Mario Bellini Quartet sofa Cassina Italy 1964

Mario Bellini

Italy, 1935 –
Architect, designer

Extremely rare 932 ‘Quartet’ sofa designed by architect Mario Bellini and manufactured by Cassina in Italy in 1964. Very early model made up of five separate pieces. It’s quite challenging to come across one in this large and impressive size. What makes it even more special is its gorgeous cognac colour. This sofa’s modular design means you can arrange its elements in various ways to suit different settings. It’s still in good original condition, considering its age, with some expected wear and tear that adds character and enhances its beautiful appearance and patina. There are no holes or tears in it.

In the 1960s Mario Bellini reinterpreted the concept of classic furniture stuffing with the 932 model, transforming the padding of the traditional armchair into an item of furniture: four independent cushions connected by a belt passed around the outside. Bellini took as his starting point Le Corbusier’s Grand Confort chair, but took it premises to their extreme. Whereas LE Corbusier, in a move that was then revolutionary, had turned the armchair inside out, designing its structure as a ‘cage’ of metal tubes holding five soft cushions, Bellini in the 932 series, eliminated every rigid element and formulated the whole design according to the norms of upholstery, finding a totally sartorial solution in which simple belts held the seat, bag and armrests together.

Literature; Mario Bellini Furniture, Machines & Object Enrico Morteo, page 85-87.