Skip to main content

C&B Italia

Italian

In 1966, Piero Ambrogio Busnelli cofounded C&B Italia, a modern Italian furniture manufacturer, with Cesare Cassina in northern Milan. The Camaleonda sofa — a darling of the design world — is an iconic C&B piece created in 1970 by Milanese architect and designer Mario Bellini, which became a hit after its star turn in the 1972 exhibition “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape” at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Soon afterward, however, the company split, with Cassina founding his own eponymous firm and Busnelli taking leadership of what became B&B Italia.

From the outset at C&B, Busnelli and Cassina set about recruiting the most talented modernists in Italy to conceive of creative furnishings manufactured in modern ways. As B&B, for decades, Busnelli cultivated relationships with the world’s best design talent, resulting in furniture pieces that remain legendary 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 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. 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 vintage C&B Italia furniture including sofas, armchairs, tables and more. 

Average Sold Price
$3,100
Styles
Materials
Related Creators
Amanta Modular Leather Sofa by Mario Bellini for C&B Italia, Italy, 1970s, Pair
By Mario Bellini, C&B Italia
Located in Lucija, SI
A pair of 'Amanta' leather and fiberglass lounge chairs, originally designed in Italy by Mario Bellini for C&B Italia in 1966. The design was extremely popular and in great demand, w...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage C&B Italia

Materials

Leather, Fiberglass, Foam

Mario Bellini for C&B Italia Midcentury Amanta Velvet Armchairs Set of Two 1973
By C&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Reggio Emilia, IT
Italian armchair model Amanta designed by Mario Bellini and produced by C&B Italia from 1966, with corduroy upholstery and fibreglass frame, original manufacturer’s label and relief ...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage C&B Italia

Materials

Metal

Mario Bellini for C&B Italia Midcentury Amanta Velvet  Armchairs Set of Two 1973
Mario Bellini for C&B Italia Midcentury Amanta Velvet  Armchairs Set of Two 1973
$2,108 Sale Price
20% Off
H 27.17 in W 31.11 in D 29.93 in
Camaleonda Sofa in Dedar Boucle by Mario Bellini
By Mario Bellini, C&B Italia
Located in London, England
The Camaleonda sofa is a renowned and iconic piece of furniture designed by the Italian architect and designer Mario Bellini in 1970. This modular sofa is celebrated for its unique a...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage C&B Italia

Materials

Bouclé

Camaleonda Sofa in Dedar Boucle by Mario Bellini
Camaleonda Sofa in Dedar Boucle by Mario Bellini
$5,535 / item
H 26.78 in W 37.8 in D 37.8 in
AMANTA Modular Sofa Set by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia
By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia, C&B Italia
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Vintage Midcentury Modern Italian Design "AMANTA" Modular Sofa / Lounge Chair set by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia / C&B Italia. Made in Italy, 1970's period. Marked with original lab...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage C&B Italia

Materials

Leather, Plastic

AMANTA Modular Sofa Set by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia
AMANTA Modular Sofa Set by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia
$10,782 / set
H 27.17 in W 125.99 in D 33.47 in
Set of Mario Bellini Amanta Lounge Chair C&B Italia B&B Italia Modular Sofa
By C&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Berlin, BE
The AMANTA sofa range by Bellini, using Fiberlite (fibreglass-reinforced polyester). The flexibility was made possible by the strategically placed vertical slit in the backrest. The ...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage C&B Italia

Materials

Leather, Fiberglass

Set of Mario Bellini Amanta Lounge Chair C&B Italia B&B Italia Modular Sofa
Set of Mario Bellini Amanta Lounge Chair C&B Italia B&B Italia Modular Sofa
$2,817 Sale Price / set
20% Off
H 26.78 in W 29.53 in D 31.5 in
Mario Bellini, Early "Le Bambole" Sofa in Leather, Mid Century Modern, 1972
By Mario Bellini, C&B Italia
Located in Odense, DK
An exceptionel fine version of Mario Bellini 'Le Bambole' 2-seater sofa, produced by B&B Italia, Italy in the 1970s. This beautiful sofa comes with the original leather fabric with a...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern C&B Italia

Materials

Leather

Amanta Coffee Table by Mario Bellini for C&B Italia, 1970s
By C&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Bagnolo Mella, Brescia
The Amanta coffee table, designed by Mario Bellini for C&B Italia, combines sleek style with durable functionality. Crafted from fiberlite in a ric...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage C&B Italia

Materials

Fiberglass

Mario Bellini for C&B Italia First Edition 'Camaleonda' Modular Sofa, 1970
By Mario Bellini, C&B Italia
Located in New York, NY
'Camaleonda' First Edition modular sofa, designed by Mario Bellini, for C&B Italia, 1970. The structure is constructed of wood and upholstery in fabric. Original label. Prod. C&B,...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage C&B Italia

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Browse all Furniture from C&B Italia
Shop Now

C&B Italia Sale Prices

Sold DateSold PriceCategoryMaterialCreation Year
2025$11,500Chaise LonguesSuede1970s
2025$1,606Coffee and Cocktail Tables, Side TablesPlastic, Fiberglass1970s
2025$1,850Lounge ChairsLeather, Plasticcirca 1960
2025$1,520SofasLeather1970
2024$900Ottomans and Poufs, StoolsLeather1970s
2024$808Coffee and Cocktail TablesPlastic1968
$3,100
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months
$808-$11,500
Sold price range of items in the past 12 months

Creators Similar to C&B Italia

C&b Italia furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

C&B Italia furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of plastic and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of C&B Italia furniture, although black editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by C&B Italia were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Figli di Amadeo Cassina, Alessandro Becchi, and Mobil Girgi. Prices for C&B Italia furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $539 and can go as high as $42,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $5,626.
Questions About C&B Italia
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    B&B Italia makes their furniture at a company-owned factory in Novedrate, Como, Italy. The brand's headquarters are also in the city. To ensure quality, skilled artisans produce each piece by hand. On 1stDibs, shop a variety of B&B Italia furniture.

Recently Viewed

View All