...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Leather, Upholstery, Wood

Salotto Soriana by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, Compasso d'oro in 1970
By Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Torino, IT
Soriana model living room designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina. An icon of Italian style and design, the Soriana series was designed in 1969 and won the Compasso d'Oro awar...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Leather

Midcentury White Wool Soriana Sofa and 2 Armchairs By Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
By Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Madrid, ES
The sofa set and two Soriana armchairs designed by Tobia Scarpa for Cassina. Steel structure and upholstered in white wool, Italian design from the 1960s. This iconic set of Soriana...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Steel

Tobia Scarpa Coronado Leather Sofa for B&B Italia, 1975
By Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
Located in New York, NY
'Coronado' two seat sofa in beautiful cognac leather, designed by Tobia Scarpa and manufactured by the Italian firm, B&B Italia, circa 1975. The seating are made with a then revolutionary kind of molded polyurethane foam for excellent support and comfort. The 'Coronado', was the first ever seating to be built using this new technique: the foam molds were assembled around an iron frame, resulting in a sturdy yet extremely comfortable product. The present two seater sofa offered in its original cognac leather upholstery preserved in excellent condition. Labels affixed on both pieces read 'Coronado' designed by Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia. Afra and Tobia Scarpa designs were characterized by simplicity and elegance, accompanied with modern and refined aesthetics. During the 1960's, the couple designed the Bastiano sofa and the Vanessa bed for Gavina and the Soriana armchair and Poltroncina 925 for Cassina, now exhibited in the permanent collection of the MoMA. Among their most famous projects is the ‘Coronado’ sofa, made for B&B Italia in 1966 and recognized as one of the first polyurethane models. Other notable collaborations during this decade included designs with Maxalto, Molteni, Meritalia (the Libertà...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Leather

Mid-Century Cognac Leather 4 Seat Sofa by Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia
By Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
Located in Antwerpen, Antwerp
Very comfortable four-seat sofa model Coronado by Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia. This large edition is not in production any more. It has soft cognac colored leather cushions and frame...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Leather

Tobia Scarpa Three Seater Sofa by Cassina
By Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Three Seater Sofa model Soriana designed by Tobia Scarpa in 1969. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. A design armchair with soft, generous contours, designed to bring home casual, sophisticated comfort that opens the door to new, freer lifestyles. The idea for this armchair that changed the face of upholstered furniture belongs to Afra and Tobia Scarpa, who designed it in 1969, starting with the new possibilities offered by the forming of polyurethane foam to create an unconventional look of leisure. With a vise-like grip, the metal structure holds the armchair, with its biodegradable internal padding that, for the first time ever, needs no internal support, intensifying the comfort level of this upholstered chair in the most freeing sense of the word. Materials: Metal Fabric Important information regarding images of products: Please note that some of the images show other colors and variations of the model, these images are only to present interior design proposals. The item that is selling is on the first image. Important information regarding color(s) of products: Actual colors may vary. This is due to the fact that every computer monitor, laptop, tablet and phone screen has a different capability to display colors and that everyone sees these colors differently. We try to edit our photos to show all of our products as life-like as possible, but please understand the actual color may vary slightly from your monitor About the designer: Architect and designer Tobia Scarpa graduated in 1969 at the University of Venice and in the same year won a “Compasso d’Oro” prize for his “Soriana” armchair designed for Cassina. He has since been awarded many other design prizes and many of his designs can also be found on show in some of the world’s key museums, including his ‘Libertà’ chair...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Metal

A 20th Century "Soriana" Sofa In Dark Brown Fabric By Tobia Scarpa For Cassina
By Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
A massive “Soriana“ sofa by Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, made in Italy around the latter part of the 20th century. Finished in a very rare dark brown colour fabric, it is lovely way to ...
Category

20th Century Italian Other Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Metal

Sofa model 920 by Tobia Scarpa produced by Cassina, Italy, 1960s
By Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Milano, IT
Sofa model 920 by Tobia Scarpa produced by Cassina, 1960s Sofa upholstered and covered in gray cotton and wood and metal frame.Designed in the 1960s by Tobia Scarpa for Cassina. Goo...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Metal

Coronado Sofa in Leather by Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia
By Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 1970s. Made in Italy. Full leather construction. Coronado ottoman also available.
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Leather

Vintage Italian Leather Coronado Sofa and Stool by C&B Italia
By Tobia Scarpa, C&B Italia
Located in London, GB
A stylish and extremely comfortable vintage Italian leather Coronado sofa and stool by C&B Italia. This was designed by Tobia Scarpa, it was made in Ita...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Leather

