Tobia Scarpa

TOBIA SCARPA (Venice, Italy, 1935).
“André” coffee table, designed in 1967.
Manufactured by Gavina/Knoll International, Italy, 1970s.
Chrome-plated steel, clear glass, and leather legs.
In good condition, with slight signs of wear consistent with its age.
Measurements: 38 x 114 x 114 cm.

The André table represents one of the most rigorous expressions of Italian furniture design from the late 1960s, making its structural framework its primary visual feature. The transparent tabletop fully exposes the chrome-plated steel grid, organized by orthogonal crossbars and four cylindrical supports whose junctions are highlighted by small leather discs. Rather than concealing the joints, the design integrates them into a precise geometric composition, reminiscent of architectural language and grounded in the clarity of the materials.

Conceived during Gavina’s transition to Knoll International, the André series exemplifies a modernity rooted in proportion, industrial precision, and the elimination of any ornamental elements foreign to the structural logic itself.

The son of architect Carlo Scarpa, Tobia Scarpa trained in Venice and spent much of his career working alongside Afra Scarpa, collaborating with leading Italian design firms such as Gavina, Cassina, and Flos. His work combines constructive rigor, attention to detail, and a refined understanding of materials. Designs by both are held in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.