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.
Square Coffee Table by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, Italy 1965
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Roma, IT
Stunning Mid-Century coffee table Model 771 in a very rare rosewood version. This iconic table was designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa and produced by Cassina in Italy during the 1960s...
Wood
Italian Coffee Table Designed by Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Italy 60s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lucija, SI
This coffee table was designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa in the 60s Made in Italy
Smoked Glass, Walnut
Square Walnut Coffee Table by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, Italy 1965
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Roma, IT
Stunning Mid-Century coffee table Model 771 in walnut wood designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa and produced by Cassina, in Italy during the 1960s. The table is signed inside one of the...
Wood
$443Sale Price|61% Off
Coffee Table Afra E Tobia Scarpa Italy 1960s Bamboo Design Shelves Night Table
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Coffee table Afra E Tobia Scarpa Italy 1960s Bamboo Design Shelves night table.
Bamboo
$1,317Sale Price|20% Off
Tavolino postmoderno in noce con piano fumè, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Palermo, IT
Tavolino da salotto italiano Mid-Century Post Modern in noce massiccio, piano in cristal fumè, designer A.&T Scarpa. About Afra & Tobia Scarpa Afra an...
Art Glass, Wood
Afra & Tobia Scarpa Rosewood Coffee Table for Cassina 1960s
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Conversano, IT
Beautiful model 771 side table designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina in the mid-1960s, originally produced and sold with the iconic 121 chairs from the same series. Entirely ...
Palisander
Midcentury Coffee Table by Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Solid Wood & Glass
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Albano Laziale, Rome/Lazio
Stunning midcentury rectangular solid wood coffee table with smoked glass top. It was produced in Italy in the 1960s by Cassina and designed by Afra & Tobia Scarpa. Born in Ve...
Glass, Beech
Afra and Tobia Scarpa Coffee Table in Walnut and Glass, Italy, 1960's
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Uithoorn, NL
Afra and Tobia Scarpa Coffee Table in Wood and Glass, Italy, 1960's This coffee table was designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa in Italy, known for their refined approach to form and ma...
Glass, Walnut
$14,112Sale Price|20% Off
Small table series ''Artona'' by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, 1970s
By Maxalto, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Quarrata, IT
Small table from the series ''Artona'' by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, 1970s.
Wood
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Stildomus 'Torcello' Coffee Table in Walnut
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Stildomus
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Stildomus, 'Torcello' coffee table, walnut, Italy, 1965 The 'Torcello' model is a rare find and is produced by the Italian company Stildomus, a furniture com...
Walnut
An « Artona » coffee table by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, 1975
By Maxalto, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in View Park, CA
An « Artona » coffee table by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, 1975. In teak wood with an ebonized double stripe down the center and sides of table, and featuring unique architectu...
Wood, Walnut
Bamboo Coffee Table Basilian by Afra and Tobia Scarpa
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Madrid, ES
Coffee table, model Basilian, designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa and produced by B&B Maxalto in the mid-1970s. The structure of the table is made of bamboo and rattan with brass detai...
Bamboo, Glass
Rosewood square Model 771 coffee table by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina (Ita
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rosewood square Model 771 coffee table by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina (Italy, 1960s). W29.5" D29.5" H15" >> Los Angeles showroom viewings by appointment in the American Cement...
Rosewood
Modular small tables model 777 by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina - 1960s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Vicenza, IT
Elegant set of three small modular tables model 777, designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina and dating from the 1960s. Made of wood with a dark walnut finish, they have an ext...
Nutwood, Walnut, Lacquer
Coffee Table " Torcello" by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Stildomus, Italy
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Brussels, BE
Coffee Table " Torcello" by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Stildomus, Italy
Wood
Large Rosewood Coffee Table by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, Italy, 1960s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Roma, IT
Marvelous and exceptionally rare large coffee table in stunning rosewood, designed by Afra & Tobia Scarpa and produced by Cassina in Italy during the 1960s. This highly sought-after ...
Wood, Rosewood
$1,314Sale Price|41% Off
Early Mid-Century Modern Coffee Table Bastiano by Tobia & Afra Scarpa for Gavina
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Gavina
Located in Warszawa, Mazowieckie
This low coffee table was designed by the architectural duo Tobia and Afra Scarpa in 1962 and manufactured by the Italian manufacture Gavina. It is an early production table from the Bastiano series. It is made of teak wood and finished in a dark shade of brown. The top is placed loosely on a wooden frame. It is a real example of functional, yet stylish, modern Italian design. Afra and Tobia Scarpa are an award-winning duo of postmodern Italian architects. Their works can be found in museums in the United States and Europe, including collections at MoMA and the Louvre. They have cooperated with companies such as B&B Italia, San Lorenzo Silver...
