Camaleonda Sofa by Mario Bellini Original for C & B Italia, Italy, 1970s
About the Item
- Creator:
- Design:
- Dimensions:Height: 26.38 in (67 cm)Width: 36.23 in (92 cm)Depth: 36.23 in (92 cm)Seat Height: 15.75 in (40 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 4
- Style:Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1970
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Milan, IT
- Reference Number:
Chiara Floor Lamp
Simplicity with a smile: These words go a long way in describing the Chiara floor lamp and the work of its designer, Mario Bellini (b. 1935). A visionary who prefers hands-on experimentation, Bellini’s 1964 fixture began with models of rolled paper and concluded, in his own words, as “a nun-shaped lamp that makes the light come out of her white hat.”
Known for his openly anthropomorphic yet sophisticated designs, Bellini studied architecture at the Polytechnic University of Milan. He graduated in 1959 and quickly found a place in the northern Italian city’s flourishing design scene. In 1963, Bellini opened his own design practice and became chief industrial design consultant to Olivetti. In the ensuing years, Bellini won multiple Compasso d’Oro awards, consulted on automobile design, edited design journal Domus and created objects that span a number of fields. He designed office chairs for Vitra and lighting for Artemide, Erco and FLOS, the venturesome Italian maker that announced plans to reintroduce the Chiara floor lamp (and a table version) in 2019.
Topped with a gently curving hood that serves as a diffuser, Bellini’s original Chiara floor lamp takes the form of an elegant column made of a large single sheet of stainless steel. While the exterior’s surface is polished, the fixture’s interior is enameled in white, which supports a warm and luminous disbursement of the light that travels from the source inside the lamp’s base. The Chiara floor lamp represents Bellini’s humanist focus on our tactile experiences with an object. It is also a timeless component of his impressive design legacy.
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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Calvenzano, Italy
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
- Afra & Tobia Scarpa “Soriana” Sofa for Cassina, Bouclé, 1969By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, CassinaLocated in Milan, ITAfra & Tobia Scarpa “Soriana” Sofa for Cassina, Bouclé Wool, 1969 The lustrous original chromed metal structure embraces the soft and voluptuous alpaca boucle' volumes in this Mid-C...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Modern Sofas
MaterialsChrome
- Giuseppe de Vivo Sofa, 1935By Giuseppe De Vivo 1Located in Milan, ITGiuseppe de Vivo sofa, 1935. Beautiful padded velvet sofa by Giuseppe de Vivo. The chromed tubular steel support, with curved lines, turns it in a very interesting piece. The v...Category
Vintage 1930s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsMetal, Chrome
- Original Rattan Daybed by Franca Helg for Bonacina, 1959By Franca Helg, BonacinaLocated in Milan, ITOriginal Rattan Daybed by Franca Helg for Bonacina, 1959 A splendid rattan daybed designed by Franca Helg for Bonacina in the 1960s, in which we can see balance between form and fun...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Post-Modern Chaise Longues
MaterialsRattan
- Set of Four Trays by Gianfranco Frattini for Progetti, 1970By Progetti, Gianfranco FrattiniLocated in Milan, ITSet of Four Trays by Gianfranco Frattini for Progetti, 1970 Set of four coloured trays in laquered metal. These works with their curved and minimal lines can be used as excellent ...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Objects
MaterialsMetal
- Mario Gottardi, Rationalist Mid-Century Modern Coffee Table, 1950By Mario GottardiLocated in Milan, ITMario Gottardi, Rationalist Mid-Century Modern coffee table, 1950. Mid-century incredible coffee table designed by Mario Gottardi in 1950. Beautiful rare design appropriate as a ...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsWood, Lacquer
- Ettore Sottsass, Aluminum Umbrella Holder for Rinnovel, 1955, ItalyBy Ettore Sottsass, RinnovelLocated in Milan, ITEttore Sottsass, Aluminum Umbrella Holder for Rinnovel, 1955, Italy Ettore Sottsass was an influential Italian architect and designer, best known for his role in founding the Memphi...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Umbrella Stands
MaterialsAluminum
- Mario Bellini for C&B Italia 'Camaleonda' Modular Sofa, 1970By C&B Italia, Mario BelliniLocated 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
- 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, four elements. "Camaleonda" is an icon, rediscover...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
MaterialsMetal
- Mario Bellini "Camaleonda" Modular Sofa for B&B Italia, 1970By Mario Bellini, B&B ItaliaLocated in Lonigo, VenetoMario Bellini "Camaleonda" modular sofa for B&B Italia, velvet, metal and plastic, Italy, 1970, four elements. "Camaleonda" is an icon, rediscover...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
MaterialsMetal
- Mario Bellini "Camaleonda" Modular Sofa for B&B Italia, 1970By Mario Bellini, B&B ItaliaLocated in Lonigo, VenetoMario Bellini "Camaleonda" modular sofa for B&B Italia, velvet, metal and plastic, Italy, 1970, eight elements. "Camaleonda" is an icon, rediscove...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
MaterialsMetal
- 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 "Camaleonda" Modular Sofa for B&B Italia, 1970By B&B Italia, Mario BelliniLocated in Lonigo, VenetoMario Bellini "Camaleonda" modular sofa for B&B Italia, Italy, 1970, four elements. "Camaleonda" is an icon, rediscovered. A special project made possible this limited edition of "...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsMetal
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.
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.