Cassina Model 684 "Tentazione" Leather Armchair Design by Mario Bellini in 1973
About the Item
- Creator:Cassina (Manufacturer),Mario Bellini (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 33.08 in (84 cm)Width: 31.89 in (81 cm)Depth: 25.99 in (66 cm)
- Style:Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1973
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor fading.
- Seller Location:IT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2072331210312
Mario Bellini
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. He has been the recipient of multiple prestigious Compasso d’Oro design awards, and 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 Mario Bellini furniture — including dining tables, armchairs, mid-century sofas and more — today on 1stDibs.
Cassina
Furniture manufacturer Cassina is a prolific design house for more reasons than one: It not only owns the licenses to an exquisite collection of iconic chairs, sofas, tables and other pieces from the 20th and 21st centuries but also produces original works that are characterized by innovation and the finest Italian craftsmanship.
Cassina’s illustrious legacy includes being one of the first companies to bring industrial design to Italy in the 1950s. Founded in 1927 in Meda, Italy, by brothers Cesare and Umberto Cassina, the Italian manufacturing giant originally specialized in bespoke woodworking. In nearly a century since its founding, the company has shown incredible foresight about design trends and the evolution of technology.
In 1964, Cassina signed an exclusive licensing agreement to manufacture furniture by Le Corbusier and his collaborators — such as the LC4 chaise longue made with trailblazing French modernist Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Jeanneret — a move that would shape the future of the company. Cassina’s I Maestri collection is an ongoing initiative to restyle landmark designs from the 20th century, such as pieces by Gerrit Rietveld (the Red and Blue armchair from 1918), Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Erik Gunnar Asplund, Franco Albini and Frank Lloyd Wright. The company preserves the intentions and original styles of their designs but adds updated techniques, materials and processes — rendering them the best possible combination of past, present and future. The brand has also worked with contemporary icons like Zaha Hadid, Gio Ponti and Philippe Starck.
Cassina’s original designs are cutting-edge as well. They include pieces for everyday use, the development of which is guided by comfort and the marriage of Italian craftsmanship with industrial technology.
Some of Cassina’s pieces, both from its contemporary and I Maestri collections, can be found in the collections of museums like the Museum of Modern Art and the Vitra Design Museum. In 2014, the company became part of Haworth in its acquisition of Italian furniture group Poltrona Frau, and in 2015, Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola joined Cassina as its art director, leading the brand into its next century of inventive style.
Find a collection of new and vintage Cassina furniture on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Cerea, Italy
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- Cassina Cab Model Two Armchairs and Eight ChairsLocated in ITSet consisting of eight chairs and two armchairs in leather Cab model by Cassina 90s series. In excellent condition with signs consistent with age and previous use. Conservative rest...Category
1990s Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Baxter Black Leather Diner Model pair of ArmchairsBy Baxter FurnitureLocated in ITBaxter armchairs in glossy black leather and steel feet. Diner model. 2000s. In perfect condition. Each Armchair measures 93 x 87 x87 cmCategory
Early 2000s Italian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather
- 1950s Reupholstered Mauve Leather Armchairs in style of Zanuso Lady ModelBy Marco ZanusoLocated in ITPair of armchairs in the style of Lady armchairs by Zanuso, from Italy from midcentury period. Reupholstered in premium quality mauve color leather. New...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsBrass
- Pair of Armchairs by Poltrona Frau 1960s, "Falcon" ModelLocated in ITPair of Armchairs by Poltrona Frau 1960s, "Falcon" model. Black leather seats, lacquered wood structure. Size: L 78 cm, D 75 cm, H 98 cm, H seat 44 cm. Price refers to the pair.Category
Mid-20th Century Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- 1950 Franco Albini Three Bambù Riviera model ArmchairsLocated in ITTre poltrone in bambù modello “Riviera “ di Franco Albini degli anni 50 . Restauro completo più lucidatura . Cuscini nuovi in piuma e tessuto nero lucido. Perfette condizioni.Category
Vintage 1950s Armchairs
MaterialsBamboo
- Italian Black Leather Walnut Wood Armchair, by Pizzetti 1950sBy Mobili PizzettiLocated in ITWalnut wood armchair by Pizzetti - Italian designer from Rome during 1950s- Black leather from 1950s. We have restored it in a conservative way the wooden parts while we have reupho...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Club Chairs
MaterialsWalnut
- 20th Century Mario Bellini Armchair mod. 684 "Piccola Tentazione" for CassinaBy Mario Bellini, CassinaLocated in Turin, TurinSingle armchair model 684 "Piccola Tentazione" by Mario Bellini and designed for Cassina in 1973. "Piccola Tentazione" means in italian "Little temptation". The armchair was conceiv...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFoam, Plywood, Wood
- Mario Bellini 684 Armchair for Cassina, Italy - newBy Cassina, Mario BelliniLocated in Berlin, DEPrice dependent on the chosen material/color. A soft upholstered armchair with optional casters by Mario Bellini for the dining room or living room featuring a simple, inviting, reas...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Fabric
- Mario Bellini "Tentazione" Set of 2 Leather Lounge Armchairs for Cassina, 1970sBy Mario Bellini, CassinaLocated in The Hague, NLPair of two lounge or armchairs designed by Mario Bellini for Cassina manufacture in 1970s period, Italy. Model No: 684, Crème color leather original upholstery, steel frame constr...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsSteel
- Model 685 'Tentazione' Armchair by Mario Bellini for CassinaBy Mario Bellini, CassinaLocated in Toronto, CA‘Tentazione’ lounge chair model 685 designed by Mario Bellini and manufactured by Cassina, Italy 1973. Similar to Bellini’s earlier designed ‘Bambole’ sofa for B&B Italia, this armch...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Post-Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather
- Mario Bellini Tentazione Chair Cassina, Italy, 1973By Cassina, Mario BelliniLocated in Roosendaal, Noord BrabantVery nice large 'Tentazione' lounge chair model 685 designed by Mario Bellini and manufactured by Cassina, Italy, 1973. This chair looks a lot like the earlier designed Bambole sofa ...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather
- Cassina Model Tentazione Mario Bellini Small Armchair Chair Oxred LeatherBy Cassina, Mario BelliniLocated in Munich, BavariaThese 2 chairs are designed by Mario Bellini for Cassina in 1973. The Model Tentazione is the small version of the armchair. It can be used in the Living room and also as a dining ch...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsSteel
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Who Is Mario Bellini, and Why Is His 1970s Camaleonda Sofa Everywhere Right Now?
Get the lowdown on the ultrachic modular sofas that are currently taking up real estate in your Instagram saved folder.
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.