Afra & Tobia Scarpa Pendant Lamp ‘Nictea’ in Patinated Brass
View Similar Items
Afra & Tobia Scarpa Pendant Lamp ‘Nictea’ in Patinated Brass
About the Item
- Creator:Flos (Manufacturer),Afra & Tobia Scarpa (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 35.44 in (90 cm)Diameter: 18.31 in (46.5 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use. Every item Morentz offers is checked by our team of 30 craftsmen in our in-house workshop. Special restoration or reupholstery requests can be done. We guarantee a very highquality standard, ask our design specialists for detailed information.
- Seller Location:Waalwijk, NL
- Reference Number:Seller: 501089121stDibs: LU933122886112
Afra & Tobia Scarpa
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 furniture today on 1stDibs.
Flos
Imaginative lighting is a longtime hallmark of modern Italian design. Following in the footsteps of innovative companies such as Artemide and Arteluce, the company FLOS brought a fresh aesthetic philosophy to the Italian lighting field in the 1960s, one that would produce several of the iconic floor lamp, table lamp and pendant light designs of the era.
FLOS — Latin for “flower” — was founded in the northern town of Merano in 1962 by Cesare Cassina (of the famed Cassina furniture-making family) and Dino Gavina, a highly cultured businessman who believed that artistic ideas espoused in postwar Italy could inform commercial design. The two enlisted brothers Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni as their first designers.
Even before FLOS was formally incorporated, the Castiglionis gave the firm one of its enduring successes with the Taraxacum pendant and associated designs made by spraying an elastic polymer on a metal armature. (George Nelson had pioneered the technique in the United States in the early 1950s.) For other designs, the brothers found inspiration in everyday objects. Suggestive of streetlights, their Arco floor lamp, with its chrome boom and ball-shaped shade sweeping out from a marble block base, has become a staple of modernist decors. Designing for FLOS since 1966, Tobia Scarpa has also been inspired by the commonplace. His folded-metal Foglio sconces resemble a shirt cuff; his carved marble Biagio table lamp looks like a jai alai basket.
In 1973, FLOS purchased Arteluce, the company founded in 1939 by Gino Sarfatti, and it continues to produce his designs. In recent decades, FLOS has contracted work from several noted designers, including Marcel Wanders and Jasper Morrison. As instantly recognizable as they are, many FLOS designs remain accessible. While FLOS lighting is the essence of modernity, its sleek, subtle designs can be used to strike a sculptural note in even traditional spaces.
Browse a broad range of FLOS lighting fixtures at 1stDibs.
Established in 2006, Morentz has a team of approximately 55 restorers, upholsterers, interior advisers and art historians, making it a gallery, workshop and upholstery studio, all in one. Every day, a carefully selected array of 20th-century furniture arrives from all over the world at the firm’s warehouse, where the team thoroughly examines each piece to determine what, if any, work needs to be done. Whether that means new upholstery or a complete restoration, Morentz's aim is always to honor the designer’s intention while fulfilling the wishes of the client. The team is up to any challenge, from restoring a single piece to its original glory to furnishing a large-scale hotel project.
