Sculptural Memphis Style Sofa by B&B Italia
View Similar Items
Sculptural Memphis Style Sofa by B&B Italia
About the Item
- Creator:B&B Italia (Manufacturer)
- Similar to:Memphis Group (Retailer)
- Dimensions:Height: 32 in (81.28 cm)Width: 92 in (233.68 cm)Depth: 36 in (91.44 cm)Seat Height: 18 in (45.72 cm)
- Style:Memphis Group (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1980s
- Condition:Newly reupholstered.
- Seller Location:Pasadena, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU82581046168
B&B Italia
In 1966, Piero Ambrogio Busnelli cofounded C&B Italia, a modern Italian furniture manufacturer, with Cesare Cassina in northern Milan. From the outset, Busnelli and Cassina set about recruiting the most talented modernists in Italy to conceive of creative furnishings manufactured in modern ways. In the early 1970s, the company split, with Cassina founding his own eponymous firm and Busnelli taking leadership of what became B&B Italia.
For decades, Busnelli cultivated relationships with the world’s best design talent, resulting in furniture pieces that remain iconic today — be they Gaetano Pesce’s outwardly curvaceous Up seating (made for C&B, reintroduced by B&B) or tables from industrial designer Paolo Piva, each more sophisticated than the next in their geometrically complex steel-tube bases. B&B Italia earned four prestigious Compasso d’Oro design awards: in 1979 for Mario Bellini’s Le Bambole, in 1984 for the Sisamo wardrobe system by Studio Kairos, in 1987 for Antonio Citterio’s modular Sity sofa and, in 1989, the first award given to a manufacturing company itself.
Other notable names who designed for B&B Italia over the course of its 54-year history include Patricia Urquiola, Naoto Fukasawa, Zaha Hadid, Ettore Sottsass and Vincent Van Duysen, to name a very few. And while these names bring star power to the B&B brand, in many cases, it was B&B Italia who helped usher in their celebrity, fostering a wave of design talent on the world stage.
The company’s forward-thinking vision manifested in its own headquarters, too: In 1972, B&B Italia tapped architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers to design a steel-framed, postmodern-style home for the brand, whose crisscrossing metal exoskeleton is reminiscent of the pair’s Centre Pompidou in Paris, which was built at roughly the same time. Now, B&B Italia manages a contract division and outdoor section as well as its residential arm, and it also controls production for Maxalto, a brand spun out with furniture designs by Antonio Citterio.
At 1stDibs, find a range of vintage B&B Italia furniture — including sofas, cocktail tables and more.
- “Squash” Brown Sofa by Paolo Deganello for DriadeBy Paolo DeganelloLocated in Pasadena, CASculptural, Minimalist 1980s sofa by famed Italian designer Paolo Deganello (b. 1940). The sofa is discussed in “Repertorio del Design Italiano 1950-2000,” by G. Gramigna, p. 212 (2003). In 1966 Deganello cofounded the Archizoom Associati in Florence. The collective was named after the British group of architects known as Archigram and the journal “Zoom.” Part of the radical design movement in Italy, Archizoom created anti-design furniture, such as the corner set “Safari” and the “San Remo” palm-frond lamp (both 1968 for Poltronova). After the group ended in the early 1970s, he continued with his private practice as an architect and designer in Milan, with commissions in Italy and abroad. Deganello’s work was featured in numerous exhibitions, including the Museum of Modern Art, New York’s groundbreaking, “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape,” in 1972. The Squash sofa...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Post-Modern Sofas
MaterialsMetal
- Bastiano Four Seater Sofa by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for GavinaBy Dino Gavina, Afra & Tobia ScarpaLocated in Pasadena, CAThis rare 4 seater "Bastiano" Sofa designed by Afra & Tobia Scarpa was manufactured in solid ash by Gavina . It retains its original Label. Newly Reupholstered in an off-white cotton...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsUpholstery, Ash
