Willy Guhl, Pair of Loop Chairs, Eternit, Switzerland, 1954
View Similar Items
Willy Guhl, Pair of Loop Chairs, Eternit, Switzerland, 1954
About the Item
- Creator:Willy Guhl (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 20.67 in (52.5 cm)Width: 21.66 in (55 cm)Depth: 35.44 in (90 cm)Seat Height: 4.73 in (12 cm)
- Style:Minimalist (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:Concrete,Molded
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1954
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Marked wear patina, structure in perfect condition.
- Seller Location:Catonvielle, FR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2468311167881
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.
- Willy Guhl, Pair of "Elephant ear" planters, Switzerland 1954By Willy GuhlLocated in Catonvielle, FRPair of large "Elephant Ear" planters created by Willy Guhl for the firm Eternit (Switzerland 1954). At the start of the 1950s, Eternit asked Willy Guhl to design fiber cement outdoor furniture...Category
Vintage 1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- Pair of Free Span Armchairs FS 123, France, 1954By Free SpanLocated in Catonvielle, FRSuperb pair of FS 123 armchairs from the French brand Free-Span published in 1954. The structure in blond beech has a curved design, the speckled fabric of white and gray is padded with kapok. The exceptional comfort of these seats is provided by springs combined with metal plates arranged in stars, signature of the Free-Span brand and adopted by designers such as Pierre Guariche, Marcel Gascoin or Jacques Adnet. Very beautiful state. Documentation: La Maison Française...Category
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsBeech
$3,514 Sale Price / set28% Off - Pair of Colonial Armchairs, 1950Located in Catonvielle, FRPair of colonial armchairs in exotic wood, Africa, 1950. The backs are decorated with a sculpture with a floral motif, the seat is in crossed rope.Category
Antique 1850s African Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsRope, Wood
- Jacques Hitier, Pair of Tubauto Armchairs, France, 1950By Jacques Hitier, TubautoLocated in Catonvielle, FRPair of nickel-plated tubular metal armchairs created by Jacques Hitier, produced by Tubauto during the 1950s. The seat, armrests and backrest a...Category
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMetal
- Marcel Ramond, Pair of "Africa" Armchairs, France, 1970By Marcel RamondLocated in Catonvielle, FRMarcel Ramond (1935), pair of large Africa elm armchairs, France, 1970. On the model of the traditional palaver chair; these armchairs are made up of two...Category
Vintage 1970s French Tribal Armchairs
MaterialsElm
- Pierre Chapo, Pair of "Sahara" Armchairs, France, 1960By Pierre ChapoLocated in Catonvielle, FRPierre Chapo (1927-1987), Pair of "Sahara armchairs in blond elm and stitched Havana leather, France 1960. The backrest is swivel and the seat is stretched by a linen rope. The solid...Category
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Elm
- Pair of Loop Armchairs by Willy Guhl for Eternit Switzerland 1950sBy Willy Guhl, EternitLocated 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 Willy Guhl, EternitLocated 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
- Pair of Willy Guhl Loop Chairs, SwitzerlandBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAFantastic pair of cement chairs by Swiss designer Willy Guhl for Eternit. Brand new. Hand made in Switzerland. Newly produced. Priced as a pair. One of the most iconic chairs ever de...Category
2010s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Patio and Garden Furniture
MaterialsCement
$6,000 / set - Willy Guhl Loop Chair, SwitzerlandBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAFantastic cement chair by Swiss designer Willy Guhl for Eternit. Brand new. Hand mage in Switzerland. One of the most iconic chairs ever designed. Priced as a single chair.Category
2010s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Patio and Garden Furniture
MaterialsCement
$3,000 / item - 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