In 1966, Piero Ambrogio Busnelli cofounded C&B Italia, a modern Italian furniture manufacturer, with Cesare Cassina in northern Milan. From the outset, Busnelli and Cassina set about recruiting the most talented modernists in Italy to conceive of creative furnishings manufactured in modern ways. In the early 1970s, the company split, with Cassina founding his own eponymous firm and Busnelli taking leadership of what became B&B Italia.
For decades, Busnelli cultivated relationships with the world’s best design talent, resulting in furniture pieces that remain iconic today — be they Gaetano Pesce’s outwardly curvaceous Up seating (made for C&B, reintroduced by B&B) or tables from industrial designer Paolo Piva, each more sophisticated than the next in their geometrically complex steel-tube bases. B&B Italia earned four prestigious Compasso d’Oro design awards: in 1979 for Mario Bellini’s Le Bambole, in 1984 for the Sisamo wardrobe system by Studio Kairos, in 1987 for Antonio Citterio’s modular Sity sofa and, in 1989, the first award given to a manufacturing company itself.
Other notable names who designed for B&B Italia over the course of its 54-year history include Patricia Urquiola, Naoto Fukasawa, Zaha Hadid, Ettore Sottsass and Vincent Van Duysen, to name a very few. And while these names bring star power to the B&B brand, in many cases, it was B&B Italia who helped usher in their celebrity, fostering a wave of design talent on the world stage.
The company’s forward-thinking vision manifested in its own headquarters, too: In 1972, B&B Italia tapped architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers to design a steel-framed, postmodern-style home for the brand, whose crisscrossing metal exoskeleton is reminiscent of the pair’s Centre Pompidou in Paris, which was built at roughly the same time. Now, B&B Italia manages a contract division and outdoor section as well as its residential arm, and it also controls production for Maxalto, a brand spun out with furniture designs by Antonio Citterio.
At 1stDibs, find a range of vintage B&B Italia furniture — including sofas, cocktail tables and more.
| Average Sold Price |
| $9,314 |
| Styles |
| Materials |
| Related Creators |
$17,000
H 26 in W 180 in D 109 in
B & B Italia "Erasmo” 7 Piece Sectional by Afra and Tobia Scarpa c.1970
By B&B Italia, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Chicago, IL
B&B Italia "Erasmo” 7 Piece Sectional by Afra and Tobia Scarpa c.1970 Italy.. Set is in amazing vintage condition. The B&B Italia "Erasmo" 7-piece sectional is an iconic m...
Upholstery
$22,700
H 25.2 in W 36.23 in D 93.71 in L 25.2 in
Rare Mario Bellini for Cassina 'Le Mura' King Bed in Vibrant Green Corduroy
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mario Bellini for Cassina, 'Le Mura' king bed, corduroy "Phlox" by Raf Simons x Kvadrat, chrome-plated steel, Italy, 1972 The 'Le Mura' line by Mario Bellini was introduced in 1972 ...
Steel, Chrome
Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia Black Leather Coronado Sofa c.1970's
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
Located in Lutz, FL
Vintage 1970’s Italian black leather 3 seat sofa, the Coronado model, designed by Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia. Sofa is in good vintage condition, new dust cover added underneath and ...
Metal
Mario Bellini "Camaleonda" Boucle Sofa by B&B Italia Set of 5
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Rio Vista, CA
A rare monumental five-piece "Camaleonda" boucle modular sectional sofa, designed by Mario Bellini and made by B&B Italia in Novedrate, Como, Italy. The sofa is comprised of thre...
Steel
$12,599 / set
H 27.56 in W 37.8 in D 37.8 in
Set of 2 Camaleonda armchairs and pouf by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, 1970s
By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia
Located in taranto, IT
Set of 3 modular elements from the famous "Camaleonda" collection by Mario Bellini, for B&B Italia, Created in 1970 by the ingenious mind of Mario Bellini and originally produced by...
Fabric
$2,004 / set
H 29.93 in W 20.48 in D 20.48 in
Arcadia dining chairs by Paolo Piva for B& B Italia set of 6
By B&B Italia, Paolo Piva
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Set of 6 Arcadia dining chairs designed by Paolo Piva for B& B italia's Arcadia series. Upholstered in dark green leather. They are very comfortable. Good condition 1980s - Ital...
Chrome
$10,800
H 28.15 in W 71.07 in D 32.49 in
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia Rare 'Polygonon' Dining Table
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia, dining table 'Polygonon', glass, electro-coated stainless steel, Italy, 1984 Behold this astonishing table with an aesthetically pleasing layout ...
Steel
$4,250
H 32.68 in W 63.78 in D 33.47 in
Afra & Tobia Scarpa ‘Lauriana’ Sofa for B&B Italia, Italy, 1978
By B&B Italia, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Dronten, NL
Elegant ‘Lauriana’ sofa designed by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia in 1978, representing the designers’ sophisticated approach to Italian postmodern furniture. This striking exam...
Steel
| Sold Date | Sold Price | Category | Material | Creation Year | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| $9,314 |
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months |
| $693-$32,000 |
| Sold price range of items in the past 12 months |
Common wisdom used to declare the kitchen the hub of the house. These days, the living room seems to have assumed the role of domestic focal point. Unlike the Victorian parlor, stiffly furnished and reserved for guests, today’s living room is a central place for reading, conversation and, well, living, with furnishings that lend themselves to both casual lounging and elegant entertaining.
The Antwerp-based designer lends his unique touch to homes, boutiques and offices in Belgium, the United States and Germany, as well as furniture for B&B Italia and Molteni.