With a surname that loosely translates to a synonym for “bizarre” in Italian, Milanese designer and architect Paolo Buffa is best known for capturing the best of both old and new in his plush, enveloping lounge chairs and wingback chairs as well as his range of modern tables, each dazzling and provocative but built using classical techniques.
Purposely playful and airy, mid-century Italian interiors encouraged merriment and socializing. Buffa’s work was well suited to this, but unlike the postwar designers who established recognizable trademarks and signatures, his vintage furniture for Cassina and other firms — the sculptural side tables and case pieces of walnut and solid oak, the luxurious sheepskin sofas — differed considerably from one design to the next, making them appealing to a range of interior decorators and socialites with specific taste. The son of a highly sought-after artist, Giovanni Buffa, Paolo graduated in 1927 from Politecnico di Milano. He then spent time working under architects and designers Gio Ponti and Emilio Lancia. Ponti, who himself crafted thousands of furnishings and endlessly creative rooms, was so taken with the young designer that in 1928 he featured his simple and elegant rosewood dressing table in his new magazine, Domus.
After opening a firm with his regular collaborator Antonio Cassi Ramelli, Buffa became one of the leading tastemakers of Italian mid-century modern furnishings, designing for villas and residential buildings across the country. His style was a mix of Art Deco, Rationalism, neoclassicism and a bit of whimsy. He used high-quality materials and regularly worked with local ateliers known for their fine craftsmanship to produce his designs, such as Serafino Arrighi and Marelli & Colico. In 1940, he partnered with the Mario Quarti furniture studio on the royal palace of Albania’s King Zog, with Buffa designing the furniture, and in 1951, Egypt’s King Farouk enlisted him to redecorate his yacht.
While Buffa’s transcendent pieces are now collector’s items, there are a few still in production, such as those he made with Angelo Marelli. His eponymous firm, the Italian furniture producer Eredi Marelli, still manufactures some designs based on Buffa’s archives.
Find a collection of vintage Paolo Buffa furniture today on 1stDibs.
Paolo Buffa.Extraordinary Canaletto walnut console table
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Milano, IT
Paolo Buffa (1903-1970) Extraordinary Canaletto walnut console table with an elegantly contoured top and six slender tapered legs with engraved brass tips and chiseled brass details...
Walnut
$13,500
Paolo Buffa Console
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Gorgeous Paolo Buffa Console—Italy, 1950s Petite in scale with three-drawers and slightly curved body. Constructed of solid walnut and veneer with beautiful diamond 3 dimensional ...
Brass
Paolo Buffa, elegant console table in reeded Oak with a beautiful marble top.
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Milano, IT
Paolo Buffa Elegant console table in reeded Oak with a beautiful marble top. 1940's manufacturing. Bibl: Roberto Aloi, Esempi Arredamento Moderno, Milano, 1950, pag. 217.
Marble
Console Neoclassical Style Paolo Buffa design 1950 Italy Brass marble Wood
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Elegant lines of great class as Paolo Buffa knew how to do.
Marble, Brass
Console by Paolo Buffa, Italy, 1960
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Refined 1960s console by Paolo Buffa featuring elegant Art Deco lines, a warm wood structure, and a distinctive circular mirror supported by a s...
Wood
$4,269Sale Price|20% Off
Paolo Buffa Mid-Century Sideboard in Wood
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Milano, IT
Beautiful wooden sideboard designed by Paolo Buffa in the 1950s of fine Italian manufacture. The sideboard is made of a very beautiful and distinctive light wood. There are two wood...
Brass
Mid-Century Modern Art Deco Console by Paolo Buffa Per Permanente Mobili Cantù
By Paolo Buffa, La Permanente Mobili Cantù
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Mid Century Modern Art Deco console from Cantu, by Paolo Buffa, in solid hand carved carved maple and walnut veneered, handle in gilt brass. Measures cm: H 83, W 102, D 34 About...
Maple, Walnut
$4,272Sale Price|20% Off
Mid-Century Italian Console Wood Marble Portoro Solid Brass Paolo Buffa style
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Mid-century Italian console wood marble Portoro solid Brass Paolo buffa design, Elegance and refinement for your home.
Marble, Brass
Large Paolo Buffa Wooden Console with Six Drawers, Italy 1957
By Marelli & Colico, Paolo Buffa
Located in Milan, IT
Sublime and Modernist Paolo Buffa large Console with six drawers. Adjustable brass feet Manufactured by Marelli & Colico, Cantù Italy 1957 Reference: I mobili di Paolo Buffa, Page ...
