Afra E Tobia
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Metallic Thread
Vintage 1980s Italian Other Center Tables
Glass
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Bamboo
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Beech, Rosewood
Vintage 1970s Italian Club Chairs
Leather
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Metal
Early 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Dra...
Leather, Wood
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Leather
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Vintage 1960s Italian Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
Wood
Vintage 1960s Italian Chairs
Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Canapes
Velvet
Mid-20th Century Lounge Chairs
Leather
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Wood
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Leather
Vintage 1980s Italian Modern Tables
Brass
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Leather, Glass, Walnut
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Upholstery, Walnut
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Leather, Wood
Vintage 1970s Italian Center Tables
Glass, Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Steel, Chrome
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
Aluminum, Enamel
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Leather, Beech
Vintage 1970s Italian Floor Lamps
Aluminum
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Metal
Vintage 1960s Italian Other Chandeliers and Pendants
Gold, Steel, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors
Mirror, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Canvas, Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Leather
Vintage 1970s Italian Lounge Chairs
Wool
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Settees
Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Iron
Vintage 1970s Italian Modern Console Tables
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Nickel
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Crystal
Vintage 1960s Italian Space Age Table Lamps
Metal, Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary European Modern Dessert Tables and Tilt-to...
Wood
Vintage 1960s Italian Modern Sofas
Fabric
Vintage 1960s Italian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Aluminum
Vintage 1970s Italian Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Metal
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Ottomans and Poufs
Velvet
Vintage 1970s Italian Sofas
Metal
Vintage 1970s Italian Sofas
Metal
Vintage 1970s Italian Armchairs
Velvet, Wood
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Ottomans and Poufs
Velvet
Vintage 1960s Italian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
20th Century Floor Lamps
Steel
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Leather, Ash
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Slipper Chairs
Steel
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Leather, Ash
Vintage 1970s Italian Space Age Armchairs
Metal
Vintage 1970s Italian Armchairs
Leather
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Metal
Vintage 1960s Italian Chandeliers and Pendants
Aluminum
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Afra E Tobia For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Afra E Tobia?
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for sale on 1stDibs
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.
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.
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 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.)
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 Afra & Tobia Scarpa lounge chairs, dining chairs, floor lamps and other furniture today on 1stDibs.