Pair of Swiss Willy Guhl Chairs for Dietiker
View Similar Items
Pair of Swiss Willy Guhl Chairs for Dietiker
About the Item
- Creator:Dietiker (Manufacturer),Willy Guhl (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 29.53 in (75 cm)Width: 18.9 in (48 cm)Depth: 19.3 in (49 cm)Seat Height: 16.93 in (43 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Shows signs of use and age, original vintage patina!
- Seller Location:Basel, CH
- Reference Number:Seller: 30531stDibs: LU104222981572
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 Hans Eichenberger Saffa Chairs Black Leather Dietiker Switzerland 1970sBy Hans Eichenberger, DietikerLocated in Basel, BSRare pair of ‚Saffa‘ chairs, originally designed in 1955, they gained recognition at the second exhibition for Swiss women‘s work in 1958. The first version had a woven cane back, w...Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsStainless Steel
- 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 - Quadro Chairs by Bruno Rey & Charles Polin for Dietiker, Switzerland, 1980sBy Charles Polin, Dietiker, Bruno ReyLocated in Almelo, NLQuadro chairs by Bruno Rey & Charles Polin For Dietiker, Switzerland 1989. Designed in 1980s by Swiss most renowned designer Bruno Rey in collaborator...Category
Vintage 1980s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- 70s Postmodern Solid Dark Wood Dining Chairs Bruno Rey for Dietiker SwitzerlandBy Bruno Rey, DietikerLocated in Basel, BSIconic and comfortable 1970s Swiss Designer chairs. Suitable for side chairs, accent chairs, dining chairs, etc. Solid wood-- Original! *Not remakes / reissues. As always, it is high...Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Oak
- 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 - 1960s Black Lacquered Bankstuhl Chairs by Willy Guhl for Stendig, Set of 6By Stendig Co., Willy GuhlLocated in Philadelphia, PAThis is a set of 6 Bankstuhl caned dining chairs, designed by Willy Guhl. This simple solid model of dining chair is composed of a wood frame with a caned seat and back. This silhou...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsWood, Lacquer, Cane