Showrooms
Paolo buffa chestnut cabinet with drop-down front and drawers, Italy, 1940s
-
Description
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) - More Information
- Dimensions
More Listings from Linea Gallery View all 233 listings
-
A "grissinato" sideboard in chestnut wood, Italy, late 1940s
-
Osvaldo Borsani oak cabinet with doors, drawers & drop-front panel, Italy, 1945
-
Angelo Lelii certified 3 Lune ceiling or wall light for Arredoluce, Italy 1960s
-
Gio Ponti brass, wood, and linoleum side table for the Oceania ship, Italy, 1952
-
Paolo buffa cherrywood writing desk, Italy, 1940s
-
Mario Bellini "Colonnato" marble table by Cassina, Italy, 1977
-
A signed Venini "Poliedri" chandelier composed of glass diffusers, Italy, 1950s
-
Large brass-framed mirror, Italy, 1950s
-
Pair of maple wood bedside tables, bean-shaped, Italy, 1950s
-
Paolo Buffa attributed extendable chestnut dining table, Italy, 1940s
-
Brass and hand-faceted glass pendant lamp attributed to FontanaArte, Italy 1960s
-
Angelo Lelii certified brass and glass pendant light by Arredoluce, Italy, 1950s
-
Wall-mounted oak wood sideboard with four doors, Italy, 1950s
-
Gio Ponti double-sided desk in American walnut and parchment, Italy, 1930s
