Afra & Tobia Scarpa Sideboard Maxalto, 1980s
View Similar Items
Afra & Tobia Scarpa Sideboard Maxalto, 1980s
About the Item
- Creator:Afra & Tobia Scarpa (Designer),Maxalto (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 28.35 in (72 cm)Width: 70.87 in (180 cm)Depth: 17.72 in (45 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Period:1980-1989
- Date of Manufacture:1980
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor signs of use and age.
- Seller Location:Basel, CH
- Reference Number:Seller: 037921stDibs: LU104229548943
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.
- Afra Scarpa & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto 'Artona' SideboardBy Afra & Tobia Scarpa, MaxaltoLocated in Waalwijk, NLAfra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, sideboard, model 'Artona', walnut, leather, Italy, 1975/1979 Gorgeous sideboard made in walnut and leather and designed by duo Afra and Tobia Scarpa...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Post-Modern Sideboards
MaterialsBrass
- Artona Sideboard by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, Italy, 1970sBy Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Melbourne, VICThe Artona sideboard by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, produced by Maxalto in the 1970s, is a classic piece of furniture that exemplifies the elegant simplici...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sideboards
MaterialsLeather, Walnut
- Artona by Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Showcase Bookcase, MaxaltoBy Afra & Tobia Scarpa, MaxaltoLocated in Brussels, BEBookcase, showcase in walnut veneered laminate. Stiles and shelves made of layers of walnut and hardwood in contrasting colors. The cabinet includes open storage spaces. Two space...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
MaterialsLeather, Wood, Walnut
- Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Stildomus 'Torcello' Sideboard in WalnutBy Afra & Tobia Scarpa, StildomusLocated in Waalwijk, NLAfra & Tobia Scarpa for Stildomus, 'Torcello' sideboard, walnut, aluminum, Italy, 1964. The 'Torcello' model is a rare find and is produced by the Italian company Stildomus, a furni...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sideboards
MaterialsAluminum
- Tobia Scarpa sideboard, 1970sBy Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in HEVERLEE, BEStriking sideboard by Tobia Scarpa The use of the finest woods and craftmenship resulsts in this mind blowing sideboard. Notice the fine black lines running troughout and the incre...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sideboards
MaterialsBurl, Lacquer
- Rara Cassettiera con specchio Maxalto disegnata da Afra e Tobia ScarpaBy Afra & Tobia Scarpa, MaxaltoLocated in Milano, MIRara Cassettiera con specchio prodotta da Maxalto agli inizi degli anni 80 e disegnata dai famosi designer Afra e Tobia Scarpa. La cassettiera è alta 80 cm ed è composta da 3 cassett...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsWood