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Afra & Tobia Scarpa Dining Room Chairs

Italian

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.

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Creator: Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Afra & Tobia Scarpa Black Canvas Monk Dining Chair for Molteni, Set of 10
By Molteni & C, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Vicenza, IT
Set of ten “Monk” dining chairs designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Molteni in 1973. Made of black canvas and walnut. They present a white sewing on the front of the seat and the u...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Afra & Tobia Scarpa Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Canvas, Walnut

Afra & Tobia Scarpa Black Leather and Monk Dining Chair for Molteni, Set of 14
By Molteni & C, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Vicenza, IT
Set of fourteen “Monk” dining chairs designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Molteni in 1973. Made of black leather and ash wood. Fully restored in Italy. Interesting is the ‘flat’ sh...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Afra & Tobia Scarpa Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Leather, Ash

Afra & Tobia Scarpa Off White Canvas Monk Dining Chair for Molteni, Set of 10
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Molteni & C
Located in Vicenza, IT
Set of ten “Monk” dining chairs designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Molteni in 1973. Made of off white canvas and walnut. Fully restored in Italy. Interesting is the ‘flat’ shape ...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Afra & Tobia Scarpa Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Canvas, Walnut

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "Dialogo" Dining Chairs for B&B Italia, 1973, Set of 14
By B&B Italia, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Afra & Tobia Scarpa “Dialogo” dining chairs for B&B Italia, white leather and black walnut, Italy, 1973, set of fourteen. The “Dialogo” chair is a return to the formal solution of t...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Afra & Tobia Scarpa Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "Monk" Chairs for Molteni, Black Canvas, 1974, Set of 12
By Molteni & C, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Afra & Tobia Scarpa "Monk" dining chairs for Molteni, black canvas and walnut, Italy, 1974, set of twelve. The particular feature of this model is the support structure composed of ...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Afra & Tobia Scarpa Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Canvas, Walnut

Afra & Tobia Scarpa "Dialogo" Dining Chairs for B&B Italia, 1973, Set of 4
By B&B Italia, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Afra & Tobia Scarpa “Dialogo” dining chairs for B&B Italia, white leather and black walnut, Italy, 1973, Set of four The “Dialogo” chair is a return to the formal solution of the “1...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Afra & Tobia Scarpa Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Afra & Tobia Scarpa Black & Red Leather Monk Dining Chair for Molteni, Set of 10
By Molteni & C, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Vicenza, IT
Set of ten “Monk” dining chairs designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Molteni in 1973. Made of English red and black leather and walnut. Fully restored in Italy. Interesting is the ...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Afra & Tobia Scarpa Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Set of Six Africa Chairs by Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Maxalto, Italy, 1970s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Maxalto
Located in LEWES, GB
A rare set of six stunning Africa chairs designed by Afra & Tobia Scarpa in the 1970s, and produced by Maxalto, Italy. These are great examples in rare exotic hardwood, burl, black leather and brass. Very good original condition with normal minor age related signs of use and wear. Also available and sold separately is the matching table from the dining set. We also have an additional set of 4 Africa...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Afra & Tobia Scarpa Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Brass

Set of Ten Africa Chairs by Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Maxalto, Italy, 1970s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Maxalto
Located in LEWES, GB
A rare set of ten stunning Africa chairs designed by Afra & Tobia Scarpa in the 1970s, and produced by Maxalto, Italy. These are great examples in rare exotic hardwood, burl, black l...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Afra & Tobia Scarpa Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Brass

Set of Four Africa Chairs by Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Maxalto, Italy, 1970s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Maxalto
Located in LEWES, GB
A rare set of four stunning Africa chairs designed by Afra & Tobia Scarpa in the 1970s, and produced by Maxalto, Italy. These are great examples in rare exotic hardwood, burl, black ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Afra & Tobia Scarpa Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Brass

Afra & Tobia Scarpa dining room chairs for sale on 1stDibs.

Afra & Tobia Scarpa dining room chairs are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Afra & Tobia Scarpa dining room chairs, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original dining room chairs by Afra & 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 dining room chairs by Mario Bellini, Vico Magistretti, and Mobil Girgi. Prices for Afra & Tobia Scarpa dining room chairs can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $731 and can go as high as $108,801, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $18,690.
Questions About Afra & Tobia Scarpa Dining Room Chairs
  • 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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