Set of Three Medium Flower Pot Form Planters Designed by Willy Guhl
View Similar Items
Set of Three Medium Flower Pot Form Planters Designed by Willy Guhl
About the Item
- Creator:Willy Guhl (Designer),Eternit (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 18.5 in (46.99 cm)Diameter: 18.38 in (46.69 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1960s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Noted in body of description.
- Seller Location:Woodbury, CT
- Reference Number:Seller: CPL 1160 A,B,C1stDibs: LU863413003172
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 Willy Willy Guhl Biomorphic Pots or Planters by EternitBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Baambrugge, NLBeautifully shaped large pair of biomorphic pots by Swiss architect Willy Guhl. Manufactured by Eternit AG, who produced all of Guhl's designs. These pots look similar to the handker...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsOther
- Set of Three Planter by Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, 1950sBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Nürnberg, BayernWilly Guhl designed for 'Eternit', Switzerland. These planters are made from fiberated cement that is lightweight, strong and durable in all climates. The smallest plant pot is 32c...Category
Vintage 1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- Willy Guhl Flower Pot, 1960s SwitzerlandBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CABeautiful pink concrete flower pot by Willy Guhl. Made in Switzerland in the 1960s. Great condition. Beautiful and unique coloring and patina. Clas...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Guhl, Set of 7 Planters, Eternit, Switzerland 1960sBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Berlin, DEA set of 7 rectangular planters by Willy Guhl. 6 with 100cm length, 1 with 120cm. Overall good condition, one of the 100cm planters with a non visible hole in the bottom, but no stru...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Guhl Molar PlantersBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Brooklyn, NYScarce pair of molar planters, designed by Willy Guhl for Eternit. Arched triangular form cheekily resembles a tooth. Strong and robust, these garden planters are sculpted from fibro...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Guhl Tapered PlanterBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Brooklyn, NYConical architectural planter designed by Willy Guhl for Eternit. Made from cast cement, this monumental garden pot can accommodate large shrubs or e...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete