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Paolo Buffa Stools

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.

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Creator: Paolo Buffa
1950 Paolo Buffa MidCentury Italian Design Modernist Wood Stools - set of 2
1950 Paolo Buffa MidCentury Italian Design Modernist Wood Stools - set of 2

1950 Paolo Buffa MidCentury Italian Design Modernist Wood Stools - set of 2

By Paolo Buffa

Located in Brescia, IT

2 Stool Paolo Buffa Italy, 1950 Wood and fabric seat Brass feet Excellent Condiction stool 1: h 45 / w 50 / d 30 cm stool 2: h 45 / w 43 / d 29 cm

Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paolo Buffa Stools

Materials

Wood, Fabric

Italian stool in orange capitonné satin by Paolo Buffa
Italian stool in orange capitonné satin by Paolo Buffa

Italian stool in orange capitonné satin by Paolo Buffa

By Paolo Buffa

Located in Milano, IT

A Rare Vintage Pouf by Paolo Buffa with Original Satin Fabric This elegant Italian pouf dates back to the 1940s–1950s and is attributed to Paolo Buffa, one of the most refined desig...

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1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paolo Buffa Stools

Materials

Satin, Wood

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Paolo Buffa stools for sale on 1stDibs.

Paolo Buffa stools are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. Many of the original stools by Paolo Buffa were created in the mid-century modern style in italy during the 1950s. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider stools by Achille Castiglioni, Franco Albini, and Pier Luigi Colli. Prices for Paolo Buffa stools can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $2,748 and can go as high as $2,748, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,748.