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Willy Guhl Furniture

Swiss, 1915-2004

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.

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Period: 1950s
Creator: Willy Guhl
Pair of Tall Willy Guhl Lamps
By Willy Guhl
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Handsome pair of Willy Guhl table lamps with warm white patina and great slender scale. Newly rewired with new Linen shade.
Category

1950s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Pair of Willy Guhl Diablo Hourglass Planters by Eternit
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in Baambrugge, NL
Price for the set! Beautiful 'Diablo' concrete spindel planters by Swiss architect Willy Guhl. Manufactured by Eternit AG, who produced all of Guhl's designs. Made from fiber cement,...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete

Architectural Planter Midcentury Willy Guhl Eternit Plant Pot, 1950s
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in Mannheim, DE
1950s planter designed by Swiss architects Willy Guhl and Anton Bee in 1951. It is the biggest version of the so called "Spindel" and perfect for terraces or gardens. It is made of s...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete

Pair of Vintage Loop Armchairs by Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, 1950
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in PARIS, FR
Loop armchair by Willy Guhl for the Swiss company Eternit. Their collaboration began in the early 1950s with a desire on the part of the Swiss firm to create garden furniture from th...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl - "Loop" chairs
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in PAU, FR
Two concrete chairs named "Loop" created by Willy Guhl in the 1950s. Produced by Eternit, it is suitable for indoor and outdoor uses. Height : 53 cm Seat height : 28 cm Width : 55 cm...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete, Cement

Modular Side Tables by Willy Guhl for Eternit AG, Switzerland, 1954
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in Antwerp, BE
Willy Guhl's modular cubic side tables for Eternit AG, handmade in Switzerland in 1954. Each piece is a testament to Guhl's innovative design ethos, handcrafted with precision from f...
Category

1950s Swiss Brutalist Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete, Cement

Planter, Willy Guhl
By Willy Guhl
Located in Copenhagen K, DK
Elegant outdoor pot/jardiniere, in an exceptionally rare and sought after version, by the legendary Swiss designer Willy Guhl. Formed in a charming jar des...
Category

1950s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl Lamps
By Willy Guhl
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Pair of Willy Guhl table lamps with great patina Newly rewired New Linen shade
Category

1950s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete

Pair of Willy Guhl Lamps
By Willy Guhl
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Pair of Table lamps by Willy Guhl in unique oblong shape. New linen shade with Walnut wood top, brass neck and newly rewired Wonderful patina. Priced as a pair.
Category

1950s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

gray spindel PLANT POT mid century architectural planter willy guhl 1950s
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in Mannheim, DE
1950's planter designed by Swiss architects Willy Guhl and Anton Bee in 1951. It is the small version of the so called "Spindel" and perfect for smaller terraces or gardens. It is ma...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete

Square Planter by Willy Guhl, Switzerland 1950s
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
Very nice patina. We have a total of six of the same type and many other models by Willy Guhl. Swiss designer Willy Guhl (1915-2004) was well known for his weather resistant plante...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl Cube Planter
By Willy Guhl
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
The perfectly patina'd Willy Guhl cube. Priced Individually.
Category

1950s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Square Planter by Willy Guhl, Switzerland 1950s
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
Very nice patina. We have a total of six of the same type and many other models by Willy Guhl. Swiss designer Willy Guhl (1915-2004) was well known for his weather resistant plante...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Pair of Mid-century Willy Guhl armchairs 'Loop Chairs' for Eternit
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Baambrugge, NL
Pair of Mid-century Willy Guhl armchairs for Eternit. These 'Loop Chair' lounge/garden chairs by Willy Guhl were made in the 1950s from a continuous concrete slab. Switzerland, ca. 1...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete

