Vintage Art Deco Italian Walnut Burl Desk by Paolo Buffa, 1940s

About This Piece

Vintage Design

Beautiful Italian Art Deco Mid-Century Modern desk writing table, in beautiful veneer burl wood, with black glass top, elegant carved frame and curved sides completed by two central drawers. The unique and typical design, with the clean geometric shape enrich the natural pattern and grain of the veneer wood making this a true statement piece in any interior style, ideal both as against a wall as well as free standing center piece having the front and the back part finished. The Art Deco style, here with the Mid-Century Modern influence, was all about making a big statement and was considered very glamorous, elegant, functional, and modern. Softly shaped patterns and smooth angles with the generous use of gold, glass, mirror and a variety of expensive and exotic materials as is in the style of Gugliemo Ulrich and Vittorio Dassi, that inspired the Italian Mid-Century Modern designers of that years such as Gio Ponti, Melchiorre Bega, Paolo Buffa and Luisa and Ico Parisi.

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Creator	Paolo Buffa
Production Period	1940 to 1949
Country of Manufacture	Italy
Style	Vintage, Art Deco
Detailed Condition	Very Good — This vintage/antique item has no defects, but it may show slight traces of use.
SKU	EUP-2026630
Restoration and Damage Details	Minor fading
Materials	Glass, Wood
Color	Black
Width	84 cm 84 cm
Depth	57 cm 57 cm
Height	78 cm 78 cm
Weight Range	Standard — Between 40kg and 80kg

Shipping & Delivery

Ships from	Italy
Returns	Returns accepted within fourteen days of delivery, except for Made-to-order items

Sustainability

Carbon Neutral	For every purchase made, Pamono offsets 100% of estimated carbon emissions from global shipping.
Vintage	Choosing vintage and antique furniture reduces your carbon footprint by cutting down on waste and reduces demand for new materials and extends the life of the products we use.

Delivery Options

Front Door Delivery: (Included in Every Order)	A skilled driver will unload the item(s) from the delivery truck and bring it to your building’s doorstep. You will be responsible for further transport beyond that point. We recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand; alternatively, you may upgrade to In-Home Delivery (see below). The delivery partner will email and/or call you at least one day in advance to arrange a delivery time. A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection. Item will be left in its packaging after delivery. A signature will be required upon delivery.
In-Home Delivery: (For in-home delivery service, additional fees apply. Please get in touch)	A skilled driver or a team of two will bring your item(s) inside your home and place it in the immediate entryway. For unusually large or heavy items, we recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand, as we cannot send more than 2 drivers. The delivery partner will email and/or call you one day in advance to arrange a delivery time. A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection. Item will be left in its packaging after delivery. A signature will be required upon delivery.

Front Door Delivery:
(Included in Every Order)

A skilled driver will unload the item(s) from the delivery truck and bring it to your building’s doorstep. You will be responsible for further transport beyond that point. We recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand; alternatively, you may upgrade to In-Home Delivery (see below).
The delivery partner will email and/or call you at least one day in advance to arrange a delivery time.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

In-Home Delivery:
(For in-home delivery service, additional fees apply. Please get in touch)

A skilled driver or a team of two will bring your item(s) inside your home and place it in the immediate entryway. For unusually large or heavy items, we recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand, as we cannot send more than 2 drivers.
The delivery partner will email and/or call you one day in advance to arrange a delivery time.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

*Important Note

Please examine every order upon delivery. In the event that there are visible signs of damage or missing or incorrect pieces, please indicate the problem on the Delivery Note and contact us within 48 hours of delivery. A signed delivery receipt without notations of missing, damaged, or incorrect item(s) represents your acceptance of the complete order in perfect condition.

About the Creator

Paolo Buffa

Italian architect-designer Paolo Buffa (1903-1970) was active between the 1930s and 1960s. He is known for an array of furniture designs that marry Neoclassical and Art Deco motifs with modernist principles. His pieces rarely include identifying marks, making them difficult to authenticate.

Born and raised in Milan, Buffa studied architecture at the city’s famous Politecnico, graduating in 1927. The following year, he established a design studio with Antonio Cassi Ramelli, whom he had met during a brief stint working in the atelier of Gio Ponti and Emilio Lancia. Together they made their professional debut with a dining room installation at the 1930 Triennale. Sometime between the 1933 and 1936 Triennales, Buffa opened his own studio.

Designing for the Milanese upper classes in the 1930s, Buffa’s designs were expertly handmade in fine materials, resulting in a quality that of rivaled French Art Deco legend Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann. In collaboration with talented ébénistes—like Mario Quarti—and specialized craftsmen, Buffa was able to slowly introduce modernized, streamlined techniques in the early 1940s, which allowed the designer to increase his output. The evolution of Buffa’s increasingly modern aesthetic is clear, from early Neoclassical cabinets with intricate ornamentation and opulent inlays, to '60s-era, pared down lounge chairs and consoles. In the 1960s, the designer collaborated with large-scale Italian manufacturer Cassina.

In addition to furniture design, Buffa presided over many architectural and interior design projects, which ranged from the design of tombs—his first commission—and a yacht for Egyptian royalty, to villas, hotels, opera houses, and offices.

Despite Buffa’s prolificity and his significant contribution to the development of midcentury Italian design culture, relatively little has been written about the designer since his death in 1970. Nevertheless, the appetite for Buffa designs on the vintage market is growing. Design enthusiasts and collectors alike value Buffa’s designs as much for their high-quality craftsmanship and materials as for their classic aesthetic and association with the foundation of the modernist movement in Italy.