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Chair model 121 by Afra & Tobia Scarpa
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in PARIS, FR
Chair model 121 by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for the editor Cassina. Creation 1965. This chair is one of
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Chair model 121 by Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Chair model 121 by Afra & Tobia Scarpa
H 31.5 in W 18.51 in D 21.26 in
Afra & Tobia Scarpa per Cassina Model 121 Leather Walnut Dinning Chairs, 1967
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Rome, IT
structure. The 121 model is a chair born as a dining chair combined with the 778 extendable table, a chair
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Afra & Tobia Scarpa Leather Model 121 Dining Chair for Cassina, 1967, Set of 10
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Vicenza, IT
Set of ten Model 121 dining chairs, designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa and produced by the Italian
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Afra & Tobia Scarpa Black Leather 121 + 778 Dining Set for Cassina, 1967
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Vicenza, IT
A dining set composed of four “model 121” dining chairs and a “model 778” dining table designed by
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Sets

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965, Set of 6
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
model "121" manufactured Cassina shows Scarpa's typical double trestle structure with the characteristic
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Walnut, Lacquer

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965, Set of 6
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
and charming, the model "121" by Afra & Tobia Scarpa shows once again the Scarpa's typical double
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut, Plywood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965, Set of 14
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
. Iconic and charming, the model "121" by Afra & Tobia Scarpa shows once again the Scarpa's typical double
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut, Plywood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965, Set of 16
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
. Iconic and charming, the model "121" by Afra & Tobia Scarpa shows once again the Scarpa's typical double
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut, Plywood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965, Set of 16
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
. Iconic and charming, the model "121" by Afra & Tobia Scarpa shows once again the Scarpa's typical double
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut, Plywood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965, Set of 10
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
. Iconic and charming, the model "121" by Afra & Tobia Scarpa shows once again the Scarpa's typical double
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut, Plywood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965, Set of 14
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
. Iconic and charming, the model "121" by Afra & Tobia Scarpa shows once again the Scarpa's typical double
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut, Plywood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965, Set of 12
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
. Iconic and charming, the model "121" by Afra & Tobia Scarpa shows once again the Scarpa's typical double
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut, Plywood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965, Set of 8
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
. Iconic and charming, the model "121" by Afra & Tobia Scarpa shows once again the Scarpa's typical double
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut, Plywood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965, Set of 6
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
. Iconic and charming, the model "121" by Afra & Tobia Scarpa shows once again the Scarpa's typical double
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut, Plywood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965, Set of 4
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
. Iconic and charming, the model "121" by Afra & Tobia Scarpa shows once again the Scarpa's typical double
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut, Plywood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965, Set of 4
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
and charming, the model "121" by Afra & Tobia Scarpa shows once again the Scarpa's typical double
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut, Plywood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965, Set of 10
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
and charming, the model "121" by Afra & Tobia Scarpa shows once again the Scarpa's typical double
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut, Plywood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965, Set of 16
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
. The model "121" manufactured Cassina shows Scarpa's typical double trestle structure with the
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Walnut, Lacquer

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965, Set of 14
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
. The model "121" manufactured Cassina shows Scarpa's typical double trestle structure with the
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Lacquer, Walnut

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965, Set of 8
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
. Iconic and charming, the model "121" by Afra & Tobia Scarpa shows once again the Scarpa's typical double
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut, Plywood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965, Set of 12
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
. The model "121" manufactured Cassina shows Scarpa's typical double trestle structure with the
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Walnut, Lacquer

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965, Set of 10
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
. The model "121" manufactured Cassina shows Scarpa's typical double trestle structure with the
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Walnut, Lacquer

Afra & Tobia Scarpa Set of Four 121 Chairs by Cassina 1960s Italy
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Montecatini Terme, IT
From 1963 to 1966 the architects Afra and Tobia Scarpa collaborated with the Italian company
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Ash, Plywood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chair in Cognac Leather Cassina, 1965, Set of 8
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Argelato, BO
Afra & Tobia Scarpa, set of eight dining chairs model ‘121’, wood, leather, Italy, Cassina, 1965
Category

Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Wood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa Set of Six '121' Dining Chairs in Red Brown Leather
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, set of six dining chairs model ‘121’, walnut, cognac leather
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Afra & Tobia Scarpa Red Leather 121 Dining Chair for Cassina, 1967, Set of 10
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Vicenza, IT
Set of ten Model 121 dining chairs, designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa and produced by the Italian
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Afra & Tobia Scarpa Red Leather 121 Dining Chair for Cassina, 1967, Set of 6
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Vicenza, IT
Set of six Model 121 dining chairs, designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa and produced by the Italian
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Afra & Tobia Scarpa Black Leather 121 Dining Chair for Cassina, 1967, Set of 8
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Vicenza, IT
Set of eight Model 121 dining chairs, designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa and produced by the Italian
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Afra & Tobia Scarpa Red Leather 121 Dining Chair for Cassina, 1967, Set of 10
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Vicenza, IT
Set of ten Model 121 dining chairs, designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa and produced by the Italian
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Afra & Tobia Scarpa Red Leather 121 Dining Chair for Cassina, 1967, Set of 4
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Vicenza, IT
Set of four Model 121 dining chairs, designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa and produced by the Italian
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Afra & Tobia Scarpa Midcentury Leather and Plywood Dining Chair, 1966, Set of 4
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Vicenza, IT
trestles structure, remind the Cassina model 121 ones. The seat and the back made of plywood, upholstered
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Ash

