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Mario Bellini

Italian, b. 1935

Milan-born architect and designer Mario Bellini just may be the closest thing to a modern-day Renaissance man: His creative output spans genres, from electronics to furniture to architecture to cars, comprising iconic designs in each. Vintage Mario Bellini sofas, dining chairs and other seating pieces are widely coveted, and the designer has been the recipient of multiple prestigious Compasso d’Oro awards. More than 20 of his works are in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

Born in 1935, Bellini studied architecture at the Polytechnic University of Milan before founding his own firm in his native city in the early 1960s. He soon branched out beyond architecture, however, first for the tech manufacturer Olivetti, where he served as chief industrial design consultant from 1963 to 1991. During that time, Bellini oversaw the design of some of Olivetti’s most popular typewriters.

His penchant for electronic design didn’t stop there: Bellini also designed cameras for Fuji, televisions for Brionvega and a slew of audio devices for Yamaha, then served as design consultant for Renault and devised the interior of the 1980 Lancia Trevi for Fiat. Meanwhile, his architecture work spans continents, including such modern gems as the Museum of Islamic Arts at the Louvre, the National Gallery of Victoria extension in Melbourne, the Dubai Creek Complex and the Milan Convention Centre in his hometown.

And then there’s the furniture: Over the last 70 years, Bellini has designed office furniture for Vitra; lamps for Artemide, Erco and FLOS; porcelain for Rosenthal and long-admired sofas and other seating for Kartell, Natuzzi, B&B Italia, Cassina and more.

His oft-imitated 1977 Cab chair for Cassina, comprising 16 individual pieces of saddle leather that create a “skin” over a minimal metal frame, remains one of the manufacturer’s best sellers today. His pudgy-legged, round tables for Cassina foreshadow Faye Toogood’s widely loved Roly Poly line. His postmodern Summa armchairs for Kartell, as well as his elegant Chiara floor lamp, still lure collectors on vintage furniture websites.

Bellini’s most famous contribution to furniture design, though, may be his 1970 Camaleonda sofa for B&B Italia (then C&B Italia). An entrant to the 1972 MoMA show “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape,” the seat takes its name from the Italian words for chameleon and wave. Its bulbous, modular form makes it infinitely flexible. The sofa was a runaway hit at the show and, once discontinued, remained so popular among vintage dealers that B&B Italia reissued it in 2020 with all recycled materials and interchangeable seat covers. “Of all the objects I have designed, Camaleonda is perhaps the best in terms of its sense of freedom,” Bellini said.

Browse an expansive collection of vintage Mario Bellini furniture — including dining tables, armchairs, mid-century sofas and more — today on 1stDibs.

Average Sold Price
$7,517
Styles
Materials
Related Creators
Iconic Designs from Mario Bellini
Explore timeless pieces that have earned their place in history.
Mario Bellini Area Desk Lamp
Mario Bellini Area Desk Lamp
Mario Bellini Area Floor Lamp
Mario Bellini Area Floor Lamp
Mario Bellini Area Ceiling Light
Mario Bellini Area Ceiling Light
Mario Bellini Chiara Lamp
Mario Bellini Chiara Lamp
Gli Scacchi Modular Elements by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, Italy, 1970s
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Antwerp, BE
Mario Bellini; Gli Scacchi; Modular System; Modernist Design; B&B Italia; Mid-Century Modern; 1970s; Italy; Gli Scacchi modular elements designed by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia in ...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mario Bellini

Materials

Plastic, PVC

Mario Bellini Azure Linen Velvet Camaleonda Sofa for B&B Italia, 1972, Set of 6
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Vicenza, IT
Camaleonda sofa, designed by Mario Bellini and manufactured by B&B Italia in 1972. The set features six modules with backrest. High quality Italian azure linen velvet upholstery. ...
Category

1970s Italian Space Age Vintage Mario Bellini

Materials

Linen, Velvet, Foam

Le Mura 4-Seater Sofa by Mario Bellini for Cassina, 1970s
By Cassina, Mario Bellini
Located in amstelveen, NL
Exceptional and rare 4-piece sectional Le Mura sofa by Mario Bellini for Cassina, Italy, 1970s. The sofa is reupholstered in a Dedar Milano cotton velvet fabric. The 4 sections hook ...
Category

