Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto Set of Twelve Africa Walnut Dining Chairs

Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto extraordinary set of twelve "Africa" dining chairs for in walnut, ebony and cognac saddle leather, Italy, 1975.

Designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, the Africa chair is one of the designers’ most distinctive and recognizable furniture designs of the 1970s. The sculptural walnut frame is defined by two substantial vertical back supports extending into broad rounded upper sections, separated by a narrow central opening.

The chair backs are beautifully detailed with contrasting ebony inlay arranged in a series of curved concentric bands, emphasizing the sculptural form and rich grain of the walnut. Small circular cutouts at either side further articulate the transition between the rounded upper back and the vertical supports.

The generously proportioned seats are upholstered in rich cognac-colored saddle leather with contrasting perimeter stitching. The warm tone of the leather complements the walnut beautifully while the dark ebony detailing gives the chairs their distinctive graphic character.

Viewed from the back, the long paired walnut supports and ebony decoration become an equally important element of the design, giving the chairs a strong architectural presence from every angle. Manufacturer's marks are impressed into the rear wooden supports.

These chic and sophisticated chairs have been fully restored including refinish to the wood frames, and newly reupholstered seats in a gorgeous Holland & Sherry Braemar leather.

This Africa model is part of the Artona collection by Italian manufacturer Maxalto. The Artona line by the Scarpa duo was in fact their first line ever produced by Maxalto, the specialist division of B&B Italia. Maxalto was originally set up in 1975 as a high-end division of B&B Italia to focus exclusively on the production of artisanal, mostly wood furniture. The Artona collection was their first project and also functions as a counter-message against the common prevailing use of plastics in furniture design during the postwar period. The iconic Africa chair exemplifies Afra and Tobia Scarpa’s sophisticated approach to traditional materials, combining fine cabinetmaking, sculptural form and carefully considered decorative detailing.

Twelve matching chairs are available. The set may be divided and chairs are offered in groups of 4, 6, or 8 chairs at $10,000 each.