Square Planter by Willy Guhl, Switzerland 1950s
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
Very nice patina. We have a total of six of the same type and many other models by Willy Guhl. Swiss designer Willy Guhl (1915-2004) was well known for his weather resistant plante...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Square Planter by Willy Guhl, Switzerland 1950s
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
Very nice patina. We have a total of six of the same type and many other models by Willy Guhl. Swiss designer Willy Guhl (1915-2004) was well known for his weather resistant plante...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Square Planter by Willy Guhl, Switzerland 1950s
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
Very nice patina. We have a total of six of the same type and many other models by Willy Guhl. Swiss designer Willy Guhl (1915-2004) was well known for his weather resistant plante...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Square Planter by Willy Guhl, Switzerland 1950s
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
Very nice patina. We have a total of six of the same type and many other models by Willy Guhl. Swiss designer Willy Guhl (1915-2004) was well known for his weather resistant plante...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl, Pair of "Elephant ear" planters, Switzerland 1954
By Willy Guhl
Located in Catonvielle, FR
Pair of large "Elephant Ear" planters created by Willy Guhl for the firm Eternit (Switzerland 1954). At the start of the 1950s, Eternit asked Willy Guhl to design fiber cement outdoor furniture...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl for Eternit Concrete Planters
By Willy Guhl
Located in Mouscron, WHT
Willy Guhl for Eternit concrete planters.
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete

Planter, Willy Guhl
By Willy Guhl
Located in Copenhagen K, DK
Large and beautiful old garden pot / jardiniere, by the legendary Swiss designer Willy Guhl. A good conical design and with fantastic weathered patina....
Category

1950s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Pair of "Loop Chairs" by Willy Guhl, Produced by Eternit Brazil, 1960s
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in New York, NY
Presenting an attractive loop shape, the Loop Chair was created by the Swiss designer Willy Guhl (1915-2004) in 1954, featuring a single volume of seats...
Category

1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Hourglass "Diabolo" Planter by Willy Guhl and Anton Bee, 1950s Switzerland
By Eternit, Anton Bee, Willy Guhl
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
Hourglass "Diabolo" Planter by Willy Guhl and Anton Bee, 1950s Switzerland "Diabolo" planter with a fabulous different polychrome patina. It was designed by Willy Guhl and Anton ...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Set of Two Tilted Concrete Planters by the Swiss Architect Willy Guhl 1950s
By Willy Guhl
Located in Baambrugge, NL
Set of two tilted concrete planters by the Swiss architect Willy Guhl. Manufactured by Eternit AG, who produced all of Guhl's designs. Made from fiber cement, the planters are lightw...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete

Ovoide armchair by Willy Guhl for Eternit 1950s
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in PARIS, FR
The Ovoid armchair designed by Willy Guhl in the 1950s illustrates this Swiss industrial design pioneer's interest in Eternit, the fibro-cement originally developed for roofs and pip...
Category

1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Elephant Ear Handkerchief Planter, Willy Guhl
By Willy Guhl
Located in Copenhagen K, DK
Charming, large, and stylish jardiniere / garden pot, by the renowned designer Willy Guhl and produced in fibre cement. This particular one of his designs has a beautiful waffle / pa...
Category

1950s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Rectangular Planter by Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, 1950s
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
Willy Guhl designed for Eternit, Switzerland. These planters are made from fiberated cement that is lightweight, strong and durable in all climates. The typical signs of use an...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl Loop Chair 1st edition with original wood 1950
By Willy Guhl
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Incredible original from the 50s Loop Chair by Willy Guhl with wood in the base in perfect conditions. Fantastic.
Category

1950s Brazilian International Style Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete

Willy Guhl planter 1st edition brazilian white concrete circa 1950 pair
By Willy Guhl
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Incredible Willy Guhl fibroconcrete brazilian white circa 1950 pair of planters signed ETERNIT.
Category

1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete

Willy Guhl rectangular planter 1st edition brazilian white concrete circa 1950
By Willy Guhl
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Incredible set of four Willy Guhl rectangular planter in fibro concrete
Category

