By Alvar Aalto, Iittala
Located in St. Louis, MO
An iconic milestone of 20th-century Scandinavian design, this Savoy organic wave vase was designed by legendary Finnish architect and pioneer Alvar Aalto in 1936 and produced in Finland by Iittala. Hand-blown in a vibrant, saturated cobalt blue glass, the free-form undulating silhouette captures Aalto's signature organic modernism—inspired by the natural contours of Finnish lakes and waves.
Iittala produced this rich, saturated cobalt blue color run during the late 1980s and 1990s. That run was discontinued in the late 1990s as Iittala refreshed its color palette, making examples from this era increasingly collectible.
This piece features the authentic "ALVAR AALTO" acid-etched/acid-stamped signature on the underside, alongside its original red circular Iittala "i" decal label on the upper rim. Measuring 6.25" H x 8 1/8" W x 7 5/16" D, this piece serves as both a functional floral vessel and a standalone sculpture.
The vase is in excellent vintage condition. The cobalt glass remains brilliant and clear with no chips, cracks, or flea bites, exhibiting only minor, light shelf scuffs to the underside base consistent with gentle display and handling. The acid stamp on the base is crisp and clear, and the original paper Iittala label remains intact on the exterior.
Designed in 1936 by visionary Finnish architect Alvar Aalto, the iconic Savoy vase was created for a competition held by the Karhula-Iittala glassworks ahead of the 1937 Paris World’s Fair. Inspired by the natural contours, fluid shorelines, and lakes of Finland—a thematic nod to Aalto’s own name, which translates to "wave" in Finnish—the design made history by breaking away from the rigid, geometric symmetry of traditional 1930s glassware...
Category
1980s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Iittala Vases