Paolo Buffa Wardrobes and Armoires
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
Paolo Buffa Wardrobe with Walnut Grissinato Front and Brass Accents
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Paolo Buffa, wardrobe or highboard, walnut, ash, beech, brass, mirrored glass, steel, plastic, Italy, 1950s
Elegant and modern at the same time, this magnificent armoire is by the ...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paolo Buffa Wardrobes and Armoires
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Paolo Buffa Large Highboard in Chestnut
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Paolo Buffa, wardrobe or armoire, chestnut, Italy, 1940s
This rare wardrobe has a subtle decorative character and is created by the talented Italian designer and architect Paolo Buf...
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1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paolo Buffa Wardrobes and Armoires
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Important cabinet by Paolo Buffa production Arrighi in glass and wood
By Paolo Buffa, Giovanni Gariboldi, Serafino Arrighi
Located in Milano, IT
Important closet cabinet by Paolo Buffa for Arrighi's 1950s Italian production. The wardrobe is a great product of rare beauty , it is a priceless piece...
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1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paolo Buffa Wardrobes and Armoires
Materials
Brass
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Paolo Buffa was the son of artist Giovanni Buffa, long-considered a modern innovator of early 20th century applied arts. The elder Buffa was renowned for his studio works in stained glass, often collaborating with Eugenio Quarti and other important architects.
After graduating in 1927 from Politecnico di Milano, Paolo began training in the studio of Gio Ponti and Emilio Lancia. The following year he opened his own studio with the architect Cassi Ramelli, designing private villas and residential buildings with a strong focus on fine furniture done in the neoclassical style of the Milanese School and its luminaries: Ponti, Lancia, Buzzi, Marellin, and Albini. His designs (which included lighting and textiles) were characterized by perfect execution, for homes of the wealthy middle class with a taste for modern design, that blended functionality and comfort with quality materials. His pieces were primarily executed by the highly skilled artisans of the Mario Quarti studio in Milan, by Serafino Arrighi, and later by the Angelo Marelli workshop.
In 1930 Buffa and Cassi Remelli participated in The International Exhibition of Decorative Arts,which would later become the Triennale di Milano. At this time he also began his first collaboration with Gio Ponti's Domus magazine, to which he would contribute many writings in the years to follow.
The 1933 Triennale, "Mostra dell Arredamento," presented a solo exhibition on Buffa, as well as a group show that featured his textile designs alongside works by Buzzi, Albini, and Pollini in the display hall of the government institution National Crafts and Small Industries (ENAPI).
By the time of his participation in the 1936 VI Triennale, Buffa was considered one of the elite arbiters of modern taste and style. The painter Roberto Aloi, director of “L’Arredamento Modern” (the Hoepli periodic review of modern design) dedicated more space to Buffa in his publication than to any other Italian architect in future editions.
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Paolo Buffa wardrobes and armoires for sale on 1stDibs.
Paolo Buffa wardrobes and armoires 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 wardrobes and armoires, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original wardrobes and armoires by Paolo Buffa were created in the mid-century modern style in italy during the mid-20th century. Prices for Paolo Buffa wardrobes and armoires can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $9,458 and can go as high as $54,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $15,650.