1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete

Planter, Willy Guhl
By Willy Guhl
Located in Copenhagen K, DK
Large and beautiful old garden pot / jardiniere, by the legendary Swiss designer Willy Guhl. A good conical design and with fantastic weathered patina....
Category

1950s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Mid-Century Modern Diabolo Shaped Planter bu Willy Guhl for Eternit
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in Doornspijk, NL
One of the iconic design of Willy Guhl for Eternit: the diabolo shaped planter. This smaller version has a wonderful patina.
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Rectangular Planter by Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, 1950s
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
Willy Guhl designed for Eternit Switzerland. These planters are made from fiberated cement that is lightweight, strong and durable in all climates. The typical signs of use and...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Swiss Mid-Century Modern Conical Concrete Diable Planter by Willy Gulh, 1950s
By Willy Guhl
Located in MIlano, IT
Swiss Mid-Century Modern conical concrete Diable planter or vase by Willy Gulh, 1950s Diable model planter or vase, entirely in concrete, with conical base structure and containing ...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete

Willy Guhl 'Diablo' Spindel Hourglass Concrete Planter, Switzerland, 1954
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in The Hague, NL
High shaped diabolo shaped planter designed by Willy Guhl and Anton Bee and manufactured by Eternit Ag, Switzerland 1954. This planter is made of cellulose infused fibber cement. Ve...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl 'Diablo' Spindel Hourglass Concrete Planter, Switzerland, 1954
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in The Hague, NL
High shaped diabolo shaped planter designed by Willy Guhl and Anton Bee and manufactured by Eternit Ag, Switzerland 1954. This planter is made of cellulose infused fiber cement and ...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Petite Willy Guhl Lamps
By Willy Guhl
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Pair of petite scale lamps by Willy Guhl with new linen shade and concrete base. Teak wood and newly rewired Wonderful patina. Priced as a pair.
Category

1950s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete

Willy Guhl Set Of 2 'Diablo' Hourglass Concrete Planters, Switzerland 1954
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in The Hague, NL
Mid- Century modern period set of 2 high shaped diabolo planters designed by Willy Guhl and Anton Bee and manufactured by Eternit Ag, Switzerland 1954. These planters are made of ce...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Pair of Willy Guhl planters signed ETERNIT circa 1952
By Willy Guhl
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Incredible pair in concrete planters by Willy Guhl signed ETERNIT circa 1952
Category

1950s Brazilian International Style Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Swiss Mid Century Conical Green Concrete Diable Planter by Willy Gulh 1950
By Willy Guhl
Located in MIlano, IT
Swiss mid-century modern conical green concrete Diable planter or vase by Willy Gulh, 1950s Diable model planter or vase, entirely in concrete, with ...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete

Mid-Century Modern Pair of Loop Chairs and Loop Table by Willy Guhl for Eternit
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Doornspijk, NL
Magnificent pair of Loop Chairs plus a Loop Table designed in 1954 by Willy Guhl for Eternit SA of Switzerland. These iconic garden chairs and table are made of a continuous sheet ...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

pair of rectangular mid century fiber cement PLANTERS willy guhl eternit
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in Mannheim, DE
Set of 2 rectangular planters made of stone grey fiber cement from the Eternit company by Willy Guhl. They match perfectly to the famous spindel planter. They are a perfect addition ...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Diabolo Planter by Willy Guhl & Anton Bee for Eternit Switzerland 1950s
By Willy Guhl, Eternit, Anton Bee
Located in PARIS, FR
Attributed to Anton Bee and Willy Guhl for Eternit. In 1951, eternity ag sought to collaborate with outside designers and asked willy guhl and his students to work on new plant conta...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl Concrete Loop Chairs, 1st Edition
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Untersiggenthal, AG
Iconic furniture design by Willy Guhl. This chairs was designed by Willy Guhl in 1954 after Guhl watched as the Eternit panels left a machine at the Eternit factory in Niederurnen. The Loop chair...
Category

