Willy Guhl Conical Planters

Two Willy Guhl planters sold as a pair, each a sharp flared cone that joins a wide circular rim to a much narrower base with every ornament stripped away. The surfaces have weathered hard: pale ash gray shifting to deep charcoal, with a jagged collar of iron-rich staining and living moss around the top edges. Inside, vertical tracks of earthen residue and dusty sediment follow the walls down.

They are near matches rather than twins: one measures 21 1/2 inches across, the other 21 inches, and both stand 11 3/4 inches high. The small difference is visible side by side and we think it adds to them. Both are original Eternit pieces, Swiss and mid-century, with the moss and rust left in place.

Set them either side of a step, along a gravel walk, or on a terrace as containers for architectural greenery; they are also fine standing empty in a plain courtyard. The gray takes dark bronze or raw copper, which pick up the rust around the rims, and sits well on light gravel or wide reclaimed timber. The pair of Willy Guhl planters can be seen by appointment in Marina Del Rey, or we will send photographs and a price.