Willy Guhl for Eternit Concrete Planters
About the Item
- Creator:Willy Guhl (Designer)
- Design:
- Dimensions:Height: 18.12 in (46 cm)Diameter: 24.81 in (63 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1950
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor structural damages. Minor fading.
- Seller Location:Mouscron, BE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU7463231657062
Willy Guhl
Decades prior to the mass popularity of neo-industrial cement floors and furniture taking shape, there was Willy Guhl. The Swiss creative is considered one of the first “industrial” designers in his home country. He pioneered a rugged, organic style of modern furniture and decor — stylish planters, shapely seating and lots more — that remains widely coveted by many today.
Guhl was born in 1915 in Stein am Rhein and worked as a carpenter before beginning studies at the Zurich School of Applied Arts (known today as the Zurich University of the Arts), where he would go on to teach for nearly 40 years.
While Guhl is well-known for his range of provocative garden elements as well as his patio and outdoor furniture, today’s legion of mid-century modern enthusiasts are likely familiar with the designer’s iconic Loop chair (introduced in 1954). For this sculptural seat and other furnishings, Guhl tended toward industrial materials, which he bent and shaped into organic forms for a striking juxtaposition. Much of his work is crafted from either concrete or Eternit, a mixture of cement and asbestos developed by the Belgian company Etex, which, in the 1950s, commissioned Guhl and his students at the School of Applied Arts to conceive planters in the material. The resulting vessels — some hourglass-shaped, some in the form of handkerchiefs, all suitable for indoors or exteriors — remain some of Guhl’s most collectible pieces.
Guhl’s affiliation with the Swiss “neo-functional” movement centered on the idea of simplifying design without sacrificing form. According to Guhl, his mission was “achieving the most with the minimum of effort.”
In addition to his work as a designer, Guhl left his mark on subsequent creatives through his 39-year tenure at his alma mater, where he was instructor to the likes of Robert Haussmann, Kurt Thut and Bruno Rey. Modern-day shoppers at IKEA owe Guhl a debt of gratitude too. He was an early advocate of flat-pack furniture, championing its ability to make good design more widely accessible.
At its core, though, Guhl’s work was inherently human-centric: “At the center of my efforts, I put people and their living requirements,” he once said. “My products must be useful to people.” Guhl died in 2004 at the age of 89.
Find a range of vintage Willy Guhl furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Mouscron, Belgium
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Willy Guhl for Eternit Concrete PlantersBy Willy GuhlLocated in Mouscron, WHTWilly Guhl for Eternit concrete planters.Category
Vintage 1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- 2 Small Spindle or Diabolo Planter Designed by Swiss Architect Willy GuhlBy Willy GuhlLocated in Mouscron, WHT2 Small spindle or diabolo planter designed by Swiss architect Willy Guhl The price is for one Two are available.Category
Vintage 1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Rizzo, table in Lacquered Wood and steel for Mario Sabot, ItalyBy Mario Sabot, Willy RizzoLocated in Mouscron, WHTWilly Rizzo, table in Lacquered Wood and steel for Mario Sabot, Italy 1960Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
MaterialsSteel
- Willy Rizzo, Set of 6 Chairs in Lacquered Wood and Steel for Mario Sabot, ItalyBy Willy RizzoLocated in Mouscron, WHTWilly Rizzo, Set of 6 Chairs in Lacquered Wood and steel for Mario Sabot, Italy 1960 there are lacks of paint on the top of all the chairs the upholstery needs to be redone the mo...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsStainless Steel
- Planter and Its Rattan Column, circa 1930, Good ConditionLocated in Mouscron, WHTPlanter and Its Rattan column, circa 1930 good condition column height alone: 98 cm.Category
Vintage 1930s European Art Deco Planters, Cachepots and Jardinières
MaterialsRattan
- Jean Pierre Vitrac, Modular Tray, for Aperitif, Edition Guillois, circa 1970By Jean-Pierre VitracLocated in Mouscron, WHTJean Pierre Vitrac, modular tray, for aperitif, Edition Guillois, circa 1970.Category
Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Platters and Serveware
MaterialsPlastic
- Willy Guhl, Concrete Spindle Planter, Eternit, 1960sBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Berlin, DEWilly Guhl, spindle planter, manufactured by Eternit in the 1960s. Very nice patina, rare lower model with larger diameter!Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Guhl for Eternit Small Tulip Concrete Planters, 1960sBy Willy Guhl, EternitLocated in New York, NYDesigned by Willy Guhl for Eternit handkerchief concrete planters or jardinières, Switzerland, 1960s. These exquisite planters are made from weather-resistant fiber cement and have a...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Guhl Concrete Planter - Eternit AG, Switzerland #3By Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Bern, CHMonumental concrete flower pot by Swiss designer, Willy Guhl. Solid concrete made in Switzerland 1960 - 1970. Produced by Eternit AG. Tapered structure with a ribbed upper section w...Category
Late 20th Century Swiss Minimalist Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Guhl Concrete Planter - Eternit AG, Switzerland #4By Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Bern, CHMonumental concrete flower pot by Swiss designer, Willy Guhl. Solid concrete made in Switzerland 1960 - 1970. Produced by Eternit AG. Tapered structure with a ribbed upper section w...Category
Late 20th Century Swiss Minimalist Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Guhl Concrete Planter - Eternit AG, Switzerland #1By Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Bern, CHMonumental concrete flower pot by Swiss designer, Willy Guhl. Solid concrete made in Switzerland 1960 - 1970. Produced by Eternit AG. Tapered structure with a ribbed upper section ...Category
Mid-20th Century Swiss Minimalist Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Guhl Concrete Planter - Eternit AG, Switzerland #2By Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Bern, CHMonumental concrete flower pot by Swiss designer, Willy Guhl. Solid concrete made in Switzerland 1960 - 1970. Produced by Eternit AG. Tapered structure with a ribbed upper section ...Category
Late 20th Century Swiss Minimalist Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete