Ovoide armchair by Willy Guhl for Eternit 1950s
About the Item
- Creator:Eternit (Manufacturer),Willy Guhl (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 25.6 in (65 cm)Width: 26.38 in (67 cm)Depth: 21.26 in (54 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Circa 1950
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:PARIS, FR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU7180237483032
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: PARIS, France
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- Pair of Loop Armchairs by Willy Guhl for Eternit Switzerland 1950sBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in PARIS, FRArmchair 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
Vintage 1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsCement
- Pair of Vintage Loop Armchairs by Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, 1950By Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in PARIS, FRLoop 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
Vintage 1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsCement
- Diabolo Planter by Willy Guhl & Anton Bee for Eternit Switzerland 1950sBy Eternit, Willy Guhl, Anton BeeLocated in PARIS, FRAttributed 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
Vintage 1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- Diabolo Planter by Anton Bee and Willy Guhl for Eternit Switzerland, 1950By Willy GuhlLocated in PARIS, FRIn 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
Vintage 1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- Jardinières Diabolo Willy Guhl Et Antonn Bee Pour Eternit Années 50/60By Willy GuhlLocated in PARIS, FRIn 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
Vintage 1950s Swiss Modern Planters, Cachepots and Jardinières
MaterialsCement
- Up 1 armchair by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia 1969By Gaetano Pesce, B&B ItaliaLocated in PARIS, FRIn the early 60’s, the chemist Bayer developed a polyurethane foam with a new resin, allowing the creation of various and simple shapes. In the middle of the decade, the Italian desi...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Foam
- Loop Chairs by Willy Guhl for Eternit, 2utsBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Barcelona, ESPair of Loop chairs designed by Willy Guhl and produced by Eternit Brazil. Both chairs have a nice patina, given by years of wear, the fiber cement structure is in really good condit...Category
Vintage 1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsCement
- Pair of "Loop Chairs" by Willy Guhl, Produced by Eternit Brazil, 1960sBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in New York, NYPresenting 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
Vintage 1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsCement
- Original Mid-Century Willy Guhl Loop Chairs for EternitLocated in London, GBA pair of 'Loop' lounge/garden chairs by Willy Guhl. A continuous sheet of concrete, these were used predominately indoors and summer time and were kept in immaculate condition rela...Category
Vintage 1950s Swiss Armchairs
MaterialsCement
- Original Mid-Century Willy Guhl Loop Chairs for Eternit (4)Located in London, GBA set of 'Loop' lounge/garden chairs by Willy Guhl. A continuous sheet of concrete, these were used predominately indoors and summer time and were kept in immaculate condition relat...Category
Vintage 1950s Swiss Armchairs
MaterialsCement
- Willy Guhl - "Loop" chairsBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in PAU, FRTwo 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
Vintage 1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsConcrete, Cement
- 1950s Danish Armchair by Ejner Larsen & Aksel Bender Madsen for Willy BeckBy Willy Beck, Ejner LarsenLocated in Sagaponack, NYA superb armchair having an open oak frame with subtly angled arms and retaining its rich aniline-red leather upholstery.Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsOak, Leather
