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.
B&B Italia Overscale Flames by Jean-Marie Massaud Outdoor Oil Candle
By Jean-Marie Massaud, B&B Italia
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An exceptionally rare and highly sculptural Overscale Flames outdoor fireplace designed by Jean-Marie Massaud for B&B Italia, originally introduced in 2007 as part of B&B Ita...
Steel
$3,744 / set
H 16.74 in W 10.24 in D 5.32 in
Pair Of Antique Vienna 3-Flame Biedermeier Silver Candle Holders, dated 1857
By Viennese Manufactory
Located in Vienna, AT
Two festive Biedermeier silver candleholders on a four-pass, cambered stand with curved rim, chased and chiselled rose decoration between raised folds on the foot and baluster-shaped...
Silver
$1,170 / item
H 57.88 in W 8.27 in D 8.27 in
21st Century Candle Holder Torchère Indoor Outdoor Black Cast Iron
By B.B. for Reschio, Benedikt Bolza Design
Located in Lisciano Niccone, Perugia
An iron torchère on simple tripod base These come together with six Sicilian candles, the heavy wicks producing a wonderful flickering outdoor light. Specifications: untreated stee...
Steel
Moroccan Hurricane Metal Candle Lantern Indoor or Outdoor
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Moroccan Moorish metal candle lantern. Hurricane candle lamp handcrafted in Morocco by artisans, metal hand-cut openwork and hammered with Moorish design, open in front for use with ...
Metal
Saman Candle Holder by Chandler McLellan
Located in Geneve, CH
Saman Candle Holder by Chandler McLellan Dimensions: D 19.05 x W 21.6 x H 45.1 cm. Materials: Metal. A sculptural candle holder. Inspired by grounded whimsey and the hug of a rain tree...
Metal
$406
H 8.27 in W 2.37 in D 2.37 in
Burden and Flame Hand-Built High-Fired Ceramic Candle Holder by Darren Dai
By Darren Dai
Located in London, GB
Burden and Flame is a sculptural ceramic candle holder by Chinese artist Darren Dai. The work intertwines mythology, ritual, and the quiet weight of devotion. A seated figure support...
Ceramic
$105 / item
H 10 in W 0.85 in D 0.85 in
Taper Candles, White Taper Candles in Wax, Viya by Vikram Goyal
By Viya by Vikram Goyal
Located in Noida, DL
Taper Candles, White Taper Candles in Wax, Viya by Vikram Goyal. Candles in wax. Handmade in India. Product Details Material: Wax Size: 10"H 25.4 H cm Weight: 0.5 kg 1.1 lbs Numb...
Other
Glazed ceramic candle lamp by Jean Maubrou, circa 1940-1950
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Glazed ceramic candle light by Jean Maubrou. Artist signature under the base. Circa 1940-1950. Perfect original conditions. H : 7.9 x 4.1 inches. - A student of LACHENAL, Jean MAUB...
Ceramic
Black Kubus 4 Candle Holder by Lassen
Located in Geneve, CH
Black Kubus 4 candle holder by Lassen Dimensions: D 14 x W 14 x H 20 cm Materials: Metal Also available in different dimensions. Weight: 1.50 Kg...
Metal
Black Line Candle Holder by Lassen
Located in Geneve, CH
Black line candle holder by Lassen Dimensions: D 10 x W 10 x H 16 cm Materials: Metal Also available in different dimensions. Weight: 0.60 Kg With a sharp sense of contemporary Functionalist style, Mogens Lassen designed the iconic Kubus candleholder in 1962, a piece once reserved solely for family and close architect colleagues. In 1983 he reapproached his own geometric candleholders...
Metal
Black Kubus 8 Candle Holder by Lassen
Located in Geneve, CH
Black Kubus 8 candle holder by Lassen Dimensions: D 23 x W 23 x H 29 cm Materials: Metal Also available in different dimensions. Weight: 1.50 Kg With a sharp sense of conte...
Metal
$564 / item
H 5.91 in W 12.6 in D 2.76 in
Ice cube candle holder by Peill&Putzler, 3 flames, glass and silver-plated metal
By Peill & Putzler
Located in BARCELONA, ES
Very beautiful and rare ice cube candle holder designed and produced by Peill & Putzler in Germany in the 1970s. Candle holder in glass and silver metal that can accommodate 3 ca...
Crystal
Selenite Candle Holder by Aver
Located in Geneve, CH
Selenite candle holder by Aver Dimensions: D 12 x H 29 cm. Materials: selenite, steel, resin.
Quartz, Steel