Skip to main content

Paolo Buffa

Italian, 1903-1970

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.

Average Sold Price
$4,049
Styles
Materials
Related Creators
Italian Art Deco Paolo Buffa Parchment, Maple, Black, Mirrors Bar Cabinet, 40s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Meda, MB
This precious and unique bar cabinet was produced in Italy in the 40s by Paolo Buffa. The doors are in parchment, the profiles on the legs are in solid maple while the structure is b...
Category

1940s Italian Art Deco Vintage Paolo Buffa

Materials

Mirror, Maple, Lacquer, Parchment Paper

Paolo Buffa High Back Armchairs in Original Ochre Upholstery, Italy, 1940s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Milan, IT
Paolo Buffa high back armchairs in original ochre upholstery, Italy 1940s.  
Category

1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paolo Buffa

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

Paolo Buffa Mid-Century Modern Italian Walnut and Coating Boucle Armchair, 1950s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Beautiful armchair with curved armrests, made by Paolo Buffa in 1950. The curved and padded wooden structure, the covering has been replaced with a beautiful very dark green Bouclè f...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paolo Buffa

Materials

Bouclé, Beech

Italian Art Deco Cherry Wood and Siena Marble Console By Paolo Buffa, 1940s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Meda, MB
This Art Deco hanging console was produced in Italy in the 1940s by Paolo Buffa. It is completely made of cherry wood with a Siena marble top. The matching mirror is also available.
Category

1940s Italian Art Deco Vintage Paolo Buffa

Materials

Marble

Paolo Buffa Carved Wood Sideboard / Credenza, Italy, circa 1950
By Paolo Buffa
Located in New York, NY
A charming hand-carved walnut and oak credenza or sideboard by Italian designer Paolo Buffa, circa 1950. The four doors with scalloped carving open to reveal internal shelves, with...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paolo Buffa

Materials

Brass

1950 Paolo Buffa Permanente Cantu Midcentury Design Marble Wood Dining Table
By Paolo Buffa, La Permanente Mobili Cantù
Located in Brescia, IT
Paolo Buffa La Permanente Mobili Cantù Italy, 1950s Wood stand with brass details Circle Marble top. Excellent condiction Marble in perfect condiction, no crack and no restorations....
Category

1950s Italian Neoclassical Vintage Paolo Buffa

Materials

Marble, Brass

Mid-Cenutry Lounge Chair with Ottoman by Paolo Buffa, Italy 1950s
By Brugnoli Mobili Cantú, Paolo Buffa
Located in Roma, IT
Gorgeous Mid-Century armchair / lounge chair with ottoman fully made in beechwood. This iconic piece was designed by Paolo Buffa and produced by Brugnoli Cantù in Italy during the 19...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paolo Buffa

Materials

Wood, Cotton, Upholstery, Beech

Italian Art Deco Parchment and Walnut Paolo Buffa Nightstands, 1940s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Meda, MB
This elegant pair of Art Deco nightstands were produced by Paolo Buffa in the end of the 1940s. They are in walnut wood, with parchment door and black lacquered details, such as the ...
Category

1940s Italian Art Deco Vintage Paolo Buffa

Materials

Brass

Browse all Furniture from Paolo Buffa
Shop Now

Creators Similar to Paolo Buffa

Paolo Buffa furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Paolo Buffa furniture 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 Paolo Buffa furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Paolo Buffa 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 furniture by Franco Albini, Marco Zanuso, and Arflex. Prices for Paolo Buffa furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $660 and can go as high as $77,668, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $7,644.

Recently Viewed

View All