Paolo Buffa Mid-Century Sideboard for Serafino Arrighi

About the Item

Large and beautiful Mid-century sideboard designed by Paolo Buffa for the fine Italian manufacture of Serafino Arrighi in the 50s. The sideboard is entirely made of fine and solid wood, very elegant and resistant. The structure is supported by two sturdy triangular legs, interspersed with a wooden slab that connects them and makes them even more resistant. Going up we see the main body of the rectangular sideboard On the sides we note four doors that can be opened as windows via a round brass knob in the original patina. In the centre, there are three drawers that can be pulled out using the same knobs. The woodworking is the strong point of the sideboard: in fact we see typically Buffa wave processing, inlaid and finely worked wood. The sideboard is suitable for mid-century environments in a typical classic style.

Creator:

Paolo Buffa (Designer),Serafino Arrighi (Manufacturer)

Dimensions:

Height: 35.24 in (89.5 cm)Width: 82.68 in (210 cm)Depth: 17.52 in (44.5 cm)

Style:

Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Brass,Wood

Place of Origin:

Italy

Period:

1950-1959

Date of Manufacture:

1950

Condition:

Rewoven. Wear consistent with age and use. The sideboard is in good and original vintage condition, slight scratches and light wear consistent with its time and use. Restored. Being a VINTAGE item it is possible that it will bear some scratches or defects.

Seller Location:

Milano, IT

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU4911231851572

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.