'Monk' Chair by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Molteni, Italy, 1974
View Similar Items
'Monk' Chair by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Molteni, Italy, 1974
About the Item
- Creator:Afra & Tobia Scarpa (Designer),Molteni & C (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 29.53 in (75 cm)Width: 20.48 in (52 cm)Depth: 19.3 in (49 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1970s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Condition: In good vintage condition - patina to the leather, some marks to the legs. Do expect some quirks, slight imperfections, and small areas of wear in line with age - buying vintage there will always be some characterful signs of use.
- Seller Location:London Road, Baldock, GB
- Reference Number:Seller: 22481stDibs: LU2364333520742
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.
- An Early Afra and Tobia Scarpa "Ciprea" chair, Cassina, Italy, 1967By Cassina, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in London Road, Baldock, HertfordshireAn early example of a "Ciprea" chair by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, Italy, 1967 This example features its original deep cream leather upholstery and being one of the first ar...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather
- Pierre Guariche Tulip Chair, Cast Aluminum, Steiner Meubles, Paris, 1954By Steiner, Pierre GuaricheLocated in London Road, Baldock, HertfordshireA Pierre Guariche cast aluminium "Tulip" chair dating from the 1950s. With the metal being cast there is a rawness and imperfect finish to the seat that adds wonderful character. It...Category
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsAluminum, Steel
- Pair of 6.5ft Giant Column Lamps by Andre Cazenave for Singleton Italy, 1970'sBy Singleton, Andre CazenaveLocated in London Road, Baldock, HertfordshireA very hard-to-find, highly collectable and impressive pair of column lamps by French designer André Cazenave for Singleton, Italy, 1970s. Constructed of fibreglass and ground pow...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
MaterialsPlastic, Fiberglass
- "Robert" Fireside Chair by Pierre Guariche Upholstered in Pierre FreyBy Meurop, Pierre GuaricheLocated in London Road, Baldock, HertfordshireA "Robert" Fireside chair designed by Pierre Guariche and produced in the 1960s by Meurop. Formed of tubular metal and reupholstered in decorative waves of fake fur that is a perf...Category
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsSteel
$1,535 Sale Price56% Off - Giancarlo Piretti “Alky” Chairs In Yarn Collective bouclé *Customizable*By Giancarlo Piretti, ArtifortLocated in London Road, Baldock, HertfordshireA pair of Giancarlo Piretti “Alky” chairs newly upholstered in a 'Parchment' colored Yarn Collective bouclé fabric. Parchment is a light, neutral, sepia, off-white colour, we have...Category
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsSteel
- Étienne Fermigier 'Attr' Actual Chair, Actual Edition, France, 1972By Etienne FermigierLocated in London Road, Baldock, HertfordshireAn Actual chair, Actual Edition, 1972, by Étienne Fermigier (attr). An important figure in French design who was unfortunately killed in a car accident...Category
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMetal
$1,599 Sale Price57% Off
- Afra & Tobia Scarpa Monk Black Chair for Molteni, Italy, 1974By Molteni & C, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in London, GBFormidable husband and wife team Tobia and Afra Bianchin Scarpa created interiors and furniture that embraced the materials of each design and the interplay of technology and ...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Modern Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Walnut
$1,873 Sale Price36% Off - Afra & Tobia Scarpa "Monk" Chairs for Molteni, 1974, Set of 4By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Molteni & CLocated in Lonigo, VenetoAfra & Tobia Scarpa "Monk" chairs for Molteni, canvas and walnut, Italy, 1974, set of four. The particular feature of this model is the support structure composed of two equal tre...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsCanvas, Walnut
- Afra & Tobia Scarpa "Monk" Chairs for Molteni, 1974, Set of 8By Molteni & C, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Lonigo, VenetoAfra & Tobia Scarpa "Monk" chairs for Molteni, canvas and walnut, Italy, 1974, set of eight. The particular feature of this model is the support structure composed of two equal tres...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsCanvas, Walnut
- Afra & Tobia Scarpa "Monk" Dining Chairs for Molteni, 1974, Set of 6By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Molteni & CLocated in Lonigo, VenetoAfra & Tobia Scarpa "Monk" dining chairs for Molteni, black leather and beech, Italy, 1974, set of six. The particular feature of this model is the support structure composed of two...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Beech
- Afra & Tobia Scarpa "Monk" Dining Chairs for Molteni, 1974, Set of 8By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Molteni & CLocated in Lonigo, VenetoAfra & Tobia Scarpa "Monk" dining chairs for Molteni, black leather and beech, Italy, 1974, set of eight. The particular feature of this model is the support structure composed of t...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Walnut
- Afra & Tobia Scarpa "Monk" Dining Chairs for Molteni, 1974, Set of 8By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Molteni & CLocated in Lonigo, VenetoAfra & Tobia Scarpa "Monk" dining chairs for Molteni, cognac leather and beech, Italy, 1974, set of eight. The particular feature of this model is the support structure composed of ...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsBeech, Leather