Italian 20th Century Beige "Soriana" Leather Sofa By Tobia Scarpa For Cassina
By Cassina, Tobia Scarpa
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
A beautiful “Soriana“ leather sofa by Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, made in Italy around the latter part of the 20th century. Finished in a very rare cognac colour leather, it is lovely ...
Category

1980s Italian Other Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Metal

Limited Edition Soriana Denim Armchair by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
By Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Soriana limited edition Denim armchair by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina. A design armchair with soft, generous contours, designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa in the 1960s to bring ...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Metal

Mid-Century Modern Italian Three-Seat "Coronado" Sofa by Tobia Scarpa for B&B
By Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
Located in Prato, IT
Mid-Century Modern Italian three-seat flamingo pink velvet "Coronado" sofa by Tobia Scarpa for B&B. Project from 1960s The sofa can come as a living room set together with its pair ...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Velvet, Wood

Soriana Armchair by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
By Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Soriana armchair by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina. Manufactured in Italy. The idea of comfort itself becomes a sofa. Soriana came into being in 1969, thanks to an intuitive vision...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Metal

Soriana Armchair by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
By Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Soriana armchair by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina. Manufactured in Italy. The idea of comfort itself becomes a sofa. Soriana came into being in 1969, thanks to an intuitive vision...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Metal

Soriana Armchair by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
By Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Soriana armchair by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina. Manufactured in Italy. The idea of comfort itself becomes a sofa. Soriana came into being in 1969, thanks to an intuitive vision...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Metal

Coronado Two-seater Sofa by Tobia Scarpa in Cognac Leather, 1969
By Tobia Scarpa
Located in Barcelona, ES
Two seater Coronado sofa designed in 1966 by Tobia Scarpa for B & B Italia, Mobilplast edition, Spain. Upholstered in cognac leather.
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Leather

Carlo Scarpa Cornaro sofa for Gavina, Italy 1970s
By Gavina, Tobia Scarpa
Located in London, GB
Carlo Scarpa (1906-1978) was an architect who mastered materials, detail, and light. He is most famous for Castelvecchio Museum in Verona, the Olivetti showroom in Venice and the Brion Tomb in San Vito d’Altivole. The Cornaro sofa embodies the intentions of its designer to combine Japanese minimalism...
Category

1970s Italian Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Mohair, Wood

Sofa Soriana by Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
By Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Three Seater sofa model Soriana designed by Tobia Scarpa in 1969. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. A design armchair with soft, generous contours, designed to bring home casual, so...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Metal

Tobia Scarpa "Coronado" Black Leather Sofa for B&B, Italy 1970 ca.
By Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
Located in Sacile, PN
Coronado sofa designed by Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia. The project is dated 1966. Black leather, great condition.   
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Iron

Mid-Century Modern Reupholstered Black Leather Soriana Italian Sofa Vintage
By Tobia Scarpa
Located in Madrid, ES
The Soriana sofa, designed by Tobia Scarpa and edited by Cassina, is a remarkable piece of furniture that embodies the essence of Italian design from the 1960s. With its sleek steel ...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Steel

Soriana 2 Seater with Original velvet Fabric by Tobia Scarpa for Cassina 1970
By Cassina, Tobia Scarpa
Located in Boom, Vlaams Gewest
intage Soriana 2 seater with original textile from the 70ties designed by Tobia Scarpa for Cassina. This original fabric can't be found similar w...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Chrome

Coronado Two-seater Sofa by Tobia Scarpa for B & B Italia, 1969
By Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
Located in Barcelona, ES
Two seater Coronado sofa designed in 1966 by Tobia Scarpa for B & B Italia, Mobilplast edition, Spain. Upholstered in original black leather.
Category

1960s Italian Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Leather

Pair of Tobia Scarpa Coronado Leather Sofas for B&B Italia, 1975
By Tobia Scarpa
Located in New York, NY
A pair of 'Coronado' two seat sofas in beautiful cognac leather, designed by Tobia Scarpa and manufactured by the Italian firm, B&B Italia, circa 1975. The seating are made with a then revolutionary kind of molded polyurethane foam for excellent support and comfort. The 'Coronado', was the first ever seating to be built using this new technique: the foam molds were assembled around an iron frame, resulting in a sturdy yet extremely comfortable product. The present pair consists of the two seater sofas offered in their original cognac leather upholstery preserved in excellent condition. Labels affixed on both pieces read 'Coronado' designed by Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia. Afra and Tobia Scarpa designs were characterized by simplicity and elegance, accompanied with modern and refined aesthetics. During the 1960's, the couple designed the Bastiano sofa and the Vanessa bed...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Leather

