Model 685 'Tentazione' Armchair by Mario Bellini for Cassina
About the Item
- Creator:Mario Bellini (Designer),Cassina (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 30 in (76.2 cm)Width: 40 in (101.6 cm)Depth: 36 in (91.44 cm)Seat Height: 16 in (40.64 cm)
- Style:Post-Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1973
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Toronto, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU9232238178382
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: Toronto, Canada
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- Mario Bellini Le Bambole 2-Seater Sofa, B&B ItaliaBy Mario BelliniLocated in Toronto, CAMario Bellini's iconic 'Le Bambole' sofa, designed in 1972 for B&B Italia. Cozy softness, plush roundness, gentle harmony and playful informality are the keynotes of the Bambole . Th...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Modern Sofas
MaterialsCotton, Foam
- Pair of Ligne Roset 'Ego' Armchairs by D’urbino & LomazziBy Gionathan de Pas & Donato D’Urbino & Paolo Lomazzi, Ligne RosetLocated in Toronto, CAThe 'Ego' armchair, by Italian design group De Pas, D’urbino & Lomazzi, consists of 3 unique pieces; a square base seat, a separate backrest and arms - that can attach by way of a si...Category
Vintage 1980s French Post-Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric
- F780 'Concorde' Lounge Chair by Pierre Paulin for ArtifortBy Pierre PaulinLocated in Toronto, CAOriginally conceived for the waiting room of the French Concorde, the Model F780 Chair by Pierre Paulin for Artifort is an iconic 1960s design. This chair, in excellent condition, ha...Category
Vintage 1960s Dutch Post-Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsAluminum
- 'Kroken' Black Leather Lounge Chair by Ake Fribytter for Nelo MöbelBy Ake FribytterLocated in Toronto, CAManufactured by the Swedish brand Nelo in the 1970s, Ake Fribytter's 'Kroken' lounge chair is cool and comfortable. Original black leather on a white plywood frame. Condition is go...Category
Vintage 1970s Swedish Post-Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Maralunga 3-Seater Sofa, Original Fabric 1970s Vico Magistretti for CassinaBy Cassina, Vico MagistrettiLocated in Toronto, CACassina debuted Designer Vico Magistretti’s unique design in 1973. The Maralunga is characterized by what looks like a slumped backrest but is really an adjustable-height headrest, m...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Post-Modern Sofas
MaterialsWood, Fabric
- Pair of 'Corbi' Chairs in Original Mohair by Klaus Uredat for CORBy Klaus UredatLocated in Toronto, CA"Pure elemental design." The ' Corbi' sofa is composed of two independent minimalist sculptural elements: one base and one cylindrical seat back - this museum-quality example boasts...Category
Vintage 1970s German Minimalist Lounge Chairs
MaterialsMohair
- 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
- 1980s Tentazione Two-Seater Sofa / Settee by Mario Bellini for Cassina Model 685By Cassina, Mario BelliniLocated in Philadelphia, PAThis is a Tentazione two-seater sofa, model 685, originally designed by Mario Bellini for Cassina in 1973. Its frame is made of steel, and the seat and back are formed from pliant mo...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Modern Sofas
MaterialsSteel
- 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
- 1970s Mario Bellini for Cassina Tentazione LoveseatBy Cassina, Mario BelliniLocated in Miami, FLLooking for a statement piece that's as stylish as it is comfortable Check out our 1970s Mario Bellini for Cassina Tentazione loveseat, in a luxuri...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Loveseats
MaterialsLinen
- Cassina Model 684 "Tentazione" Leather Armchair Design by Mario Bellini in 1973By Cassina, Mario BelliniLocated in ITCassina Model 684 "Tentazione" leather armchair design by Mario Bellini in 1973. Good conditions, wears coherent with prior use and age. Measurements: D 66 cm x H 84 cm x L 81 cm.Category
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather
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.