Attributed to Guglielmo Ulrich

Set of eight chairs. Attributed to GUGLIELMO ULRICH (1904-1977). Italy, 1940's.
Ebonized walnut wood frame.
Seats upholstered with new bouclé fabric.
In very good condition, the chairs have been completely restored.
Measurements: 88 x 44 x 46 cm.

This set of eight chairs is a superlative example of mid-century "Stile Italiano", a period that defined luxury and modern elegance. The attribution to Guglielmo Ulrich places these pieces at the epicenter of Milanese aristocratic design.

Guglielmo Ulrich was an architect, interior and furniture designer, a key figure in the transition from the opulent Italian Novecento and Art Deco to the lighter post-war modernism. His work is known for a perfect balance between the tradition of high cabinetmaking and a modern, cosmopolitan sensibility. He was not a radical modernist; his approach was to create luxurious pieces, with impeccable construction and timeless elegance.

The 1940s was a period of maturity for Ulrich. His designs from this period, often made for the haute bourgeoisie and aristocracy of Milan and Rome, are characterized by the use of fine woods (such as walnut or rosewood) and forms that, while clean, always retain a sculptural grace.

Several key elements of their language come together in the chairs we are bidding for: the refined silhouette, the use of the sabre leg and the elegance of the openwork backrest. The latter evokes the shape of a butterfly with open wings, but reinterpreted in a totally modern and simplified way.

The use of walnut guarantees a robust, high-quality structure. The ebonized finish is a resource of great sophistication, widely used in Art Deco and by designers such as Ulrich and Gio Ponti to give a dramatic and graphic air to the furniture, allowing the silhouette to be the protagonist.

The saber-like back legs are a nod to neoclassical furniture (such as Empire, Regency or Biedermeier style). It's an elegant curve that adds dynamism and a touch of refined historicism, a detail Ulrich employed masterfully. The straight front legs, tapering at the bottom, anchor the chair in modernity.

Bouclé fabric: The choice of a new bouclé fabric for the seat is a wise restoration decision. This type of fabric (with a curled or knotted texture) was hugely popular in the late 1940s and 1950s (think Eero Saarinen's work for Knoll). It brings tactile texture, comfort and a soft contrast against the graphic hardness of ebonized wood, while respecting the spirit of the era.

Context and Valuation
These chairs were not designed for mass production. They belong to a category of "signature cabinetmaking" (haute cabinetmaking), probably part of a complete commission for a dining room of a luxury private residence. They represent a transitional moment in Italian design: they still retain the richness of materials and classical references of the interwar period, but point towards the synthesis and formal elegance that would define Italian design in the 1950s and 1960s.