Pair of Willy Guhl Tilted Planters 1960s
About the Item
- Creator:Willy Guhl (Designer)
- Design:
- Dimensions:Height: 18.5 in (46.99 cm)Width: 25 in (63.5 cm)Depth: 25 in (63.5 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Lake Worth, FL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU6190232494452
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: Palm Springs, FL
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Mid Century Modern Pair of Edmond Spence NightstandsBy Edmond J. SpenceLocated in Lake Worth, FLMid Century Modern wavey front 2 drawer, pair of nightstands. Gorgeous birch wood sculptural design atop 4 long dowel legs. Designed by Edmond Spence and manufactured in Sweden. Th...Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
MaterialsBirch
- Pair of Aluminum Saucer Lamps Space Age Mid-Century ModernBy LightolierLocated in Lake Worth, FL1960s-70s Pair of Mid-Century Modern aluminum hanging saucer lamps. Good vintage condition shows some age and wear, original wiring works. These lamps woul...Category
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsAluminum
- Mid Century Modern Weinberg Style Pair of Lamps by FaipBy Frederic WeinbergLocated in Lake Worth, FLMid Century Modern pair of Frederic Weinberg style table lamps. Signed on the back by FAIP (Fine Art In Plastic). Fun male and female abstract figural apposing designs in style of Fr...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsPlaster
- Post Modern Pair of Pencil Reed & Travertine Pagoda CommodesBy Betty CobonpueLocated in Lake Worth, FLVintage post modern pair of pagoda side tables, pencil reed frames with travertine stone top and sides. Unique hammered metal closure. Finished on the...Category
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsTravertine
- Mid-Century Modern Warren Platner Easy Chair, PairBy Warren PlatnerLocated in Lake Worth, FLPair of vintage easy chairs by Warren Platner for Knoll. Great high back lounge chair design with nickel metal cage frames. Upholstery does not look original and must have been repla...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- Dorothy Thorpe Platinum Rimmed Wine Glasses set of 16By Dorothy ThorpeLocated in Lake Worth, FLStunning Set of 16 Dorothy Thorpe Platinum Rimmed Goblet Wine Glasses! Perfect for entertaining or any wine lover, these mid-century modernism style glasses are crafted from high-qua...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Glass
MaterialsGlass
- Willy Guhl Planter, 1960sBy Willy GuhlLocated in Čelinac, BAConcrite planter by swiss architect Willy Guhl 1960s.Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Guhl Tilted PlantersBy Willy GuhlLocated in Beverly Hills, CATilted concrete planters by Swiss Architect Willy Guhl. Wonderful patina and coloring to each planter. Multiple sizes / shapes available.Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Guhl Tilted PlantersBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CATilted concrete "soup-cup" planters by Swiss Architect Willy Guhl. Great patina and coloring to each planter. Excellent vintage condition. Great planter and standalone sculpture for ...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- A pair of Willy Guhl planters. Switzerland 1960sBy Willy GuhlLocated in VILLERS-SUR-MER, FRA pair of very nice Willy Guhl red painted planters, diabolo model, Eternit Switzerland 60s editionCategory
Vintage 1960s Swiss Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- A pair of Willy Guhl planters. Switzerland 1960sBy Willy GuhlLocated in VILLERS-SUR-MER, FRA pair of big Willy Guhl planter, cone model, edition Eternit Suisse 60sCategory
Vintage 1960s Swiss Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- Willy Guhl Vintage Tilted PlantersBy 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 worked with a mixture of cement and asbestos from Eternit. The lightweight material was groundbreaking, uncompromising form and structure with an emphasis on functionality. These beautiful tilted planters...Category
Mid-20th Century Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsComposition
