A Pair of "Soriana" Chairs w/Ottoman by Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
View Similar Items
A Pair of "Soriana" Chairs w/Ottoman by Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
About the Item
- Creator:Tobia Scarpa (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 25 in (63.5 cm)Width: 34 in (86.36 cm)Depth: 38 in (96.52 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:
- Seller Location:West Hollywood, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: U121008947068
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.
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 Scarpa 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.)
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.
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 Tobia Scarpa table lamps, sofas, dining chairs and other furniture today on 1stDibs.
- Kelly Wearstler Morro Lounge Chair in White BoucléBy Kelly WearstlerLocated in West Hollywood, CAUpholstered in the finest boucle fabric, the Morro lounge chair explores the language of color and texture in the signature curvaceous form that lends the collection its expressive c...Category
2010s American Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBouclé, Oak
$11,500 / item - Kelly Wearstler Esfera Ottoman in Checker Mushroom FabricBy Kelly WearstlerLocated in West Hollywood, CAThe Esfera Ottoman establishes an openly modern language of pure geometries and bold massing without compromising comfort. This versatile piece works we...Category
2010s American Modern Ottomans and Poufs
MaterialsVelvet
- Kelly Wearstler Esfera Ottoman in Fern Green Graffito FabricBy Kelly WearstlerLocated in West Hollywood, CAEsfera Ottoman in Graffito Fern Featuring a visually impactful silhouette, the Esfera ottoman establishes an openly modern language of pure geometrie...Category
2010s American Modern Ottomans and Poufs
MaterialsLinen
- Kelly Wearstler Esfera Ottoman in Varsity Ebony Gold Stripe VelvetBy Kelly WearstlerLocated in West Hollywood, CAThe Esfera Ottoman establishes an openly modern language of pure geometries and bold massing without compromising comfort. This versatile piece works we...Category
2010s American Modern Ottomans and Poufs
MaterialsVelvet
- Zuma Dining Chair with Curved Back Frame in Ivory Leather by Kelly WearstlerBy Kelly WearstlerLocated in West Hollywood, CAThe clean, architectural lines and casual sensibility of the Zuma dining chair make this dining option a modern Classic. The bent oak frame with its ...Category
2010s American Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsOak
- Oil Rubbed Brass Elliott Chair in Textured Tosa/Carbon Fabric by Kelly WearstlerBy Kelly WearstlerLocated in West Hollywood, CAThe iconic Elliot chair combines clean lines with classic vernacular. This dining or occasional chair features paired brass bar-stock legs finished in eit...Category
2010s American Modern Armchairs
MaterialsBrass
- Soriana Lounge Chair & Ottoman by Tobia Scarpa for CassinaBy Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Wilton, CTSoriana lounge chair with ottoman by Afra & Tobia Scarpa, made in Italy by Cassina, circa 1970’s. The original rich chocolate brown leather and foam are in great condition and shows ...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Lounge Chairs
MaterialsChrome
$8,000 Sale Price / set20% Off - Pair of Soriana Lounge Chairs and Ottoman by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for CassinaBy Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Dallas, TXA pair of Soriana lounge chairs and ottoman in original black leather. Designed by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina.Category
Vintage 1970s Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather
- Soriana Lounge Chair & Ottoman by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, 1969By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, CassinaLocated in Brooklyn, NYDesigned by Afra and Tobia Scarpa in 1969 for Cassina, the Soriana lounge chair is a piece of design history. Here we have a completely original vintage example in original velvet co...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsSteel
$8,199 Sale Price / set21% Off - Soriana Lounge Chair & Ottoman by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, 1969By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, CassinaLocated in Brooklyn, NYDesigned by Afra and Tobia Scarpa in 1969 for Cassina, the Soriana lounge chair is a piece of design history. Here we have a completely original vintage example in original velvet co...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsSteel
$8,199 Sale Price / set21% Off - Soriana lounge chair with ottoman by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, 1970sBy Afra & Tobia Scarpa, CassinaLocated in HEVERLEE, BEVery rare Soriana lounge chair with ottoman designed in 1969 by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina. It still has its intact seventies upholstery. Beautiful and timeless design with th...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsChrome
- Soriana Lounge Chair by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for CassinaBy Afra & Tobia Scarpa, CassinaLocated in Byron Bay, NSWSoriana lounge chair by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina. Original leather and chromed steel. Iconic chaise lounge by Italian designer couple Afra & Tobia Scarpa designed in 1969 and ...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsChrome
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Why the Design World Is in the Midst of a Kelly Wearstler Moment
Three decades into her illustrious career, the Los Angeles–based designer continues to push boundaries.
Susanna Salk’s Favorite Designers Show Us How to Play with Patterns
Taking us on a whirlwind tour of spaces that use charming prints with aplomb, the interiors expert makes a compelling case for ditching staid solids when tackling your next decorating project.