Brass
Rare Italian Mid-Century Modern Sideboard/ Bar / Console by Paolo Buffa
By Paolo Buffa
Located in New York, NY
An Elegant, Timeless and Enchanting Italian Mid-Century Modern Neoclassical cabinet / bar / sideboard / credenza / console / sofa table by Paolo Buffa, circa 1950. The cabinet / cons...
Marble
Consolle Rettangolare in Noce e cristallo Paolo Buffa Design Mid-century
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Elegant Console table made of Intrecciato walnut wood band with thick shelf made of Nile Green crystal , given the design and beauty we keep appropriate that it was designed by the f...
Crystal
Large Rosewood Console by Paolo Buffa
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Kilmarnock, VA
A refined and architecturally elegant rosewood console by celebrated Milanese architect and designer Paolo Buffa. Long and precisely proportioned, this piece features Buffa’s hallmar...
Rosewood
Italian Modern Console Table By Paolo Buffa
By Paolo Buffa, Osvaldo Borsani, Vittorio Dassi, Ico Parisi, Gio Ponti
Located in Houston, TX
Italian Modern Console Table By Paolo Buffa. Offered is a stunning Italian mid-century modern console on tapered legs with 4 drawers and a beautiful marble top designed by Paolo Buff...
Marble
$11,392Sale Price|20% Off
H 34.26 in W 38.19 in D 18.12 in
Elegant Italian Empire Consoles Tables with White Marble Top, 1815
Located in Rome, IT
Empire mahogany and finely carved gilt-wood consoles tables with the rectangular Carrara white marble top. Timeless elegance for your interior. Measures: Height cm 102 width cm 124...
Mahogany
Dining Table in the Style of Paolo Buffa, circa 1950s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Budapest, HU
Piece of great value in the style of Paolo Buffa. The lines are essential and elegant. The table is part of a set including the "Credenza Bar," which is also on sale, but is also sol...
Wood
$2,965
H 33.08 in W 39.38 in D 11.03 in
Refined mid-century Italian console table, Paolo Buffa Style, Italy, 1950s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Argelato, BO
This mid-century Italian console table from the 1950s enchants with its revisited neoclassical elegance. The top is made of cream marble with delicate yellow veining, slightly chamfe...
Marble
Italian Console Table in the Style of Paolo Buffa, circa 1945
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Houston, TX
Italian sculpted walnut console table with cross bands and bronze sabots by Paolo Buffa, circa 1945.
Wood
$3,451
H 32.29 in W 35.04 in D 51.97 in
Small Mid-century Italian Console Table in the style of P. Buffa, 1950s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Palermo, IT
Small mid-century Italian console table in the style of P. Buffa, 1950s Portuguese Rose marble top, brass accessories, decorations. Good condition. Width 89 cm, depth 32 cm, height ...
Marble, Brass
$79,000
H 39.75 in W 102.75 in D 17.75 in
Mid-Century Modern Italian Sideboard, Walnut & Maple, Circa 1940-1960
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A light-brown, large vintage Mid-Century Modern Italian freestanding sideboard made of hand crafted polished, partly veneered Walnut and Maplewood, in good condition. The console table, credenza is composed with a clear floating glass top, composed with two upper drawers and two doors, enhanced by detailed wood grains, carvings, standing on four curved wooden spider legs. The interior of the cabinet is featuring two shelves, consisting its original hand crafted ceramic door handles...
Ceramic, Glass, Maple, Walnut
Large Rosewood Console by Paolo Buffa
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Kilmarnock, VA
A refined and architecturally elegant rosewood console by celebrated Milanese architect and designer Paolo Buffa. Long and precisely proportioned, this piece features Buffa’s hallmar...
Rosewood
$4,272Sale Price|20% Off
H 34.26 in W 41.74 in D 13.78 in
Mid-Century Italian Console Wood Marble Portoro Solid Brass Paolo Buffa style
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Mid-century Italian console wood marble Portoro solid Brass Paolo buffa design, Elegance and refinement for your home.
Marble, Brass
$2,763
H 22.45 in W 47.25 in D 13.39 in
Art Deco Console, Walnut Root by Paolo Buffa for Permanente Mobili Cantù
By La Permanente Mobili Cantù, Paolo Buffa
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Elegant Mid-Century modern low console with three drawers by Paolo Buffa for Permanente Mobili Cantù in walnut root. Accessories such as handles and...
