Mario Bellini 401 Break Chairs for Cassina, 1990s
View Similar Items
Mario Bellini 401 Break Chairs for Cassina, 1990s
About the Item
- Creator:Mario Bellini (Designer),Cassina (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 34.65 in (88 cm)Width: 21.66 in (55 cm)Depth: 19.69 in (50 cm)Seat Height: 18.12 in (46 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:1990-1999
- Date of Manufacture:1990
- Condition:
- Seller Location:HEVERLEE, BE
- Reference Number:Seller: 1062241stDibs: LU3944328975972
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.
- Mario Bellini 401 Break chairs for Cassina, 1990sBy Mario BelliniLocated in HEVERLEE, BEBlue fabric 401 break chairs designed by Mario Bellini and produced by Cassina. The chairs have 4 casters which make them glide smoothly and are well integrated in the design. 1990...Category
1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric
On Hold$2,484 / set - La Rotonda Dining Table by Mario Bellini, 1970sBy Mario Bellini, CassinaLocated in HEVERLEE, BEMidcentury ash wood dining table by Mario Bellini for Cassina. The table has a striking tripod base made from solid ash wood and a smoked glass table top. Design Classic and pr...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
MaterialsSmoked Glass, Ash
- Montana armchairs by Geoffrey Harcourt for Artifort, 1990s - set of 4By Artifort, Geoffrey D. HarcourtLocated in HEVERLEE, BESet of 4 black fabric armchairs on casters designed by Geoffrey Harcourt for Artifort. The chairs are labeled on the side with a round metal plate and marked underneath the seates. ...Category
1990s Belgian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric
- LC6 dining table by Le Corbusier for Cassina, 1990sBy Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand CassinaLocated in HEVERLEE, BEDining table designed by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand originally in 1928 for the Salon d’Automne in Paris and relaunched in 1974 by Cassina. It features a blac...Category
1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
MaterialsAluminum
- Pair of modern italian armchairs in brown leather, 1990sLocated in HEVERLEE, BEModern Italian cognac leather armchairs with a chromed base. Beautiful timeless design. 1990s - Italy Height: 65cm Width: 62cm Depth: 50cm Seat height: 44cm Ref: 101233 *Price i...Category
1990s Italian Post-Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather
- Wink easy chair designed by Toshiyuki Kita for Cassina, 1980sBy Cassina, Toshiyuki KitaLocated in HEVERLEE, BEPost modern design lounge chair whcih can be converted into a chaise longue designed by Japanese designer Toshiyuki Kita for Cassina in 1980. This versatile chair has adjustable he...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Post-Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric
- 1980s Mario Bellini ''401 Break'' Leather Armchairs for CassinaBy Cassina, Mario BelliniLocated in Madrid, ES“401 Break” leather armchairs by Mario Bellini for Cassina. Rigid metallic structure covered in cognac leather. Italy, 1980s. This design is included in the ...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Armchairs
MaterialsMetal
- Poltrone "Break 401" di Mario Bellini per CassinaBy Mario Bellini, CassinaLocated in Conversano, ITStupendo e iconico set di 4 poltroncine Break 401 disegnate da Mario Bellini e prodotte da Cassina negli anni 70. Realizzate con una struttura in acciaio e rivestite di schiuma espan...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Armchairs
MaterialsSteel
- Cab 413 Chair by Mario Bellini for Cassina, 1990sBy Cassina, Mario BelliniLocated in Renens, CHCab 413 arm chair in black leather by Mario Bellini for Cassina: The Cab chair is built up as a tubular frame over which thick saddle leather is fitted; the leather skin is kept in ...Category
1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMetal
- Four Break Chairs by Mario Bellini for CassinaBy Mario BelliniLocated in Dallas, TXA set of four leather "Break" armchairs designed by Mario Bellini for Cassina.Category
Vintage 1970s Armchairs
MaterialsLeather
$8,500 / set - 6 Mario Bellini 401 Break Dining Chairs in Tan Leather for CassinaBy Cassina, Mario BelliniLocated in Grand Cayman, KYRare set of 6 elegant tan leather 401 Break dining chairs by Mario Bellini for Cassina in marvelous condition. The set consists of two arm chairs and four chairs without arms. The c...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsLeather
- 1980s Mario Bellini ''401 Break'' Leather Chair for CassinaBy Cassina, Antonio BelloniLocated in Bruxelles, BEMario Bellini "401 Break" chair by Cassina. Modern leather chairs on wheels, perfect at your desk or around a dining table. Tan leather, ultra soft feeling, over metal frame with z...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
MaterialsMetal
$1,192 Sale Price / item35% Off
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.