Items Similar to Italian Mid-Century Modern Tall Sideboard Cabinet Designed by Paolo Buffa, 1950

Italian Mid-Century Modern Teak Sideboard by Fratelli Proserpio, 1960s

Italian Sideboard Style of Paolo Buffa, 1950s

Italian Midcentury Sideboard or Cabinet Bar designed By Paolo Buffa in 1950s

Rare Italian Mid-Century Sideboard by Attilio Riva Mobili d’Arte, Milan

Italian Mid-Century Sideboard or Cabinet Bar designed by Paolo Buffa, 1950s

Italian Mid-Century Sideboard / Dresser attribuited to Paolo Buffa, 1950s

Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 18

Italian Mid-Century Modern Tall Sideboard Cabinet Designed by Paolo Buffa, 1950

Name: Italian Mid-Century Modern Tall Sideboard Cabinet Designed by Paolo Buffa, 1950
Brand: Paolo Buffa
Rating: 4.8 (13 reviews)

About the Item

Magnificent Italian sideboard designed by Paolo Buffa in the 50s. Underlining the upper floor is wood veneer arranged in a herringbone pattern. The doors have three panels each embellished with a splendid brass inlay with floral motifs. The lower base has a refined line. The feet are slightly protruding and have a pin shape. In its elegance and sophistication, this piece is a splendid example of Italian design from the 1950s.

Creator:
Paolo Buffa (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 56.3 in (143 cm)Width: 97.64 in (248 cm)Depth: 18.9 in (48 cm)
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Brass,Maple,Teak
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
1950-1959
Date of Manufacture:
1950
Condition:
Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Traversetolo, IT
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU2964331239852

Shop All Paolo Buffa

Paolo Buffa

With a surname that loosely translates to a synonym for “bizarre” in Italian, Milanese designer and architect Paolo Buffa is best known for capturing the best of both old and new in his plush, enveloping lounge chairs and wingback chairs as well as his range of modern tables, each dazzling and provocative but built using classical techniques.

Purposely playful and airy, mid-century Italian interiors encouraged merriment and socializing. Buffa’s work was well suited to this, but unlike the postwar designers who established recognizable trademarks and signatures, his vintage furniture for Cassina and other firms — the sculptural side tables and case pieces of walnut and solid oak, the luxurious sheepskin sofas — differed considerably from one design to the next, making them appealing to a range of interior decorators and socialites with specific taste. The son of a highly sought-after artist, Giovanni Buffa, Paolo graduated in 1927 from Politecnico di Milano. He then spent time working under architects and designers Gio Ponti and Emilio Lancia. Ponti, who himself crafted thousands of furnishings and endlessly creative rooms, was so taken with the young designer that in 1928 he featured his simple and elegant rosewood dressing table in his new magazine, Domus.

After opening a firm with his regular collaborator Antonio Cassi Ramelli, Buffa became one of the leading tastemakers of Italian mid-century modern furnishings, designing for villas and residential buildings across the country. His style was a mix of Art Deco, Rationalism, neoclassicism and a bit of whimsy. He used high-quality materials and regularly worked with local ateliers known for their fine craftsmanship to produce his designs, such as Serafino Arrighi and Marelli & Colico. In 1940, he partnered with the Mario Quarti furniture studio on the royal palace of Albania’s King Zog, with Buffa designing the furniture, and in 1951, Egypt’s King Farouk enlisted him to redecorate his yacht.

While Buffa’s transcendent pieces are now collector’s items, there are a few still in production, such as those he made with Angelo Marelli. His eponymous firm, the Italian furniture producer Eredi Marelli, still manufactures some designs based on Buffa’s archives.

Find a collection of vintage Paolo Buffa furniture today on 1stDibs.