Large Pointed Vasque Planter by Willy Guhl in Modern Stand
View Similar Items
Large Pointed Vasque Planter by Willy Guhl in Modern Stand
About the Item
- Creator:Eternit (Maker),Willy Guhl (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 29 in (73.66 cm)Diameter: 46.75 in (118.75 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1960
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. New repair to crack, very minor chipping to edges.
- Seller Location:Woodbury, CT
- Reference Number:Seller: CPL 11591stDibs: LU863414766601
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 Olive Jar PlanterBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAConcrete olive jar planter by Willy Guhl with great patina and prominent presence. Beautiful light patina with white and blue flecks. Simple and eleg...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
$5,500 / item - Willy Guhl for Eternit, a Mid-Century Modern Concrete Garden Planter with StandBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in London, GBWilly Guhl for Eternit, a Mid-Century Modern concrete garden planter with hollow stand for the dish shaped planter. Some paint losses to the upper underside, but otherwise in great ...Category
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Guhl Concrete Box Planter on Metal Stand, 1970s SwitzerlandBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CARare concrete box planter sitting on a sturdy metal stand by Swiss architect Willy Guhl. Made in Switzerland in the 1970s. Box is 20.25" long and wide. In...Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete, Metal
- Willy Guhl Concrete Trough Planter on Iron Hairpin Stand, 1975 SwitzerlandBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CARare concrete trough planters sitting in fantastic iron hairpin stands by Swiss architect Willy Guhl. Trough is 24" long. Incredible natural patina with no paint. Factory drilled dra...Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Guhl Olive Jar Planter, 1960s SwitzerlandBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAConcrete olive jar planter by Willy Guhl with great patina and prominent presence. Simple and elegant design perfect for any garden or patio. Excellent patina and vintage condition. ...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
$5,500 / item - Willy Guhl White Basin Planter, 1960s SwitzerlandBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CALarge concrete planter by Willy Guhl in a cream paint with light patina. Low profile bin with a large diameter and 25" depth. Sturdy and substa...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete