Paolo buffa chestnut cabinet with drop-down front and drawers, Italy, 1940s

A secretaire with drop-down front, drawers and open compartments, chestnut wood, design by Paolo Buffa, Italian manufacture, 1940s

In the 1940s, Paolo Buffa’s style embraced the tastes of the time, when a certain rustic spirit—often inspired by alpine imagery—found its way into bourgeois interiors. Buffa, however, reinterpreted this trend with his own distinctive aesthetic vision. This elegant secretaire is a perfect example: it features a generous drop-down writing surface that reveals two small drawers and open shelves for storing letters, documents, and personal correspondence.

Long before the rise of the extravagant bar cabinet in 20th-century interiors, the secretaire was the true jewel of the home—intimate, refined, and often the focal point of a living room or quiet study. Known for his sophisticated approach to ornamentation and decoration, Buffa chose here to focus on simplicity: tall, narrow, and visually slender, the piece is well-proportioned and pleasing to the eye. Particularly striking is the geometric front decoration—a sequence of squared, triangular-sectioned lines that enhances the natural, expressive grain of the chestnut wood.

The original design drawings for this piece are preserved in the architect’s personal archive, confirming its authenticity.

The piece has been professionally restored and is presented in excellent vintage condition.

Dimensions: 130w x 44d x 150h cm
(51.2 x 17.3 x 59 in)