Tobia Scarpa Three Seater Sofa by Cassina
By Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Three seater sofa model Soriana designed by Tobia Scarpa in 1969. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. A design armchair with soft, generous contours, designed to bring home casual,...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Metal

Coronado 2 Seater Sofa by B&B Foam Leather, Italy, 1970s
By Tobia Scarpa
Located in Milano, IT
2 Seater sofa, foam padding, leather upholstery. Good conditions, with small signs of usage.
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Leather, Foam

Afra & Tobia Scarpa Soriana Sofa and Ottoman in Light Tobacco Leather by Cassina
By Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Berlin, DE
Prices vary dependent on the material/color/model of the product. Afra & Tobia Scarpa Soriana sofa and ottoman in light tobacco leather by Cassina in aniline leather. The ottoman is ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Chrome

Tobia Scarpa Three Seater Sofa by Cassina
By Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Three Seater Sofa model Soriana designed by Tobia Scarpa in 1969. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. A design armchair with soft, generous contours, designed to bring home casual, sophisticated comfort that opens the door to new, freer lifestyles. The idea for this armchair that changed the face of upholstered furniture belongs to Afra and Tobia Scarpa, who designed it in 1969, starting with the new possibilities offered by the forming of polyurethane foam to create an unconventional look of leisure. With a vise-like grip, the metal structure holds the armchair, with its biodegradable internal padding that, for the first time ever, needs no internal support, intensifying the comfort level of this upholstered chair in the most freeing sense of the word. Materials: Metal Fabric Important information regarding images of products: Please note that some of the images show other colors and variations of the model, these images are only to present interior design proposals. The item that is selling is on the first image. Important information regarding color(s) of products: Actual colors may vary. This is due to the fact that every computer monitor, laptop, tablet and phone screen has a different capability to display colors and that everyone sees these colors differently. We try to edit our photos to show all of our products as life-like as possible, but please understand the actual color may vary slightly from your monitor About the designer: Architect and designer Tobia Scarpa graduated in 1969 at the University of Venice and in the same year won a “Compasso d’Oro” prize for his “Soriana” armchair designed for Cassina. He has since been awarded many other design prizes and many of his designs can also be found on show in some of the world’s key museums, including his ‘Libertà’ chair...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Metal

Sofa Soriana by Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
By Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Three seater sofa model Soriana designed by Tobia Scarpa in 1969. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. A design armchair with soft, generous contours, designed to bring home casual,...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Metal

Limited Edition Soriana Denim Armchair by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
By Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Soriana Limited Edition Denim Armchair by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina. A design armchair with soft, generous contours, designed by Afra and Tobia...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Metal

Tobia Scarpa Sofa Model Bastiano Produced by Haimi in Finland
By Tobia Scarpa
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Sofa model Bastiano designed by Tobia Scarpa. Produced by Haimi in Finland.
Category

Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Wood, Lacquer, Leather

Tobia Scarpa "Coronado" Salmon Pink Leather Three-Seats Sofa for B&B
By Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
Located in Sacile, PN
Coronado three-seats sofa designed by Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia. The project is dated 1966. Salmon Pink leather, great condition.  
Category

1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Iron

Italian Midcentury Bastiano Three-Seat Sofa by Tobia Scarpa for Knoll, 1962
By Tobia Scarpa, Knoll
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian midcentury Bastiano three-seat sofa by Tobia Scarpa for Knoll, 1962 Bastiano three-seat sofa with seat and back in black leather, solid beech frame Designed by Tobia Scarpa...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Sofas

Materials

Leather, Wood

Tobia Scarpa sofas for sale on 1stDibs.

Tobia Scarpa sofas are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of leather and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Tobia Scarpa sofas, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 24 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 9 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original sofas by Tobia Scarpa were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider sofas by Cini Boeri, Osvaldo Borsani, and Gianfranco Frattini. Prices for Tobia Scarpa sofas can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $1,128 and can go as high as $24,335, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $8,206.
Questions About Tobia Scarpa Sofas
  • 1stDibs ExpertJune 6, 2024
    Yes, Tobia Scarpa is related to Carlo Scarpa. A well-known architect and designer in his own right, Tobia is the son of the legendary architect Carlo Scarpa. Tobia studied architecture at the Università Iuav di Venezia in Venice, where he met designer Afra Bianchin, who would become his wife and long-time collaborator. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of Tobia Scarpa furniture.

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