Furniture designer Guglielmo Ulrich was born in Milan to a family with Danish origins. After completing his studies at the Brera Academy, the Scuola Speciale di Architettura and the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1927, Ulrich’s status quickly rose in high-society circles, as he’d gained a reputation for creating elegant interiors for a range of commercial and private clients. Architecture and furniture design in Milan was evolving during the era owing to industrialization, and Ulrich’s modernist work was seen as fresh and forward-looking.
In 1930, Ulrich established the furniture company ARCA — which was short for Arredamento Casa — with colleagues Attilio Scaglia and Renato Wild. Together they created a platform for Ulrich’s designs, which were quite different from the typical furnishings found in Europe at the time.
Ulrich favored simple lines — tapered table and chair legs, lean silhouettes — and the graceful contours of his console tables and dining chairs are representative of an endeavor to streamline neoclassical forms. He created luxurious but practical furniture and home accessories that featured an emphasis on craftsmanship as well as an integration of exotic materials such as ebonized wood, opaline glass and green marble. Ulrich’s designs were very much in line with what we now know as the Art Deco style, which was officially introduced to the world in 1925 at Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris. He collaborated with legendary architect and designer Gio Ponti on designs for a hotel property in the late 1930s and co-edited Ponti’s revered Domus magazine with Milanese architect Melchiorre Bega.
By the 1950s, Ulrich was firmly established as one of the most influential Milanese designers, having a hand in designing homes, commercial properties and more. In 1961, he won the Fiera di Trieste award for his lightweight Trieste chair, a seat that shared common ground with Ponti’s iconic Superleggera chair and was produced by Saffa.
Find vintage Guglielmo Ulrich seating, tables,and cabinets on 1stDibs.
Desk and Dressing Table, with Mirror Style of Ulrich, circa 1936, Vanity Table
By Guglielmo Ulrich
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Guglielmo Ulrich manner desk and dressing table; Desk in walnut, elm and elm burl. Feet in golden brass A wonderful and very useful desk repr...
Brass
$3,898Sale Price|40% Off
Amazing Italian Desk or Dining Table by Guglielmo Ulrich
By Guglielmo Ulrich
Located in Munich, DE
Wonderful organic shaped walnut base and silvered glass top. I was not able to get a good picture of the top.
Walnut
$1,698
H 63.39 in W 48.43 in D 20.48 in
VINTAGE QUEEN ANNE STYLE LEGS DRESSING TABLE VANITY WITH LARGE MiRROR
Located in Pulborough, GB
Antiques of London This elegant dressing table in the Queen Anne style features a stunning hardwood with a rich, warm finish. The serpentine front is complemented by six drawers,...
Hardwood
$452Sale Price|50% Off
H 28.35 in W 31.5 in D 17.72 in
Lady’s Desk or Vanity in Mahogany, Czechoslovakia, 1970s
By Up Závody
Located in Zohor, SK
Beautiful midcentury desk, originally used as a desk for a lady, or vanity in the bedroom. The table is elegant combination of lighter birch wood on the sides and mahogany wood on to...
Birch, Mahogany
Jacques Adnet Modernist Dressing Table circa 1935
By La Maison Desny
Located in CA, CA
This supremely rare early Modernist dressing table by Jacques Adnet, with its novel use of clear and opaline glass, and nickel-plated and pain...
Nickel
$8,000 / item
H 55.91 in W 53.15 in D 19.69 in
21st Century American Walnut Veneer Vanity Desk with Mirror and Carrara Marble
By Merve Kahraman
Located in Istanbul, TR
"La Nouvelle Vanité" is a make up desk made of American walnut veneer with an arc shaped mirror behind, designed by Merve Kahraman design studio. This work/makeup desk...
Wood
$2,300
H 26.25 in W 59.5 in D 16 in
Mid Century Danish Modern Teak Vanity, Console Table or Low Profile Desk
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A simple modern Scandinavian design from Denmark circa 1970's. This piece features all teak wood construction with generous storage and a unique bowed front. A very versatile piece f...
Teak
$5,366
H 31.5 in W 41.34 in D 23.63 in
Mid Century Italian Rattan and Bamboo Desk / Vanity Table Vivai del Sud C.1970
By Vivai del Sud
Located in London, GB
A Vivai del Sud pedestal table Rome, Italy, C.1970. Constructed in in rattan, bamboo and cane. Ideal as a small desk or vanity. The Knee hole width measures 39cm. In excellent condi...
Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan
Lacquered Desk or Dining Table by Jacques Jarrige
By Jacques Jarrige
Located in New York, NY
Luca is an elegant and sculptural piece by Jacques Jarrige that functions equally well as a refined desk or a small dining table. Hand-carved and finished in lustrous lacquer, the pi...
Scrap Wood
70's Tobacco Leaf Dining Table or Desk
By Aldo Tura, Milo Baughman
Located in Miami, FL
Textural, organic, and terribly chic. This 70's dining table or desk is sheathed in tobacco leaves and given a acrylic finish to complement its sleek simplicity.
Acrylic, Wood
$24,368
H 32.29 in W 98.43 in D 45.28 in
Unique Red Lacquer and Brass Maison Jansen Dining Table or Desk, 1970s
By Maison Jansen
Located in Paris, IDF
A rare piece from Maison Jansen, this large dining table was a commission by a private client. With its impeccable design, perfect proportions, and high-end materials like mother of ...
Brass
$1,850 / set
H 40 in W 32.75 in D 21 in
Antique Wicker Vanity Desk Set with Chair, Circa 1890, Pink Upholstery
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Charming antique wicker vanity / desk with matching chair. Chair seat cushion has been reupholstered in a pink & white plaid cotton fabric. A...
Wicker
$4,177
H 47.25 in W 34.45 in D 19.69 in
Art Deco Vanity/Dressing Table with Round Mirror, France, Circa 1930's
Located in Beirut, LB
A rare and beautifully preserved example of French Art Deco cabinetmaking, this vanity dressing table dates to circa 1930's and speaks the period's design language with complete conf...
Mirror, Wood
Vanity Dressing Table w/ Mirror & Drawer
Located in San Francisco, CA
C. 19th century Vanity dressing table w/ mirror & drawer.
Glass, Wood
Guglielmo Ulrich writing set, desk an chair
By Guglielmo Ulrich
Located in Milano, IT
COD-2637 Guglielmo Ulrich (1904-1977) Desk with brass profiles, two small drawers and central compartment. Elegant wave motif on the top and brass tips. Chair in wood, brass and up...
Brass