Afra & Tobia Scarpa Midcentury Leather and Plywood Dining Chair, 1966, Set of 4
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Vicenza, IT
trestles structure, remind the Cassina model 121 ones. The seat and the back made of plywood, upholstered
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Vico Magistretti "122" Chairs for Cassina, 1967, Set of 8
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
uprights that rise in a spiral direction. Explicitly recalling the earlier model "121" designed by Afra
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Beech, Plywood, Leather

Tobia Scarpa Model 121 Walnut Dining Chairs, Set of 6, 1970s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in HEVERLEE, BE
Mid century walnut wood dining chairs model 121 designed by Afra & Tobia Scarpa. The chairs come
Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Walnut

8 Chairs and Dining Table by Afra and Tobia Scarpa Model 121 for Cassina
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Brussels, BE
Very rare and nice set of 8 chairs ans dining table model 121 designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa and
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Cassina Dining Chairs Model 121 by Afra & Tobia Scarpa
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Antwerp, BE
Afra & Tobia Scarpa chairs, Cassina, model 121, wood and walnut, Italy, 1965. Original
Category

Late 20th Century European Post-Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Wool, Wood

Tobia Scarpa Dining Chairs Model 121, Set of 6, 1970s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in HEVERLEE, BE
Set of 6 'model 121' chairs designed by Afra & Tobia Scarpa featuring a grey fabric and a black
Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Tobia Scarpa Dining Chairs Model 121, Set of 6, 1970s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in HEVERLEE, BE
Set of 6 'model 121' chairs designed by Afra & Tobia Scarpa featuring a grey fabric and a black
Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa Set of Four Model 121 Chairs for Cassina
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Chicago, IL
Iconic model "121" by Afra & Tobia Scarpa. Scarpa's typical double trestle structure with the
Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Set of 4 Model '121' Italian Leather Dining Chairs; Afra & Tobia Scarpa
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in New York, NY
Set of 4 model '121' dining chairs; These chairs have walnut wooden frames and seats and backs
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Set of four model 121 chairs by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Highland, IN
An important design for Afra and Tobia Scarpa, the model 121 chair produced by Cassina employs
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Wood, Leather

Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, Set of 8 Chairs Model 121, Wood and Walnut
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Antwerp, BE
Postmodern Afra & Tobia Scarpa chairs for Cassina, model 121, wood and walnut, Italy, 1965
Category

Late 20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Wool, Wood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, Set of 8 Chairs Model 121, Wood and Walnut
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Antwerp, BE
Postmodern Afra & Tobia Scarpa chairs for Cassina, model 121, wood and walnut, Italy, 1965
Category

Late 20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Wool, Wood

Set of 8 Model 121 Chairs in Walnut by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Troy, MI
Set of eight Cassina chairs designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, circa 1960s. Walnut frames have been
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Walnut

Set of Four '121' Chairs by Afra & Tobia Scarpa
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, set of four chairs model 121, maple and ash, Italy, design 1965
Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Ash, Maple

Afra and Tobia Scarpa 121 Chairs for Cassina, Italy, 1965
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Nice set of 6 model 121 dining chairs designed by Afra e Tobia Scarpa and manufactured by Cassina
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

12 Beautiful '121' Dining Chairs by Tobia & Afra Scarpa for Cassina, Italy, 1965
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
192-193. Domus number 453, august 1967, article “Afra & Tobia Scarpa mobili 1964-66”, model 121
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Ash, Leather, Walnut

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1968, Set of 6
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" dining chairs for Cassina, black lacquered plywood, walnut, Italy, 1968
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Walnut, Plywood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1968, Set of 4
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
chairs by Afra & Tobia Scarpa in the rare reddish-brown leather edition. The model 121 chair was
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut, Plywood

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1968, Set of 6
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
chairs by Afra & Tobia Scarpa in the rare reddish-brown leather edition. The model 121 chair was produced
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Plywood, Walnut

Afra & Tobia Scarpa Cassina Four Mod. 121 Chairs Fabric Walnut, Italy, 1960s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Catania, IT
Set of four chairs "Mod. 121" designed by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina in Italy, 1960s. Iconic
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Walnut

