Afra & Tobia Scarpa Bastiano Leather Club Lounge Chairs, Gavina, 1968
View Similar Items
Afra & Tobia Scarpa Bastiano Leather Club Lounge Chairs, Gavina, 1968
About the Item
- Creator:Afra & Tobia Scarpa (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 23 in (58.42 cm)Width: 36 in (91.44 cm)Depth: 32 in (81.28 cm)Seat Height: 15.5 in (39.37 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1968
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Chicago, IL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU109321814962
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 lounge chairs, dining chairs, floor lamps and other furniture today on 1stDibs.
- Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Simon Gavina 'Bastiano' Lounge Chair in WalnutBy Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Simon Gavina EditionsLocated in Waalwijk, NLAfra & Tobia Scarpa for Simon Gavina, 'Bastiano' lounge chair, leather, walnut, Italy, 1962 This iconic armchair part of the Bastiano line, designed by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Simon...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Walnut
- Soriana Lounge Chair by Afra and Tobia ScarpaBy Cassina, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Antwerp, BEAfra and Tobia Scarpa, reupholstered cognac aniline leather, Cassina, Italy, 1970s The Soriana collection was meant to express beauty and comfort by using a whole bundle of fabric...Category
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsChrome
- Cassina Ciprea Lounge chairs by Tobia and Afra Scarpa, 1970s, ItalyBy Afra & Tobia Scarpa, CassinaLocated in Almelo, NLCassina Ciprea Lounge chairs by Tobia and Afra Scarpa, 1970s, Italy Beautiful lounge chairs made in Italy by Tobia and Afra Scarpa for Cassina in Italy...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Club Chairs
MaterialsPlywood, Leather, Foam
- Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina 'Soriana' Pair of Lounge Chairs, 1970'sBy Cassina, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Antwerp, BEScarpa; Afra and Tobia Scarpa; Cassina; Italy; 1970's; Hollywood Regency; Minimalist; Italian Design; Afra and Tobia Scarpa, reupholstered cognac aniline leather, Cassina, Italy,...Category
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsChrome
- Pair of Beech 'Bastiano' Lounge Chairs, Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Italy, 1960By Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in London, GBA pair of black leather and beech 'Bastiano' lounge chairs, designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa in 1960. Scarpa designed these chairs as a part of the firm's experimental design studio. Based on Le Corbusier's segmented design concept, Scarpa replaced the cold steel design of Le Corbusier's original with a solid wooden base – resulting in a solid and weighty appearance, married with a beautiful warmth. We believe these to be early 1970s examples, produced shortly after Knoll acquired Gavina SpA...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Brutalist Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Beech
- Afra and Tobia Scarpa Erasmo Lounge ChairsBy Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Los Angeles, CAThe Afra and Tobia Scarpa Erasmo Lounge Chairs stand as a testament to timeless elegance and meticulous craftsmanship. Designed by the renowned Ita...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather
$8,500 / item