Furniture designer Guglielmo Ulrich was born in Milan to a family with Danish origins. After completing his studies at the Brera Academy, the Scuola Speciale di Architettura and the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1927, Ulrich’s status quickly rose in high-society circles, as he’d gained a reputation for creating elegant interiors for a range of commercial and private clients. Architecture and furniture design in Milan was evolving during the era owing to industrialization, and Ulrich’s modernist work was seen as fresh and forward-looking.
In 1930, Ulrich established the furniture company ARCA — which was short for Arredamento Casa — with colleagues Attilio Scaglia and Renato Wild. Together they created a platform for Ulrich’s designs, which were quite different from the typical furnishings found in Europe at the time.
Ulrich favored simple lines — tapered table and chair legs, lean silhouettes — and the graceful contours of his console tables and dining chairs are representative of an endeavor to streamline neoclassical forms. He created luxurious but practical furniture and home accessories that featured an emphasis on craftsmanship as well as an integration of exotic materials such as ebonized wood, opaline glass and green marble. Ulrich’s designs were very much in line with what we now know as the Art Deco style, which was officially introduced to the world in 1925 at Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris. He collaborated with legendary architect and designer Gio Ponti on designs for a hotel property in the late 1930s and co-edited Ponti’s revered Domus magazine with Milanese architect Melchiorre Bega.
By the 1950s, Ulrich was firmly established as one of the most influential Milanese designers, having a hand in designing homes, commercial properties and more. In 1961, he won the Fiera di Trieste award for his lightweight Trieste chair, a seat that shared common ground with Ponti’s iconic Superleggera chair and was produced by Saffa.
Find vintage Guglielmo Ulrich seating, tables,and cabinets on 1stDibs.
Desk and Dressing Table, with Mirror Style of Ulrich, circa 1936, Vanity Table
By Guglielmo Ulrich
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Guglielmo Ulrich manner desk and dressing table; Desk in walnut, elm and elm burl. Feet in golden brass A wonderful and very useful desk repr...
Brass
Guglielmo Ulrich unique parchment console table with mirror
By Guglielmo Ulrich
Located in Milano, IT
Guglielmo Ulrich (1904 - 1977) Unique console table with mirror, black lacquered wood and goat skin covering. Three drawers with turned bone knobs. Bibl: L. Sacchetti, Guglielmo ...
Parchment Paper
$455Sale Price|50% Off
H 28.35 in W 31.5 in D 17.72 in
Lady’s Desk or Vanity in Mahogany, Czechoslovakia, 1970s
By Up Závody
Located in Zohor, SK
Beautiful midcentury desk, originally used as a desk for a lady, or vanity in the bedroom. The table is elegant combination of lighter birch wood on the sides and mahogany wood on to...
Birch, Mahogany
$1,709
H 63.39 in W 48.43 in D 20.48 in
VINTAGE QUEEN ANNE STYLE LEGS DRESSING TABLE VANITY WITH LARGE MiRROR
Located in Pulborough, GB
Antiques of London This elegant dressing table in the Queen Anne style features a stunning hardwood with a rich, warm finish. The serpentine front is complemented by six drawers,...
Hardwood
$5,400
H 31.5 in W 41.34 in D 23.63 in
Mid Century Italian Rattan and Bamboo Desk / Vanity Table Vivai del Sud C.1970
By Vivai del Sud
Located in London, GB
A Vivai del Sud pedestal table Rome, Italy, C.1970. Constructed in in rattan, bamboo and cane. Ideal as a small desk or vanity. The Knee hole width measures 39cm. In excellent condi...
Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan
$8,000 / item
H 55.91 in W 53.15 in D 19.69 in
21st Century American Walnut Veneer Vanity Desk with Mirror and Carrara Marble
By Merve Kahraman
Located in Istanbul, TR
"La Nouvelle Vanité" is a make up desk made of American walnut veneer with an arc shaped mirror behind, designed by Merve Kahraman design studio. This work/makeup desk...
Wood
Jacques Adnet Modernist Dressing Table circa 1935
By La Maison Desny
Located in CA, CA
This supremely rare early Modernist dressing table by Jacques Adnet, with its novel use of clear and opaline glass, and nickel-plated and pain...
Nickel
$2,300
H 26.25 in W 59.5 in D 16 in
Mid Century Danish Modern Teak Vanity, Console Table or Low Profile Desk
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A simple modern Scandinavian design from Denmark circa 1970's. This piece features all teak wood construction with generous storage and a unique bowed front. A very versatile piece f...
Teak
$42,000Sale Price|20% Off
H 30.71 in W 43.71 in D 43.71 in
Tavolo attribuito a Guglielmo Ulrich per Arca
By Guglielmo Ulrich
Located in Lugo, IT
Tavolo teca attribuito a Guglielmo Ulrich per Arca. La parte superiore in vetro si apre ed e possibile inserire fiori o altro all'interno. Nella parte superiore il legno si e mosso c...
Glass, Wood
$1,850 / set
H 40 in W 32.75 in D 21 in
Antique Wicker Vanity Desk Set with Chair, Circa 1890, Pink Upholstery
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Charming antique wicker vanity / desk with matching chair. Chair seat cushion has been reupholstered in a pink & white plaid cotton fabric. A...
Wicker
$4,200
H 47.25 in W 34.45 in D 19.69 in
Art Deco Vanity/Dressing Table with Round Mirror, France, Circa 1930's
Located in Beirut, LB
A rare and beautifully preserved example of French Art Deco cabinetmaking, this vanity dressing table dates to circa 1930's and speaks the period's design language with complete conf...
Mirror, Wood
Vintage Gilt Iron Vanity / Console Table with Mirrored Top
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Vintage Italian Hollywood Regency style rope and tassel gilt iron vanity table / console with mirrored top. This piece heavily borrows from mid-century French Art Moderne and Italian...
Iron
Vanity Dressing Table w/ Mirror & Drawer
Located in San Francisco, CA
C. 19th century Vanity dressing table w/ mirror & drawer.
Glass, Wood
$8,516
H 33.86 in W 58.27 in D 14.18 in
Mid-century sculptural console table by Guglielmo Ulrich, Italy, 1950s
By Guglielmo Ulrich
Located in Argelato, BO
Fine Large Console Table by Guglielmo Ulrich, 1940 Rare and monumental mid-century console in wood and brass, with glass top, designed by the Italian architect and designer Guglielm...
Brass
Guglielmo Ulrich for Valzania Parchment Art Deco Dressing Table
By Guglielmo Ulrich
Located in London, GB
A very rare and beautiful parchment and wood dressing table designed by Guglielmo Ulrich for Valzania. It is a buttercream color with architectural legs and a mirrored table. There a...
Wood, Parchment Paper
Guglielmo Ulrich dressing table for "ARCA"
By Guglielmo Ulrich
Located in Milan, IT
A rare Guglielmo Ulrich Vanity for ARCA Milano. Ref : Guglielmo Ulrich. Federico Motta Editore. p.294 for Identical piece Fire branded signature
Brass