Africa by Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Table and 6 Dining Chairs, Maxalto
View Similar Items
Africa by Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Table and 6 Dining Chairs, Maxalto
About the Item
- Creator:Afra & Tobia Scarpa (Artist),Maxalto (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 27.56 in (70 cm)Diameter: 57.09 in (145 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 7
- 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. The model designed around 1975, our furniture produced in 1980. Original label. Very good condition, some scratches and discoloration from use on the table top. Exceptional patina.
- Seller Location:Brussels, BE
- Reference Number:Seller: UF09_421stDibs: LU2994331617692
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.
- Artona by Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Showcase Bookcase, MaxaltoBy Maxalto, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated 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
- Artona by Afra & Tobia Scarpa – Chest of drawers with 4 hinged doors – MaxaltoBy Afra & Tobia Scarpa, MaxaltoLocated in Brussels, BELow chest of drawers in walnut veneer laminate consisting of a superposition of different layers of wood. The 4 doors trimmed in cognac leather with leather ...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Buffets
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Artona by Afra & Tobia Scarpa – Walnut veneer laminate desk and chairBy Maxalto, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Brussels, BEThe desk elements made of walnut laminate with different color hardwood overlay. The top in burr walnut veneer. The front of the side doors and the central drawer covered in cognac l...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Artona by Afra & Tobia Scarpa – High chest of drawers with 2 hinged doorsBy Maxalto, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Brussels, BEHigh chest of drawers on casters in walnut veneered laminate consisting of a superposition of layers of different wood. The two hinged doors covered in cognac-coloured leather with ...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Benoît, Set of 8 Dining Chairs by Robert Guillerme & Jacques Chambron, FranceBy Guillerme et Chambron, Votre MaisonLocated in Brussels, BEBeautiful set of 8 oak dining chairs. The seat in straw caning. Entirely assembled in the traditional way, the construction and the way th...Category
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsOak
- Occhi by Tobia Scarpa – Quadrangular shaped vaseBy Tobia Scarpa, VeniniLocated in Brussels, BEOcchi by Tobia Scarpa – Quadrangular shaped vase “Occhi” vase by Tobia Scarpa. Quadrangular shaped vase from the occhi series. Made up of an arrangement of white and clear glass murr...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Vases
MaterialsBlown Glass, Art Glass
- Africa Dining Table by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, Italy 1970sBy Maxalto, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Greding, DELarge dining table or conference table with oval tabletop and veneer of walnut and birch burl. The table rests on two square legs, which are stabilized by means of concrete counterwe...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
MaterialsConcrete
- Afra & Tobia Scarpa Africa Dining Room Set for Maxalto, 4 Chairs and Table, 1976By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, MaxaltoLocated in Vicenza, ITA dining set composed of four “Africa” dining chairs and an “Artona” table, designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto in 1975. Made of walnut, burl...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Sets
MaterialsBrass
- Round Africa Table by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, 1975By Maxalto, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Lasne, BERound wooden table by Tobia and Afra Scarpa. Stamped concrete block inside the table for stability. Wear due to time and age of the table.Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
MaterialsConcrete
- mAXALTO oval dining table by Afra and Tobia Scarpa Artona seriesBy Maxalto, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Milano, MIFantastic oval-shaped dining table in burl, walnut, and brass by Afra & Tobia Scarpa. This table designed by the famous designers Afra and Tobia Scarpa was produced by Maxalto. Maxa...Category
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto 'Artona' Large Dining TableBy Maxalto, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Waalwijk, NLAfra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, large oval dining table model ‘Artona’, walnut, walnut burl, ebony, brass, Italy, 1975/1979 Intriguing table designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa. On t...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Post-Modern Dining Room Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Artona oval dining table by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, ed. Maxalto 1975By Maxalto, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Renens, CHAfra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto 'Artona' Large Oval Dining Table in Walnut, Brass Italy 1975 Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto 'Artona' Large Oval Dining Table in Walnut, Brass Italy 1975 The 'Artona' oval dining table stands as a gorgeous furniture piece conceived by the visionary minds of Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto in Italy in 1975. Crafted from beautiful walnut burl, the tabletop boasts remarkable grains and knots, forming a harmonious union with the black lacquered wooden base adorned with brass details. This table represents a pivotal contribution to the 'Artona' collection that marked the inaugural venture of Maxalto, the high end division within B&B Italia. Launched in 1975, this collection was conceived to promote the art of artisanal furniture craftsmanship, with a predominant focus on the utilization of wood. We have a set of 6 matching "Africa" chairs in stock which would compose an amazing set with the Artona table...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
MaterialsLeather, Wood, Zebra Wood