What are the distinctive features of the Scacchi designed by Mario Bellini at the beginning of the 1970s?
This low-level furnishing system is made up of geometric elements whose forms resemble a child’s construction game. Made from polyurethane foam, the pieces can be arranged in several positions, nested together or spread apart. They can be used alternately as low tables or poufs...
The ideas of combination and versatility of use were extremely important in 1970s design.
What do you particularly appreciate about this Italian designer’s work?
I really like the playful, childlike spirit of the Scacchi. That said, I find the black colour a little severe. You need a fairly minimalist interior to place this kind of piece at home, which is not really my style...
I prefer some of his other highly accomplished designs: I often present Quattro Gatti tables, Area lamps, the Cuppola series for Rosenthal, or his CAB chairs for Cassina. His Chiara lamp is also magnificent.
The Scacchi were produced in 1971 by C&B, then by B&B. Are they common on the market?
Vintage editions are rare. In addition, the piece needs to be in good condition, as restoring the material is difficult. There is a leather reissue that reproduces the forms, but its finish is very different from the original.
What price range do the Scacchi usually sell for?
You should expect to pay between €3,000 and €4,000. Mario Bellini’s market value has risen significantly in recent years. In the 2010s, his pieces were still relatively difficult to sell. At the time, you could find 4 Gatti tables, Area lamps or Amanta armchairs at low prices...
The reissue of his Chiara lamp by Flos, together with the sharp rise in value of his large, comfortable Camaleonda and Bambole sofas, contributed to his rediscovery. During the Covid lockdowns, people moved away from the elegant but rather austere Scandinavian benches that had been fashionable in the 2010s and began looking instead for softness and generous seating. The enormous prices reached by these sofas changed the way Bellini was perceived, highlighting not only his “radical design” spirit, but also the comfort and ergonomics of his work.
Have Mario Bellini’s avant-garde designs been copied?
As far as I know, not the Scacchi, which are probably too radical to be profitable on the copy market. But today anything is possible if we are talking about poor-quality reproductions that could never really be confused with an original...
The Chiara was probably copied. The same is true of the CAB chairs, although genuine examples can easily be distinguished from imitations thanks to the quality of Cassina’s production.
Duraplum, the material used by Mario Bellini for these pieces of furniture, is a black polyurethane foam. Although the surface is firm, it retains a certain softness, making it suitable for use both as a seat and as a support surface.
Cécile Ybert