- Memphis Design Oval Vertical Mirror in a Purple and Green Triangles FrameBy Memphis GroupLocated in Pasadena, CAThis piece features a mirror framed with dark purple and olive green glass triangles. Memphis Design is a new style that only starts in 1980. The 80s was a period of eclectic transformation, where previous trends were rejected but borrowed from, and new unusual technologies, materials, and futuristic influences began to feature. The design movement began with a meeting in Milan, Italy, where designer Ettore Sottsass founded the ‘Memphis Design group named after a Bob Dylan song. Like most art, the movement was a counterargument against the rigidity of modern and minimalism. Instead, Memphis Designers wanted to bring out the ‘radical, funny and outrageous’ – blending Art Deco geometry...Category
Late 20th Century Post-Modern Wall Mirrors
MaterialsGlass
- Sculptural Table Lamp by LaurelBy Laurel Lamp CompanyLocated in Pasadena, CAThe elegant brass table lamp has a white lacquered wood graphic design with a frosted glass shade covered by a custom order white plastic shade. The shade is 13.88" at the bottom an...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBrass
$580 Sale Price38% Off - Memphis Inspired Colorful Glass Studio VaseLocated in Pasadena, CAA fun Memphis Group-inspired colorful glass vase with contrasting shapes that seem to be stacked. The wide circular base is clear glass with swirl...Category
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Glass
MaterialsGlass
$263 Sale Price64% Off - Set of Four Memphis Italian White-Wash Wood Dining Room Chairs by S.p.A TononBy TononLocated in Pasadena, CACrafted with meticulous craftsmanship, these set of four high-backed dining chairs feature a lacquered finish in an elegant white wash wood tone. The chairs are adorned with rust-col...Category
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsWood
- Coronado Sofa by B&B ItaliaBy Afra & Tobia Scarpa, B&B ItaliaLocated in Tulsa, OKThe evergreen Coronado sofa is the quintessential symbol of relaxation. It comfort is guaranteed by a suspension system made from harmonic steel bands in...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Modern Sofas
MaterialsUpholstery, Polyester
- Lunar Sofa by J. Irvine for B&B ItaliaBy James Irvine, B&B ItaliaLocated in Milano, ITIn the world of vintage collecting, James Irvine's Lunar sofa for B&B Italia is a work of art that embodies the exceptional design of the 1990s. Crafted wi...Category
1990s Italian Modern Sofas
MaterialsMetal
- B&B Italia Sofa or LoveseatBy B&B ItaliaLocated in North Miami, FLThis newly upholstered Italian B&B sofa and or loveseat is from the 1980s. It is in an off-white textural checkerboard upholstery fabric. The sculptural arms add a dimension. It has ...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Modern Sofas
MaterialsMetal
- B&B Italia “Tufty Time” SofaBy Patricia Urquiola, B&B ItaliaLocated in Chicago, ILBy Patricia Urquiola c. mid 2000s. There is some significant wear on the fabric so this piece is priced accordingly. However, it reads wonderfully and is incredibly comfortable. The ...Category
Early 2000s Italian Post-Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric
- "Baisity" Sofa by Antonio Citterio for B&B ItaliaBy Antonio Citterio, B&B ItaliaLocated in Weehawken, NJSofa "Baisity" by designer Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia. Very Comfortable three-seat sofa is with fabric pattern and red leather. Very good condition, considering its age. Origin...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsLeather, Fabric
- Cloud Sofa by Naoto Fukasawa for B&B ItaliaBy Naoto Fukasawa, B&B ItaliaLocated in Los Angeles, CAIntroducing the Cloud Sofa by Naoto Fukasawa for B&B Italia - a stunning piece of furniture that will transform any living space into a cozy and comfortable haven. This beautiful cou...Category
Early 2000s Italian Modern Sofas
MaterialsChrome
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Rooms We Love: 11 Splendid Living Rooms
Common wisdom used to declare the kitchen the hub of the house. These days, the living room seems to have assumed the role of domestic focal point. Unlike the Victorian parlor, stiffly furnished and reserved for guests, today’s living room is a central place for reading, conversation and, well, living, with furnishings that lend themselves to both casual lounging and elegant entertaining.
Vincent Van Duysen Imbues Minimalism with Warmth
The Antwerp-based designer lends his unique touch to homes, boutiques and offices in Belgium, the United States and Germany, as well as furniture for B&B Italia and Molteni.