Pair of Willy Guhl Garden Urns
View Similar Items
Pair of Willy Guhl Garden Urns
About the Item
- Creator:Willy Guhl (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 18.25 in (46.36 cm)Diameter: 25 in (63.5 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Los Angeles, CA
- Reference Number:Seller: C15-PDF2221stDibs: f79481507232742673fs
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.
- Architectural Pottery by Legardo TackettLocated in Los Angeles, CAArchitectural pottery by Legardo Tackett, model TH-04, white glazed ceramic. Stamped. From 1955.Category
Vintage 1950s American Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCeramic
Price Upon Request - Maison Charles silverplated urn lamp with wheatBy Maison Charles et FilsLocated in Los Angeles, CAFrance: Maison Charles silverplated urn lamp with wheatCategory
Vintage 1950s French Table Lamps
MaterialsSilver Plate
Price Upon Request - Pair of Iron BenchesLocated in Los Angeles, CAPair of iron square tables/benches.Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Benches
MaterialsIron
$6,500 / set - Pair of Plywood Chairs.Located in Los Angeles, CAPair of plywood chairs with riveted seats.Category
Vintage 1960s Side Chairs
MaterialsPlywood
Price Upon Request - Pair of Ion ChairsBy Gideon KramerLocated in Los Angeles, CAGideon Kramer Ion chairs, pair American Desk Corporation USA, 1974 upholstery, fiberglass, chrome-plated steelCategory
Vintage 1970s American Chairs
MaterialsChrome, Steel
Price Upon Request - Pair of Glenn of California Dining ChairsBy Greta Magnusson GrossmanLocated in Los Angeles, CAPair of Glenn of California dining chairs designed by Greta Grossman.Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsLeather
$3,300 / set
- Willy Guhl Concrete UrnBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAConcrete urn by Willy Guhl. Rare model. Excellent pastel yellow and grey patina. Urn has a delicate cement ridge around the mouth as well as around the w...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
$2,800 - Willy Guhl Pair of TroughsBy Willy GuhlLocated in Bloomfield Hills, MIAs of the mid-20th century, the work of Willy Guhl was a revolutionary feat of industry and design with a distinct style that transcends decades. True to form and function, Guhl work...Category
Mid-20th Century Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsComposition
$2,420 / set - Willy Guhl Concrete Urn, 1960s SwitzerlandBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAConcrete urns by Willy Guhl. Three available with varying degrees of patina and lichen. Rare model. Urns have a delicate cement ridge around the mouth as well as around the widest pa...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
$2,800 / item - Willy Guhl Concrete Urn, 1960s SwitzerlandBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAConcrete urn by Willy Guhl. Rare model. In a beautiful washed out patina from layers of white paint which have worn down over the years. Urn has a delicate cement ridge around the mo...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Guhl Concrete Urn, 1960s SwitzerlandBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAConcrete urn by Willy Guhl. Rare model. In a beautiful washed out patina from layers of finishes worn down over the years. Urn has a delicate cement ridge around the mouth as well as...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Guhl Concrete Urn, 1960s SwitzerlandBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAConcrete urn by Willy Guhl. Rare model. Excellent cream and grey patina. Urn has a delicate cement ridge around the mouth as well as around the widest part of the jar giving it depth...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
JF Chen Moves Stools Out of the Corner and into the Spotlight
In Los Angeles, dealer Joel Chen gives the often clever and always versatile seats some long-overdue attention.
In L.A., Gallerist JF Chen Has Long Championed Eclectic Blue-Chip Design
Now working alongside his daughter Bianca, dealer Joel Chen has presented a most covetable array of antiques, art and contemporary creations for more than 40 years.