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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
$7,534
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
Kartell Shanghai Vase in Blue by Mario Bellini
By Mario Bellini, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A multi-faceted vase widening from the base to the top in a swirling motion. Shanghai is like refracted light radiating from prism-like crystals with an alternating play of flashes a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Mario Bellini

Materials

Plastic

Black Leather 'CAB' Chairs by Mario Bellini for Cassina
By Mario Bellini
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Classic leather CAB chairs by Mario Bellini for Cassina. Great patina to leather. Excellent vintage condition. Priced individua...
Category

1980s American Vintage Mario Bellini

Materials

Leather

Area 50 HangingLamp by Mario Bellini for Artemide, 1960s
By Mario Bellini, Artemide
Located in Lasne, BE
Paper and plastic hanging lamp by Mario Bellini, model: Area 50. Maximum height with cable: 225 cm. Wear due to time and age
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mario Bellini

Materials

Paper, Plastic

Set of Six CAB 412 Chairs by Mario Bellini for Cassina in white Leather, 1970s
By Mario Bellini, Cassina
Located in Brescia , Brescia
When first produced in 1977, the CAB was the first chair to feature a free-standing leather structure, inspired by how human skin fits over our skeleton. The leather upholstery is co...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mario Bellini

Materials

Iron

Pair of Tentazione Lounge Chairs by Mario Bellini in Mohair
By Mario Bellini
Located in Dallas, TX
A pair of Tentazione lounge chairs in camel colored mohair by Mario Bellini for Cassina.
Category

1970s Vintage Mario Bellini

Materials

Mohair

Mid Century Mario Bellini Camaleonda- first edition
By Mario Bellini
Located in Haywards Heath, GB
First edition Mario Bellini Camaleonda modular sofa. Consists of three seats, all with backs and two arms. This is an original 1970s edition recovered in a beautiful Italian thin...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mario Bellini

Materials

Velvet

"Le Stelle" Loveseat Sofa by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia
By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia, Knoll
Located in Los Angeles, CA
"Le Stelle" loveseat sofa by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, Italy, circa 1970s. Newly reupholstered in white Knoll boucle, the sofa features angled arm rests and Bellini's signature z...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Post-Modern Mario Bellini

Materials

Bouclé

Mario Bellini Carrara Marble Dining Table for Cassina
By C&B Italia, B&B Italia, Angelo Mangiarotti, Cassina, Mario Bellini
Located in Los Angeles, CA
'Il Colonnato' round dining table in Carrara marble by Mario Bellini for Cassina. The table features a thick round white marble top with distinct gray veining. There are five thick c...
Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Mario Bellini

Materials

Stone, Marble, Carrara Marble

Browse all Furniture from Mario Bellini
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Creators Similar to Mario Bellini

More Mario Bellini Designs
Mario Bellini Area Desk Lamp
Mario Bellini Area Desk Lamp
Average Price
$2,236
Number Available
9
Mario Bellini Area Desk Lamp
By Mario Bellini
Materials
Ceramic, Plastic, Fabric, Metal, Paper, Parchment Paper
Styles
Mid Century Modern
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Mario Bellini Area Floor Lamp
Mario Bellini Area Floor Lamp
Average Price
$3,058
Number Available
4
Mario Bellini Area Floor Lamp
By Mario Bellini
Materials
Metal, Paper, Plastic, Iron, Parchment Paper
Styles
Mid Century Modern
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Mario Bellini Area Ceiling Light
Mario Bellini Area Ceiling Light
Average Price
$2,450
Number Available
4
Mario Bellini Area Ceiling Light
By Mario Bellini
Materials
Metal, Plastic, Fabric, Paper, Parchment Paper
Styles
Mid Century Modern
Shop All
Mario Bellini Chiara Lamp
Mario Bellini Chiara Lamp
Average Price
$6,764
Number Available
2
Mario Bellini Chiara Lamp
By Mario Bellini
Materials
Metal, Cut Steel, Lacquer, Stainless Steel, Steel
Styles
Mid Century 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 black editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 508 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 47 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 Vico Magistretti. Prices for Mario Bellini furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $217 and can go as high as $58,161, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $8,447.
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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