Bastiano Coffee Table, designed by T&A Scarpa for Gavina, Italy, 1960s

Description

Bastiano coffee table, designed by T&A Scarpa for Gavina, Italy, 1960s

This low coffee table was designed by the architect duo Tobia and Afra Scarpa in 1962 and manufactured by the Italian maker Gavina. It is an early production example from the Bastiano series. It was made from teak and finished in a dark brown shade. The tabletop simply rests on the wooden frame. This is a true example of functional yet stylish modern Italian design.

Afra and Tobia Scarpa were a highly acclaimed duo of postmodern Italian architects. Their work can be found in museums across the United States and Europe, including collections at MoMA and the Louvre. They collaborated with companies such as B&B Italia, San Lorenzo Silver and Knoll International. They received numerous awards, including the Compasso d’Oro in 1969 and an award at the International Forum Design event in 1992. Their design work encompassed architecture and everyday objects, including furniture, interior design and art glass. Their projects focused on the technical and aesthetic possibilities of materials. The pair were strongly influenced by Tobia’s father, Carlo Scarpa, a Venetian architect and designer. In the early 1960s, Tobia began designing modern furniture based on the principles of Le Corbusier. He and his wife Afra designed for several of the biggest names in Italian design, including Cassina and Gavina.

Gavina was a furniture manufacturer for many influential Italian modernists, including the Castiglioni brothers, Carlo and Tobia Scarpa, Cini Boeri, Roberto Sebastián Matta, Vico Magistretti and Mario Bellini. In 1968, it was acquired by Knoll. Knoll Studio was founded in 1946 by Hans Knoll, the son of a German furniture manufacturer, and his wife Florence Knoll. Florence was responsible for moving the company away from Scandinavian design and steering the collection towards the International style seen today, for example, in the designs of Tobia and Afra Scarpa.

The table is in original vintage condition, with minor age-related marks.