1950s European Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Planter, Willy Guhl
By Willy Guhl
Located in Copenhagen K, DK
Elegant outdoor pot/jardiniere, in an exceptionally rare and sought after version, by the legendary Swiss designer Willy Guhl. Formed in a charming jar des...
Category

1950s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Planter, Willy Guhl
By Willy Guhl
Located in Copenhagen K, DK
Large and beautiful old garden pot / jardiniere, by the legendary Swiss designer Willy Guhl. A good conical design and with fantastic weathered patina....
Category

1950s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl Table Lamp
By Willy Guhl
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Willy Guhl table lamp in varying patina's New linen shade Pairs available.
Category

1950s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Large Library of Willy Guhl '1915-2004', Switzerland, 50s
By Willy Guhl
Located in VILLERS-SUR-MER, FR
A large fibrocement bookcase by Willy Guhl (1915-2004) composed of 68 elements of different sizes. Published by Eternit. Switzerland, 50s.
Category

1950s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

2 Small Spindle or Diabolo Planter Designed by Swiss Architect Willy Guhl
By Willy Guhl
Located in Mouscron, WHT
2 Small spindle or diabolo planter designed by Swiss architect Willy Guhl The price is for one Two are available.
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete

Pair of Loop Armchairs by Willy Guhl for Eternit Switzerland 1950s
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in PARIS, FR
Armchair loop by willy guhl for the Swiss company eternit. Their collaboration began in the early 50's with a desire on the part of the Swiss firm to create garden furniture from the...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Diabolo Planter by Anton Bee and Willy Guhl for Eternit Switzerland, 1950
By Willy Guhl
Located in PARIS, FR
In 1951, eternity ag sought to collaborate with outside designers and asked willy guhl and his students to work on new plant containers. eternit, developed for the production of roof...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl Loop Chair Set of Six '6' Plus Table
By Willy Guhl
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Set of six (6) Original Willy Guhl loop chairs with side table sold as a period-original set. The Loop Chair was created by the Swiss designer Willy...
Category

1950s Swiss Industrial Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete

Willy Guhl Small Bowl Planter, 1950s, Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare 1950s planter bowl designed by Swiss neo-functionalist and Industrial Design Pioneer Willy Guhl for Eternit in Switzerland. Sculpted from fiber cement which has slowly weathere...
Category

1950s Swiss Industrial Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl "Biasca" Elephant Ear/ Hourglass Concrete Planter, Switzerland 1954
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in The Hague, NL
"Biasca" Elephant Ear large planter designed by Willy Guhl and Anton Bee and manufactured by Eternit AG, Switzerland 1954. This planter is made of cellulose infused fiber cement. Ve...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl for Eternit Concrete Planters
By Willy Guhl
Located in Mouscron, WHT
Willy Guhl for Eternit concrete planters.
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete

Elephant Ear Handkerchief Planter, Willy Guhl
By Willy Guhl
Located in Copenhagen K, DK
Elegant and large and not least sought after vintage garden planter / jardiniere, known as Elephant Ear Handkerchief and designed by the Swiss ...
Category

1950s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl Handkerchief Planter
By Willy Guhl
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Willy Guhl for Eternit Handkerchief planter with sculptural clean lines Great patina.
Category

1950s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Concrete

Jardinières Diabolo Willy Guhl Et Antonn Bee Pour Eternit Années 50/60
By Willy Guhl
Located in PARIS, FR
In 1951, Eternity AG collaborated with designers and asked Willy Guhl and his students to work on new plant containers. Eternit, developed for the man...
Category

1950s Swiss Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Furniture

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Willy Guhl furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of stone and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Willy Guhl furniture, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 465 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 5 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Willy Guhl were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Eternit, Anton Bee, and Ludwig Walser. Prices for Willy Guhl furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $425 and can go as high as $145,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,800.

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