Pair of Willy Guhl Cone Shaped Planter
View Similar Items
Pair of Willy Guhl Cone Shaped Planter
About the Item
- Creator:Willy Guhl (Artist)
- Dimensions:Height: 11.82 in (30 cm)Diameter: 21.66 in (55 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1960
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:grand Lancy, CH
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1045014914021
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.
- Pair of painted armchairsLocated in grand Lancy, CHPair of painted midcentury armchairsCategory
Vintage 1950s European Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Wood
$3,800 / set - Pair of midcentury canapésLocated in grand Lancy, CHPair of midcentury organically shaped sofas , they need to be reupholstered. The foam is in good condition and the springs as well.Category
Vintage 1940s European Canapes
MaterialsFabric, Wood
$9,800 / set - Pair of Wall LightLocated in grand Lancy, CHCategory
Vintage 1970s European Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsBrass
$1,300 / set - Pair of Swiss Alps EscabelleLocated in grand Lancy, CHPair of Swiss Alps Escabelle.Category
Antique 1860s Swiss Chairs
MaterialsWood
- Pair of Ceramic Table LampLocated in grand Lancy, CHCategory
Vintage 1970s European Table Lamps
MaterialsCeramic
$1,900 / set - Modernist Pair of Wood Sculpture ArmchairsLocated in grand Lancy, CHModernist pair of wood sculpture armchairs.Category
Antique Early 1900s Armchairs
MaterialsWood
- Willy Guhl Cone-Shaped Planter & Stand, Switzerland 1960sBy Willy Guhl, EternitLocated in Malibu, USVintage Willy Guhl cone-shaped planter and stand by Swiss neo-functionalist and industrial design pioneer Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, circa 1970. Wonderful patina after sp...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- Willy Guhl Chalice Shaped PlanterBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAUnique concrete planter by Swiss architect Willy Guhl. Planter in the shape of a chalice. Especially unique in that the base matches the top with pointed facets. Great vintage condit...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
$3,000 / item - 1960s Willy Guhl Concrete Pedestal Cone PlanterBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CASubstantial concrete cone planter by Swiss architect Willy Guhl. Thick cement pedestal base for stability. Heavy and substantial. Unusual shape. Made in t...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
$3,000 / item - Willy Guhl Concrete Cone Planter, 1960s SwitzerlandBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAConcrete cone flower pot by Swiss architect Willy Guhl. Made in the 1960s in Switzerland. Amazing patina across the whole outer body of the planter with multiple flecks of different ...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Pair of Willy Guhl Conical PlantersBy Willy Guhl, EternitLocated in Brooklyn, NYPair of garden planters, designed by Willy Guhl for Eternit. Made from cast cement that is strong and durable, in an elegant tapered shape. The...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
$3,800 / set - Pair of Willy Guhl Conical Planters #7&8By Willy Guhl, EternitLocated in Bern, CHPair of minimalist conical concrete flower pot by prominent Swiss designer, Willy Guhl. Solid concrete made in Switzerland 1960 - 1970. Produced by Eternit AG, Switzerland. Tapered s...Category
Late 20th Century Swiss Minimalist Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
$1,400 Sale Price20% Off