1970s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mario Bellini

Materials

Velvet

6 Mario Bellini CAB 412 Chairs in Russian Red / Cognac Leather for Cassina
By Mario Bellini, Cassina
Located in Grand Cayman, KY
Set of 6 Mario Bellini CAB 412 chairs, made by Cassina in the 1980s. Flexible steel frame covered with a skin of high quality Russian Red (also known as Bulgarian Red) saddle leather...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Mario Bellini

Materials

Leather

Mario Bellini for Cassina 'CAB 413' Dining Chairs in Leather
By Mario Bellini, Cassina
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mario Bellini for Cassina, armchairs, model 'CAB 413', leather, Italy, designed in 1979 The iconic ‘CAB’ chairs were designed by Mario Bellini in 1979. Conceptually new was the way ...
Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Mario Bellini

Materials

Leather

Le Bambole by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia 1972
By Mario Bellini
Located in Arezzo, Italy
Le Bambole armchairs designed by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, the Bambole series won the Compasso d'Oro award in 1979, reupholster in cotton fabric, Le Bambole is an iconic piece of...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mario Bellini

Materials

Fabric, Cotton

5 Piece Modular 'Amanta' Sofa by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, c.1980
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Surbiton, GB
A 5 piece 'Amanta' sofa designed by Mario Bellini and manufactured by B&B Italia in the 1980's. Each module is composed from a black enamelled fibrelite shell with rubber feet upon w...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Mario Bellini

Materials

Fiberglass

1997 Mario Bellini Vitra Figura Post Modern High Back Desk Chair in Green Fabric
By Vitra, Mario Bellini
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a single (two are available, but the price is for each chair) vintage 1997 Figura desk chair by Vitra, designed by Mario Bellini. These are gorgeous original examp...
Category

1990s Swiss Modern Mario Bellini

Materials

Metal

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More Mario Bellini Designs
Mario Bellini Area Desk Lamp
Mario Bellini Area Desk Lamp
Average Price
$2,970
Number Available
4
Mario Bellini Area Desk Lamp
By Mario Bellini
Materials
Ceramic, Metal, Plastic
Styles
Mid Century Modern, Modern
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Mario Bellini Area Floor Lamp
Mario Bellini Area Floor Lamp
Average Price
$2,992
Number Available
4
Mario Bellini Area Floor Lamp
By Mario Bellini
Materials
Metal, Paper
Styles
Mid Century Modern
Shop All
Mario Bellini Area Ceiling Light
Mario Bellini Area Ceiling Light
Average Price
$2,463
Number Available
3
Mario Bellini Area Ceiling Light
By Mario Bellini
Materials
Metal, Paper, Parchment Paper, Plastic, Ceramic, Fabric, Organic Material, Resin, Steel, Synthetic
Styles
Mid Century Modern, Post Modern
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Mario Bellini Chiara Lamp
Mario Bellini Chiara Lamp
Average Price
$11,504
Number Available
2
Mario Bellini Chiara Lamp
By Mario Bellini
Materials
Animal Skin, Leather, Metal, Plastic, Steel
Styles
Modern, Post Modern
Simplicity with a smile: These words go a long way in describing the Chiara floor lamp and the work of its designer, Mario Bellini (b. 1935). A visionary who prefers hands-on experimentation, Bellini’s 1964 fixture began with models of rolled paper and concluded, in his own words, as “a nun-shaped lamp that makes the light come out of her white hat.”  Known for his openly anthropomorphic yet sophisticated designs, Bellini studied architecture at the Polytechnic University of Milan. He graduat...
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Mario Bellini furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Mario Bellini furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of animal skin and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Mario Bellini furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 417 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 45 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Mario Bellini 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 Afra & Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia, and Osvaldo Borsani. Prices for Mario Bellini furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at £180 and can go as high as £47,398, while a piece like these, on average, fetch £7,416.
Questions About Mario Bellini
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2023
    Whether or not a Mario Bellini sofa is comfortable is largely a matter of personal opinion. However, many people find that the designer's sofas provide plush support due to their thick backrests and seat cushions. With its sumptuous tufted cushions, seductive low profile and endless rearrangement possibilities, the Bellini–designed Camaleonda sofa, for example, is infinitely flexible and can double as sculpture in any interior. Shop a selection of Mario Bellini furniture on 1stDibs.

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