Afra
Tobia Scarpa Lounge Chair Model
925
in Walnut and Red Leather
About the Item
- Creator:Afra Tobia Scarpa (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 27.56 in (70 cm)Width: 25.6 in (65 cm)Depth: 25.6 in (65 cm)Seat Height: 14.57 in (37 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1966
- Condition:Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use. Every item Morentz offers is checked by our team of 30 craftsmen in our in-house workshop. Special restoration or reupholstery requests can be done. We guarantee a very highquality standard, ask our design specialists for detailed information.
- Seller Location:Waalwijk, NL
- Reference Number:Seller: 450139831stDibs: LU933122318042
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 lounge chairs, dining chairs, floor lamps and other furniture today on 1stDibs.
Established in 2006, Morentz has a team of approximately 55 restorers, upholsterers, interior advisers and art historians, making it a gallery, workshop and upholstery studio, all in one. Every day, a carefully selected array of 20th-century furniture arrives from all over the world at the firm’s warehouse, where the team thoroughly examines each piece to determine what, if any, work needs to be done. Whether that means new upholstery or a complete restoration, Morentz's aim is always to honor the designer’s intention while fulfilling the wishes of the client. The team is up to any challenge, from restoring a single piece to its original glory to furnishing a large-scale hotel project.
You May Also Like
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Walnut
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Leather, Plywood
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Wood
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Wood
Vintage 1960s Lounge Chairs
Leather
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Lounge Chairs
Chrome
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Leather, Plywood
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Chrome
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Leather, Plywood
More From This Seller
View AllVintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Walnut
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Leather
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Leather
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Ash
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Leather, Walnut
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Stools
Steel
Still Thinking About These?
All Recently ViewedRead More
A Basket-Weave Pattern Adds Country Charm to Paolo Buffa’s Elegant Cabinet
With its grid-like doors and wavy trim, the 1940s design feels as fresh as ever.
Hans Bergström’s Monumental Chandeliers Are Made for Grand Spaces
Designed by a giant of Swedish lighting, the large-scale fixtures bring major drama.