Mario Bellini for B & B Italia, Camaleonda Sectional Sofa, 1971
View Similar Items
Mario Bellini for B & B Italia, Camaleonda Sectional Sofa, 1971
About the Item
- Creator:Mario Bellini (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 26.5 in (67.31 cm)Width: 38 in (96.52 cm)Length: 26.5 in (67.31 cm)Seat Height: 14 in (35.56 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 5
- Style:Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1971
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Chicago, IL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU5092117795792
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. 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.
- ‘Pianura’ Modular Sofa by Mario Bellini for Cassina, Italy 1970sBy Mario BelliniLocated in Chicago, ILA 4-piece ‘Pianura’ sofa designed by iconic Italian designer Mario Bellini for Cassina. This sofa features a solid walnut wooden frame which has been refinished. It retains it’s orig...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsUpholstery, Wood
$19,200 Sale Price / set20% Off - Le Bambole Sofa in Original Checkered Velvet by Mario Bellini for B&B ItaliaBy Mario BelliniLocated in Chicago, ILLe Bambole sofa designed by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia in 1972. This iconic sofa retains its original checkered velvet upholstery. Stamped ‘B&B Italia’ under base. Sourced in Italy...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Modern Loveseats
MaterialsUpholstery
- 5 piece Brown Carrera Modular Sofa by Lomazzi, De Pas + D'urbino for BBB ItaliaBy Gionathan de Pas & Donato D’Urbino & Paolo LomazziLocated in Chicago, ILA rare five piece Carrera modular sofa designed by Jonathan De Pas, Donato D’Urbino and Paolo Lomazzi for BBB Italia in 1969. This stunning sofa has two curved corner sections and th...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Modern Sofas
MaterialsUpholstery
- Marenco Sofa in Original Cognac Leather by Mario Marenco for Arflex, Italy 1970sBy Mario Marenco, ArflexLocated in Chicago, ILA two-seat Italian Marenco sofa designed by Mario Marenco for Arflex in 1970. This utterly plush sofa retains its original patinated cognac leather upholstery with elegant stitch det...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsLeather
$7,040 Sale Price20% Off - Il Colonnato Table in Red Persian Travertine by Mario Bellini for Cassina, ItalyBy Mario BelliniLocated in Chicago, ILAn ‘Il Colonnato’ dining table designed by Mario Bellini for Cassina in the 1970s. This table was inspired by the colonnades of classical architecture, in which a sequence of columns...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Dining Room Tables
MaterialsTravertine
- Gondola Sofa by Edward Wormley for Dunbar, USA, 1950sBy Dunbar Furniture, Edward WormleyLocated in Chicago, ILA Gondola sofa designed by Edward Wormley for Dunbar’s Janus Collection in the 1950s. This sculptural sofa features angled arms and a floating back attached to the base with walnut s...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsBrass
$9,360 Sale Price51% Off
- Early 'Camaleonda' Sectional by Mario Bellini for C&B Italia, c 1971, SignedBy Mario Bellini, B&B ItaliaLocated in Los Angeles, CAThis monumentally sized modular 'Camaleonda' sectional living room set (fourteen pieces in total) by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, each section signed with labels as can be seen in the photos. Included in the set are eight (8) full-sized seat sections, each is quite large and spacious which adds to the incredible comfort. And six (6) full-sized seat backs leaving two of the seat sections to be used as ottomans or free-floating seat elements to open the sectional to either side. This set has been previously professionally reupholstered with only light use and in very good condition. Designed by Mario Bellini in 1970 for C&B Italia, later produced after 1973 by B&B Italia after Piero Busnelli bought out Cassina and changed the name to B&B. This set consists of six sections labelled with C&B labels and two sections with B&B labels, meaning that most of this set was produced between 1970 and 1973 - the original production years of the Camaleonda, and making this set ideal for collectors and investors of art and design. *We have a large quantity of other Camaleonda elements (C&B Italia and B&B Italia examples, both in mohair fabric and in leather including some sets ready for reupholstery to a new fabric or leather of your choice) if you are looking for a larger set, contact us to discuss. MEASUREMENTS: *This is a modular set with fourteen (14) total pieces and can be configured in many ways as each seating section can be placed wherever you desire and the seat backs can be fixed to the seating elements where you want. You can configure as one large sectional sofa, three-seat couch with loveseats...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Modern Sectional Sofas
MaterialsFabric
$51,900 Sale Price / set23% Off - Mario Bellini Camaleonda Modular Sofa for B&B ItaliaBy B&B Italia, Mario BelliniLocated in Los Angeles, CACamaleonda Modular Sofa by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, Italy, c.2000's. This sofa features all modular seating elements to be arranged in a variety of seating arrangements. The sea...Category
Early 2000s Italian Post-Modern Sofas
MaterialsLinen, Upholstery
$45,000 / set - Camaleonda Sofa by Mario Bellini for C&B ItaliaBy Mario BelliniLocated in Los Angeles, CACamaleonda sofa by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia. Made in Italy circa 1970s. PRICED PER ITEM. Original Label intact.Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Sofas
MaterialsMohair
$6,500 / item - "Camaleonda" Sofa by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, 1970sBy B&B Italia, Mario BelliniLocated in Lasne, BESofa in green fabric. There are 4 large pieces and an ottoman. Seat height: 35 cm. Dimensions of one piece: H: 65 cm W: 93 cm D: 93 cm Dimensions of the ottoman : H : 35 cm W : 93 cm...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric
- Mario Bellini "Camaleonda" Modular Sofa for B&B Italia, 1970By B&B Italia, Mario BelliniLocated in Lonigo, VenetoMario Bellini "Camaleonda" modular sofa for B&B Italia, velvet, metal and plastic, Italy, 1970, three elements. "Camaleonda" is an icon, rediscove...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
MaterialsMetal
- Mario Bellini for C&B Italia 'Camaleonda' Modular Sofa, 1970By Mario Bellini, C&B ItaliaLocated in New York, NY'Camaleonda' modular sofa, designed by Mario Bellini, for C&B Italia, 1970. The structure is constructed of wood and upholstery in fabric. Original label. Prod. C&B, Italia, Noved...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Sofas
MaterialsFabric, Wood