Willy Guhl Conical Planters

A pair of Willy Guhl planters in the low conical form, each a single steep rake from a broad rim down to a narrow round footprint, with no added detail. The outsides are a mottled mix of light ash gray and charcoal patches with fine pits across the body. Inside is where these two are distinctive: the pale surface layer is scaling and flaking away in large sections, exposing the darker core beneath, and vertical streaks of sediment follow the pitch of the walls.

Each measures 21 7/8 inches in diameter and 11 3/4 inches high, matched closely enough to read as a true pair. They are original Eternit pieces, Swiss and mid-century. The flaking inside is stable and is the kind of wear a buyer of these should expect; we have not filled or coated it.

As a pair they mark the two sides of a walkway or a doorway, or sit as low containers on a contemporary terrace where the flat bases keep them steady on stone or wood. The gray goes with reclaimed wood, raw bronze and plain lime plaster. These Willy Guhl planters are in our yard in Marina Del Rey; come and see them, or ask for photographs and a quote for the pair.