Nutwood
$2,776Sale Price|40% Off
H 19.69 in W 61.82 in D 18.51 in
Italian Mid-Century Mirrored Sliding Doors Television Sideboard Stand
By Romeo Rega
Located in Vilnius, LT
Italian mid-century mirrored sideboard or console stand for television in the style of Romeo Rega. This furniture is all decorated with mirror, open shelve storage and closed part wi...
Brass
$28,464
H 35.83 in W 51.19 in D 17.72 in
Large Paolo Buffa Wooden Console with Six Drawers, Italy 1957
By Marelli & Colico, Paolo Buffa
Located in Milan, IT
Sublime and Modernist Paolo Buffa large Console with six drawers. Adjustable brass feet Manufactured by Marelli & Colico, Cantù Italy 1957 Reference: I mobili di Paolo Buffa, Page ...
Brass
Rosewood Console Table by Paolo Buffa, 1940s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Montelabbate, PU
Rosewood console table by Paolo Buffa, 40s.
Maple, Rosewood
A Large Neo-Classical Console Table By Paolo Buffa
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Kent, Dover
A fine Italian console table by Paolo Buffa in the Neo-Classical manner. With six frieze drawers lined in birch, with brass handles and sabot.
Brass
Paolo Buffa console table with wavy line front
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Milano, IT
COD-2829 Paolo Buffa (1903-1970) Splendid console table with wavy line front, three drawers in reeded wood on the front and sides with a top in bardiglio marble and six long legs wi...
Marble
Sold
H 31.7 in W 39.38 in D 11.42 in
Italian mid-century modern marble, wood and brass console by Paolo Buffa, 1940s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian mid-century modern marble, wood and brass console by Paolo Buffa, 1940s Wall console with a semi-round top in white-pink marble. The three legs structure is in dark wood with...
Marble, Brass
20th Century, Paolo Buffa Wooden Console with Marble Top
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Turin, Turin
Paolo Buffa (Milan 1903-1970), architect and designer, worked in the field of furniture design. Trained in the studio of Ponti and Lancia, from where he borrowed elements of neoclass...
Marble
Sold
H 34.26 in W 37.8 in D 11.82 in
Mid-century modern palisander marble brass italian console by Paolo Buffa 1950s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Nicolosi, IT
Mid-century modern palisander marble brass italian console by Paolo Buffa 1950s This console by Paolo Buffa, crafted in the 1950s, is a masterpiece of Italian design that embodies lu...
Marble, Brass
Paolo Buffa walnut consolle 1950s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in bari, IT
Elegant wooden console table with stained glass top in the late 1950s Paolo Buffa.
Glass, Walnut
Sold
H 37.01 in W 59.06 in D 16.93 in
Large Cherrywood Console Table by Paolo Buffa with Three Drawers and a Glass Top
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Made in Italy, 1948 - 1950. This refine and elegant console table features a glass top, a solid cherrywood frame with three drawers and brass handles. This piece is vintage, therefor...
Brass
Sold
H 33.08 in W 46.46 in D 16.74 in
Paolo Buffa 1940s Console with a Drawer in Wood, Brass and Onyx Top
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Milan, IT
Paolo Buffa Modernist 1940s Console with a Drawer in Wood, Brass and Onyx Top A splendid chiseled brass handle.
Onyx, Brass
Sold
H 35.04 in W 50.79 in D 13.78 in
large Paolo Buffa demi-lune console, marble top, bronze details, three feet 1940
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Rome, IT
important large and fine demi-lune shaped console designed by Paolo Buffa, circa 1940 ebonized walnut, bronze details and rare top "striato Carrara marble " three graceful saber-sh...
Carrara Marble, Bronze
Sold
H 31.11 in W 53.55 in D 15.75 in
Paolo Buffa, Art Déco Console table in wood and brass, Italy, 1930s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Argelato, BO
Paolo Buffa (1903-1970) , Console in Walnut, rosewood veneer and silvered brass, Italy 1930s Very rare console designed by Paolo Buffa and exhibited for the first time at the IV In...
Brass
Mid Century Italian Rosewood and Marble Console By Paolo Buffa 1950s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Mid Century Italian Rosewood and Marble Console by Paolo Buffa, crafted in the 1950s, is an exquisite piece of furniture that exudes timeless elegance. Designed by the renowned I...
Marble, Brass
Art Deco Period Paolo Buffa Console
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Austin, TX
Console, Art deco, by Paolo Buffa, of finely cast curule bronze legs and stretcher. The ebonized and French polished apron features a dovetailed drawer. The console is topped with it...
Marble, Brass