- Afra Scarpa & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto 'Artona' SideboardBy Maxalto, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Waalwijk, NLAfra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, sideboard, model 'Artona', walnut, leather, Italy, 1975/1979 Gorgeous sideboard made in walnut and leather and designed by duo Afra and Tobia Scarpa...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Post-Modern Sideboards
MaterialsBrass
- Afra & Tobia Scarpa ‘Benetton’ Stool in Leather and SteelBy Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Waalwijk, NLAfra & Tobia Scarpa for Benetton Office, folding stool or ottoman, leather, steel, Italy, 1985. This rare stool is designed for the office of the clothing brand Benetton by Afra & Tobia Scarpa. Thick cognac leather in patinated condition is spanned between the steel frame comprised of tubular rods, which enrich the look in a vigorous manner. Functionality comes into play through the various functions this item embraces: you can simultaneously use it as an ottoman for your easy chair or as a stool to sit on. Overall, pure forms and fine materials combine into a modern and clean design. Afra (1937-2011) & Tobia (1935-) Scarpa are a duo of Italian architects and designers mostly known for their postmodern style. Afra Bianchin was born in 1937 in Montebelluna while Tobia Scarpa, son of the architect Carlo Scarpa, was born in 1935 in Venice. The couple met when they were both studying at the Venice Institute of Architecture and married afterwards. From 1957 until 1961, Tobia worked as a glass designer at the Murano glassworks of Venini. However, in 1960, the duo started to collaborate, and they set up one of the most successful and well-known professional studios. Together, they worked for companies such as Flos Gavina, B&B Italia, and Knoll. The couple won numerous amounts of awards like the Compasso d’Oro and the International Forum Design. Throughout their career, the duo carried out commissions for well-known companies, including Benetton. Overall, their designs are known for their modernist aesthetic, prioritizing elegance and comfort. However, at the same time, their pieces are admired for the ease with which they lean towards classical designs. Moreover, the creations show their deep understanding for materials. Today, many of their works can be found in major museums such as Museum of Modern Art of New York...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Stools
MaterialsSteel
- Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina Settee in Brown LeatherBy Cassina, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Waalwijk, NLAfra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, two-seat sofa brown leather, walnut, Italy, 1966. This high quality settee is designed by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina in 1966. The design is bu...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Settees
MaterialsLeather, Walnut
- Afra & Tobia Scarpa ‘Benetton’ Chair in Leather and SteelBy Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Waalwijk, NLAfra & Tobia Scarpa for Benetton Office, chair, brass, leather, steel, Italy, 1985. This chair is designed for the office of the clothing brand Benetton by Afra & Tobia Scarpa. This...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Post-Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsBrass, Steel
- Afra & Tobia Scarpa 'Artona' Sofa in Elm and Checked FabricBy Maxalto, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Waalwijk, NLAfra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, 'Artona' sofa, elm, checkered fabric, Italy, 1975. Cubic ‘Artona’ sofa by Italian designer couple Afra and Tobia Scarpa. This sofa shows absolute st...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric, Elm
- Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina 'Soriana' Lounge Chair in CorduroyBy Cassina, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Waalwijk, NLAfra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, pair of 'Soriana' lounge chair, model '944', corduroy, chrome-plated steel, Italy, 1969 Iconic lounge chair by Italian designer couple Afra & Tobia ...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsSteel, Chrome
- 'Nictea' Pendant by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for FlosBy Flos, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Los Angeles, CANictea pendant by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Flos. A cloud like all polished brass pendant featuring a bulbous top and bottom shade, sandwiched in-between a perforated brass ring. The...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsBrass, Steel
$6,500 / item - 'Nictea' Pendant by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Flos, ItalyBy Flos, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Argelato, BO'Nictea' Pendant by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Flos, Italy 1961 The Nictea lamp was created in 1961 and is famous for its unique and elegant design. It features a delicate, sculptura...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsBrass, Steel
- Afra & Tobia Scarpa Mid-century Modern Brass Pendant Nictea by Flos, Italy, 1961By Flos, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Puglia, PugliaAfra & Tobia Scarpa, suspension lamp mod. Nictea Structure and diffuser in polished brass with glass reflector. Flos production 1961 The lamp measures, without the cable, height 28 cm.Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsBrass
- Vintage Nictea pendant light by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Flos, 1960sBy Flos, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Catania, CTElegant pendant light designed by Afra e Tobia Scarpa for Flos in the 1961. Nickeled brass. Original vintage conditions with trace of age and use. Some slight scratches. Glass lens w...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsBrass, Nickel
- Nickel-Plated Nictea Pendant by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Flos, 1960sBy Flos, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Rotterdam, NLNickel-plated Nictea pendant designed by Tobia and Afra Scarpa for Italian Lighting manufacturer Flos in 1963. In a Flos catalogue from the 1970s we found this description: "Penda...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsNickel
- 'Nictea' Pendant by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for FlosBy Flos, Tobia ScarpaLocated in Los Angeles, CANictea pendant by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Flos. A cloud like all polished nickel pendant featuring a bulbous top and bottom shade, sandwiched in-between a perforated brass ring. Th...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsBrass, Nickel
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
You Don’t Need a Fictional Fairy to Get This Real Pinocchio Lamp
Warm chalet style meets cool Bauhaus functionality in Pietro Cascella’s cleverly carved creation.
Morentz Writes the Next Chapter for Furniture with a Storied Past
Dutch dealer Matthijs Hoveijn specializes in the best of mid-century modern design, selling it to discerning clients around the world.