Teak
Walnut square coffee table by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, 1960s
By Figli di Amadeo Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Low table in walnut designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa and produced by Cassina since 1967. Clean design and simple construction concept. The 4 vertical elements are screwed together w...
Walnut
60s 70s coffee table side table by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Neuenkirchen, NI
60s 70s coffee table side table by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina Object: coffee table Manufacturer: Cassina Condition: good - vintage Ag...
Wood
Small tables model 777, Afra and Tobia Scarpa, 1965 Circa
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Milano, Lombardia
The Small Tables Model 777, a masterful creation by the iconic Italian design duo Afra and Tobia Scarpa, encapsulates the essence of mid-century modern design with its timeless elega...
Wood
Coffee Table Mod. André by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Gavina, Italy, 1970s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Gavina
Located in Roma, IT
André square table, designed by Tobia Scarpa for Gavina, with smoked glass top and chromed steel frame. The André table by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Gavina is a refined expression o...
Steel
Afra & Tobia Scarpa Coffee Table, Smoked Glass & Walnut, 1973
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in bari, IT
Rare white coffee table wooden structure with smoked glass top 1970s production by Afra & Tobia Scarpa. Afra and Tobia Scarpa are award-winning Italian postmodern architects and ...
Smoked Glass, Walnut
Afra & Tobia Scarpa “925” Coffee Table for Cassina, Brown Plywood, Italy, 1966
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Afra & Tobia Scarpa “925” coffee table for Cassina, brown plywood, Italy, 1966 This coffee table exemplifies the Scarpas’ collaboration with Cassina ...
Plywood
Set of 3 wooden coffee tables 777 model by Afra e Tobia Scarpa for Cassina 60s
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Padova, IT
Born in Venice in 1935, Tobia Scarpa is the son of the famous architect Carlo Scarpa. Together with his wife Afra, Tobia began working in the Venini glass factory in Murano in the 19...
Wood
Afra & Tobia Scarpa Model 777 Walnut Nesting Coffee Tables for Cassina, 1965
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Vicenza, IT
Model 777 extractable coffee tables, designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina in 1965. Made of walnut. Excellent vintage condition. They are three coffee tables of different si...
Walnut
Afra & Tobia Scarpa Model 771 Rosewood Side Table Cassina, Italy, ca. 1965
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Geneva, CH
Rosewood side or coffee model 771 by Afra & Tobia Scarpa produced by Cassina, Italy, ca. 1965 Measures: 75 x 75 x 38 cm Switchable rosewood table top Manu...
Rosewood
MCM Coffee Table in Walnut and Smoke Glass by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, Italy 1960s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Beograd, RS
In this listing you will find a very rare Mid Century Modern coffee table designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, the Italian duo who is behind some of the most iconic pieces of Mid Centu...
Smoked Glass, Walnut
Afra and Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia Rosewood Coffee Table
By B&B Italia, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous Mid-Century Modern rosewood coffee or cocktail table By Afra and Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia Italy, Circa 1970s Measures: 49.5"W x 27.5"D x 17.75"H. Newly rela...
Rosewood
Afra & Tobia Scarpa Coffee Table for Maxalto, 1970s
By Maxalto, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Antwerp, BE
Pine wood coffee table by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, Italy, 1970s Postmodern coffee table by the famous children of Carlo Scarpa. Inspired by Donald Judd and Rietveld. Table...
Pine
"Artona" coffee table by Afra and Tobia Scarpa 1970s
By Maxalto, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Brescia, IT
Coffee table from the 1970s with walnut burl top and metal base, designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto. Coffee table model "Artona," designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Ma...
Metal
Set of 3 walnut nesting low tables mod. 777 by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
By Figli di Amadeo Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Set of 3 nesting low tables in walnut designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa and produced by Cassina since 1967. The tables can be stacked on a single structure or distributed as desired....
Walnut
"Artona" coffee table by Afra and Tobia Scarpa 1970s
By Maxalto, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Brescia, IT
Coffee table from the 1970s with walnut burl top and metal base, designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto. Coffee table model "Artona," designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Ma...
Metal