4 Olivette fiber cement planters attributed to Willy Guhl 27½"

A rare set of four large round planters, model often called Olivette, attributed to Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, mid 20th century, likely 1960s to 1970s. Each has an ample olive-jar silhouette with a thick rolled rim, cast in fiber-cement and finished in a weathered yellow.

Willy Guhl, 1915 to 2004, was a Swiss furniture and industrial designer celebrated for pioneering the use of fiber-cement in modern outdoor forms. Trained as a cabinetmaker, he opened his Zurich studio in the late 1930s and taught for decades at the Kunstgewerbeschule Zürich, shaping generations of Swiss designers. From the early 1950s he collaborated with Eternit AG, developing robust, minimalist pieces that balanced utility and sculptural clarity, including the Loop chair of 1954 and a wide family of planters such as the Diabolo and various jar and bowl forms. The Olivette shape reflects postwar Swiss modernism tempered by vernacular garden vessels, prized for durability, weather resistance, and quiet, architectural presence.

These generous vessels anchor a terrace, courtyard, or entry with sculptural weight. Group all four for a rhythmic border of olive, citrus, or clipped box, or deploy them singly to flank garden gates and pool stairs. Indoors they bring a rustic modern note to a sunroom or loft, used as statement planters or as standalone objets where their yellow, weathered patina adds warmth and texture against plaster, stone, or concrete.

Condition and wear consistent with age and use.
Each measures approx. 27½" high x 23¾" diameter externally
Each measures approx. 70cm high x 60cm diameter externally