Set of 4 Dialogo Chairs by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia, 1973
View Similar Items
Set of 4 Dialogo Chairs by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia, 1973
About the Item
- Creator:Afra & Tobia Scarpa (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 31.5 in (80 cm)Width: 20.48 in (52 cm)Depth: 19.69 in (50 cm)Seat Height: 17.72 in (45 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1973
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Brussels, BE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2265322722852
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.
- Mid-Century Modern Set of 4 Chairs by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, Italy, 1960sBy Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Brussels, BEMid-Century Modern set of 4 chairs by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, Italy, 1960s.Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Italian "Dialogo" Leather Chair By Tobia & Afra Scarpa For B&BBy Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Brussels, BEItalian "Dialogo" Leather Chair By Tobia & Afra Scarpa For B&B - Sold Individually Italy, 1970sCategory
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMetal
- Set of 4 Black Leather Chairs Model "Monk" by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for MolteniBy Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Brussels, BESet of 4 black leather chairs Model "Monk" by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Molteni - Italy 1970s Original leather.Category
Vintage 1970s European Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Set of 4 Black Leather Chairs Model "Monk" by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for MolteniBy Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Brussels, BESet of 4 black leather chairs Model "Monk" by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Molteni - Italy 1970s.Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Erasmo Sofa by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia, 1973 - New UpholsteryBy Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Brussels, BEErasmo Sofa by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia, 1973 - New UpholsteryCategory
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric
- Set of 6 Black Leather Chairs Model "Monk" by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for MolteniBy Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Brussels, BESet of 6 black leather chairs model "Monk" by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Molteni - Italy, 1970s.Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Chairs
MaterialsLeather
- Set of 6 Dialogo Chairs by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia, 1973By B&B Italia, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Roma, ITSet of 6 Dialogo chairs designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia in 1973. The chairs are made up of a natural ash structure and a seat and back in fiberglass covered in white leather. The structure recovers the typical Scarpa double easel...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Fiberglass
On Hold$5,023 / set - Afra & Tobia Scarpa Black Leather Dialogo Chair for B&B Italia, 1973, Set of 4By B&B Italia, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Vicenza, ITSet of 4 Dialogo chairs designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia in 1973. The chairs are composed of a natural ash structure and a fib...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Ash
- Afra & Tobia Scarpa Plywood Dining Chairs, 1973, Set of 8By Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Lonigo, VenetoAfra & Tobia Scarpa plywood dining chairs, metal and plywood, Italy, 1973, set of eight. Following the typical geometric line of the Scarpa duo, this particular chair features an ...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- Tobia & Afra Scarpa Set of Six Dialogo Chairs in Leather and Wood by B&B 1970sBy B&B Italia, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Montecatini Terme, ITSet of six Dialogo chairs with structure in black lacquered wood, seat and back in leather and metal details. Designed by Tobia & Afra Scarpa and produced by B&B Italia in 1970s Th...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Tobia & Afra Scarpa Set of Six Black Dialogo Dining Chairs by B&B 1973By B&B Italia, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Montecatini Terme, ITSet of six Dialogo chairs with structure in wood, seat and back in black fiberglass and metal details. Designed by Tobia & Afra Scarpa and produced by B&B Italia in 1973. The Dial...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsFiberglass, Wood
- Set of 4 Vintage 'Dialogo' Chairs by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia, 1970sBy B&B Italia, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Zagreb, HRSet of four 'Dialogo' chromed dining chairs by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia, 1970s. The 'Dialogo' model, also known as 'Dessau' model in later production (or 'Dialogo Dessau)...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Post-Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsMetal