Attributed to Paolo Buffa. For La Permanente Mobili Cantù.

Attributed to PAOLO BUFFA (Milan, 1903–1970). For La Permanente Mobili Cantù.
Coffee table. Italy, 1940s.
Walnut wood.
The piece has been restored by specialized artisans in Italy, preserving its original design.
It shows slight signs of use and subtle scuffs.
Measurements: 46.5 x 80 x 45.5 cm.

Attributed to Paolo Buffa, this table reflects the unique blend of tradition and modernity that characterized Italian furniture of the 1940s. Its design is based on a very clean-lined structure, enlivened by the contrast between the rectangular top—defined by a pronounced stepped molding—and the saber-shaped legs. The large tabletop stands out for its natural wood grain pattern, framed by several parallel moldings in a darker shade that visually reinforce its perimeter. In contrast to this horizontal line, the legs introduce a sense of lightness and movement through their outward-flaring shape, a common design element in Italian furniture of the period.

Paolo Buffa trained in the Milanese circle associated with Gio Ponti and Emilio Lancia and had an extensive career as an architect and designer of interiors and furniture. He participated in the Milan Triennials of 1930, 1933, and 1936, developing a design language that combined classical references with a progressive simplification of forms. His furniture is held in institutional collections such as the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, which owns a bar cabinet of his from around 1950.

Founded in 1893 as the Esposizione Permanente dei Mobili Canturini, La Permanente played a significant role in promoting local artisanal production and in fostering connections between the region’s manufacturers and architects and designers such as Gio Ponti, Franco Albini, and Buffa himself.