Arriving in the United States from Palermo, Italy, Mario worked for a time making ornamental pictures frames. He later became associated with the Crucet Manufacturing Company in making decorative baskets, shades of mica, and a line of decorative floor lamps and torchiers. In 1922, he founded the Mario Manufacturing Company. In addition to producing beautifully hand decorated mica shades, the company became well known for its leather lamps. Mario, located on 26th street in New York, continued to grow and in the 1950's became one of the first companies to import hand crafted lamp bases from Italy.

Today, Mario,one of the oldest family owned lamp manufacturer in the country, has grown to include these affiliated companies: Impressions (statues), Lamps by Reliance, Passport Furniture, Masterworks, and Finial Showcase.