Tobia & Afra Scarpa 121 Chairs & 778 Extendable Dining Table for Cassina, 1960s
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Renens, CH
chairs, (model No 121) and matching dining table (No 778) by the couple Tobia and Afra Scarpa, designed
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Sets

Materials

Leather, Birch

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1968, Set of 8
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" dining chairs for Cassina, 1968, set of eight Once again we see the
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Walnut, Plywood, Leather

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1968, Set of 8
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" dining chairs for Cassina, 1968, set of eight Once again we see the
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut, Plywood

Afra and Tobia Scarpa Set of Four ‘121’ Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1965
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in New York, NY
A rare set of 4 model '121' dining chairs, the model "121" manufactured by Cassina displays Afra
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Oak, Walnut

Set of 12 Afra and Tobia Scarpa 121 Chairs for Cassina Italy, 1965
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in ABCOUDE, UT
Outstanding set of 12 model 121 dining chairs in cognac leather by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for
Category

Vintage 1960s Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Six Scarpa "121" Chairs in Italian Walnut and Leather for Cassina, 1965
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
, article “ Afra & Tobia Scarpa mobili 1964-66”,model 121 illustrated in fig R of article. “GLI ANNI DEL
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Chairs

Set of Six Afra & Tobia Scarpa Chairs
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Set of six Afra & Tobia Scarpa chairs - model 121 for Cassina. Walnut with black leather
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

121 Dining Chairs in walnut and black leather by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
By Cassina
Located in Buggenhout, Oost-Vlaanderen
Nice set of 6 matching Cassina dining chairs. ’Model 121’ was designed by Afra e Tobia Scarpa and
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Afra e Tobia Scarpa Chairs for Cassina 60's
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in bari, IT
Set of eight chairs model 121 by Afra e Tobia Scarpa for Cassina in lacquered walnut.
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Afra e Tobia Scarpa Chairs for Cassina 60's
Afra e Tobia Scarpa Chairs for Cassina 60's
H 31.89 in W 18.51 in D 18.51 in
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Scarpa Model 121 For Sale on 1stDibs

Choose from an assortment of styles, material and more with respect to the scarpa model 121 you’re looking for at 1stDibs. A scarpa model 121 — often made from wood, animal skin and leather — can elevate any home. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect scarpa model 121 — we have versions that date back to the 20th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 20th Century are available. Each scarpa model 121 bearing Mid-Century Modern or Modern hallmarks is very popular.

How Much is a Scarpa Model 121?

A scarpa model 121 can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price 1stDibs is $5,450, while the lowest priced sells for $700 and the highest can go for as much as $10,776.

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.

A Close Look at Mid-Century Modern Furniture

Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.

ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS

VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.

Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively. 

Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer

Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.

The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by legendary manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.

As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture designers caught the spirit.

Classically oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb, who designed holistic groups of sleek, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.

As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.

Finding the Right dining-room-chairs for You

No matter what your dream dining experience looks like, there is a wide-ranging variety of vintage, new and antique dining room chairs on 1stDibs. Find upholstered dining room chairs, wood dining room chairs and more to outfit any space designated for a good meal, be it in your home or in the great outdoors.

In the early 18th century, most dining room tables and other furniture was designed to look masculine. In America, dining rooms weren’t even much of a concept until the late 1700s, when a space set aside specifically for dining became a part of the construction of homes for the wealthy. Dining room chairs of the era were likely made of walnut or oak. In Europe, neoclassical dining chairs emerged during the 1750s owing to nostalgia for classical antiquity, while the curving chair crests of Queen Anne furniture in the United States preceded the artistically bold seat backs that characterized the Chippendale chairs that followed. If there weren't enough dining chairs at suppertime in the American colonies, men were prioritized and women stood.

In the dining rooms of today, however, there is enough space for everyone to have a seat at the table. Modern styles introduce innovative design choices that play with shape and style. Icons of mid-century modern dining room chairs are plentiful: With its distinctive bentwood back, there is the DCW dining chair by Charles and Ray Eames, while Hans Wegner's timeless classic, the Wishbone chair, remains relevant and elegant decades after its debut. Stefano Giovannoni's White Rabbit dining chairs, in their lovable polyethylene biomorphism, reinvent what dining can look like.

Today's wide range of dining room chairs also means that they can now be styled in different ways, bringing functionality and fun to any sumptuous dining space. No longer do tables have to be accompanied by a matching set of seats. Skillfully mixing and matching colors and designs allows you to showcase your personality without sacrificing the cohesion of a given space.

By furnishing your dining room with cozy chairs — vintage, antique or otherwise — family time can extend far beyond mealtime. The plush upholstery of Victorian-style dining room chairs is perfect for game nights that stretch from dinner to midnight snack. Outdoor tables and dining chairs can also present an excellent opportunity for bonding and eating — what goes better with a delicious meal than fresh air, anyway?

Whether you prefer your chairs streamlined and stackable or ornate and one of a kind, the offerings on 1stDibs will elevate your mealtime and beyond.