Pair of Walnut and Rush Armchairs by Paolo Buffa, 1940s
View Similar Items
Pair of Walnut and Rush Armchairs by Paolo Buffa, 1940s
About the Item
- Creator:Paolo Buffa (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 95 in (241.3 cm)Width: 70 in (177.8 cm)Depth: 70 in (177.8 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1945
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Recently restored and rush replaced.
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:Seller: 22871stDibs: LU3657315496532
Paolo Buffa
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.
- Spectacular Pair of Paolo Buffa Armchairs, Italy, 1940sBy Paolo BuffaLocated in Milan, ITSplendid pair of streamline Paolo Buffa armchairs, Sculpted wood parts. Ref: I mobili di Paolo Buffa p. 23.Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Club Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Wood
- Pair of 1940s Italian Wing Armchairs Light Blue Tufted Back by Paolo BuffaBy Paolo BuffaLocated in London, GBA great pair of 1940s wing armchairs, Italian design by Poalo Buffa. Tufted back, light blue fabric upholstery tapered cone shaped dark wooden feet, compl...Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Hardwood
- Paolo Buffa pair of walnut and fabric armchairs model 118/fBy Paolo BuffaLocated in Chiavari, LiguriaAn exceptional and rare pair of armchairs, the Model 118/f by renowned Italian designer Paolo Buffa. Crafted during the 1950s in Italy, these armchairs are not just pieces of furnitu...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Walnut
- 1950s Pair Of Italian Armchairs By Paolo BuffaBy Paolo BuffaLocated in London, LondonPair of armchairs By Paolo Buffa Cherry wood frame Spindle back Decorative feet with brass caps Italy 1950s Certificate of authenticity from the Paolo Buffa archives Alcuni Mobili di Paolo...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsCherry
$14,045 / set - Paolo Buffa 1940s Armchair in Original Pink and Light Grey Stripes FabricBy Paolo BuffaLocated in Milan, ITA spectacular Paolo Buffa 1940s armchair in original fabric. All original. untouched.Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Wood
- Midcentury pair of armchairs designed by Paolo BuffaBy Paolo BuffaLocated in Piacenza, ItalyIconic pair of Paolo Buffa armchairs. Elegant wood structure with cotton fabric cushion ( newly reupholstered). Very comfortable. Perfect vintage condition Italy, 1940Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsWood