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Tapio Wirkkala

Finnish, 1915-1985

Along with architect Alvar Aalto, the designer Tapio Wirkkala was Finland’s leading contributor to the Scandinavian interpretation of modernism in the mid-20th century. Prolific and innovative, Wirkkala excelled in a wide range of fields, including glass, furniture, porcelain, jewelry and tableware. The hallmark of his talent was an ability to impart a craft aesthetic based on natural forms — leaves, ice, bubbles, birds — to industrially produced designs.

A native of Helsinki, Wirkkala studied at the national School of Applied Arts and took up a career in graphic design. After serving in the Finnish army during World War II, he joined the glassmaking firm Iittala, an association that would continue to the end of his life. Wirkkala learned every aspect of glassmaking in keeping with his belief that an artist-designer should be involved in all stages of production. His best-known works for Iittala are vases and drinking vessels that resemble either carved ice or icicles. In 1956, Wirkkala began a long relationship with the porcelain maker Rosenthal, for whom he designed elegant table pieces, such as the Finlandia coffee service and the biomorphic Pollo vases. 

House Beautiful magazine declared Wirkkala’s Leaf platter the “most beautiful object” of 1951. (The acclaim led to his brief employment stint with industrial designer Raymond Loewy in New York.) That platter was one of the first designs Wirkkala made using laminated sheets of plywood sanded to a smooth surface that resembles an abstract leaf. It would go on to become a motif in many Wirkkala furniture pieces — most notably in inlaid coffee tables for Asko — and in a sense these are the works most emblematic of his personal aesthetic.

Wirkkala was a traditionalist in many ways, but he had a modernist’s practical approach, incorporating his leaf-like spirals into simple, functional objects. That is the core attraction of Wirkkala’s designs: They stand out with a striking, sculptural energy yet blend in as part of a warm and comfortable decor.

Find vintage Tapio Wirkkala furniture on 1stDibs.

Average Sold Price
$888
Styles
Materials
Related Creators
Rare Tapio Wirkkala Rosenthal Studio Line White Op Art Porcelain Vase
Rare Tapio Wirkkala Rosenthal Studio Line White Op Art Porcelain Vase

Rare Tapio Wirkkala Rosenthal Studio Line White Op Art Porcelain Vase

By Rosenthal, Tapio Wirkkala

Located in Bad Säckingen, DE

This elegant white porcelain vase was designed by the renowned Finnish designer Tapio Wirkkala for Rosenthal Studio Line, Germany. Characteristic of Wirkkala’s refined and sculptural...

Category

Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Tapio Wirkkala

Materials

Porcelain

Tapio Wirkkala Stainless Steel Puukko Knife with Leather Sheath Hackman Finland
Tapio Wirkkala Stainless Steel Puukko Knife with Leather Sheath Hackman Finland

Tapio Wirkkala Stainless Steel Puukko Knife with Leather Sheath Hackman Finland

By Tapio Wirkkala, Hackman

Located in London, GB

Tapio Wirkkala Puukko Knife by Hackman Finnish Design This vintage Puukko knife, designed by renowned Finnish designer Tapio Wirkkala and produc...

Category

1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Tapio Wirkkala

Materials

Brass, Stainless Steel

Vintage Finnish Tapio Wirkkala for Hackman Puukko Knife & Sheath
Vintage Finnish Tapio Wirkkala for Hackman Puukko Knife & Sheath

Vintage Finnish Tapio Wirkkala for Hackman Puukko Knife & Sheath

By Tapio Wirkkala

Located in Philadelphia, PA

A fine puukko knife & sheath from the 1960's. Designed by Tapio Wirkkala and produced by Hackman. The puukko comprising a stainless steel blade, brass fittings, and a black nylon ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Tapio Wirkkala

Materials

Brass, Stainless Steel

Set of Two Vintage "Paper Bag" Vases by Tapio Wirkkala for Rosenthal - 1970's
Set of Two Vintage "Paper Bag" Vases by Tapio Wirkkala for Rosenthal - 1970's

Set of Two Vintage "Paper Bag" Vases by Tapio Wirkkala for Rosenthal - 1970's

By Tapio Wirkkala

Located in Camblanes et Meynac, FR

Set of Two Vintage Beige/Brown "Paper Bag" Vases by Tapio Wirkkala for Rosenthal pair of vintage "Paper Bag" vases designed by Tapio Wirkkala for Rosenthal. These exceptional pieces...

Category

1970s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Tapio Wirkkala

Materials

Porcelain

Silver. Vase by Tapio Wirkkala, Kultakeskus OY, Hämeenlinna, Finland, 1973
Silver. Vase by Tapio Wirkkala, Kultakeskus OY, Hämeenlinna, Finland, 1973

Silver. Vase by Tapio Wirkkala, Kultakeskus OY, Hämeenlinna, Finland, 1973

$2,753Sale Price|20% Off

H 8.67 in W 2.76 in D 2.76 in

Silver. Vase by Tapio Wirkkala, Kultakeskus OY, Hämeenlinna, Finland, 1973

By Tapio Wirkkala

Located in Stockholm, SE

This vase In silver was designed by the Finnish master Tapio Wirkkala, whose artistic expression consistently drew inspiration from nature. He himself described how he discovered for...

Category

1970s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Tapio Wirkkala

Materials

Sterling Silver

Venini Bolle Tall Glass Vase in Grey and Blue-Green by Tapio Wirkkala
Venini Bolle Tall Glass Vase in Grey and Blue-Green by Tapio Wirkkala

Venini Bolle Tall Glass Vase in Grey and Blue-Green by Tapio Wirkkala

By Tapio Wirkkala, Venini

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Venini glass vase in grey and blue-green designed by Tapio Wirkkala in 1966. Perfect for indoor home decor as container or statement piece for any room. Dimensions: 10 cm diameter...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Tapio Wirkkala

Materials

Art Glass

Black Loon Porcelain Figure by Tapio Wirkkala for Rosenthal, 1970s
Black Loon Porcelain Figure by Tapio Wirkkala for Rosenthal, 1970s

Black Loon Porcelain Figure by Tapio Wirkkala for Rosenthal, 1970s

By Tapio Wirkkala

Located in Stockholm, SE

Black Loon Porcelain Figure by Tapio Wirkkala for Rosenthal, 1970s. Wirkkala, the Finnish designer and artist, created an iconic figure of a loon for the German porcelain company Ros...

Category

1970s German Scandinavian Modern Vintage Tapio Wirkkala

Materials

Porcelain

Ice Glass Bowl "Lunaria" by Tapio Wirkkala for Iittala 1972
Ice Glass Bowl "Lunaria" by Tapio Wirkkala for Iittala 1972

Ice Glass Bowl "Lunaria" by Tapio Wirkkala for Iittala 1972

By Tapio Wirkkala, Iittala

Located in Berghuelen, DE

A vintage "Lunaria" bowl designed by Tapio Wirkkala for Iittala Glassworks in 1972. Marked with etched signature 'TAPIO WIRKKALA' on the rim. Iittala model number 3449. An authentic ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Tapio Wirkkala

Materials

Art Glass

Browse all Furniture from Tapio Wirkkala
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Tapio Wirkkala Sale Prices

Sold DateSold PriceCategoryMaterialCreation Year
2025$100CandlesticksArt Glass1970s
2025$294VasesCeramic2000s
2025$250VasesCeramic1970s
2025$431Decorative Dishes and Vide-PocheGlass, Murano GlassCirca 1970
2025$2,000Animal SculpturesBrass1970s
2025$225VasesPorcelain1970s
2025$400PorcelainPorcelain1960s
2025$120GlassArt Glass1970s
2025$400VasesArt Glass, Blown Glass1947-1949
2025$100GlassCrystal, Art GlassMid-20th Century
2025$210VasesPorcelain1979
2025$129CandlesticksArt Glass1970s
2025$335VasesPorcelain1970s
2025$4,200Decorative BowlsPlywood1954
2025$176VasesPorcelain1980s
2025$1,600VasesSterling Silver1973
2025$737VasesArt Glass1950
2025$539VasesArt Glass1955
2025$658VasesArt Glass1956
2025$1,133VasesArt Glass1950
$888
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months
$100-$4,200
Sold price range of items in the past 12 months

Creators Similar to Tapio Wirkkala

More Tapio Wirkkala Designs
Tapio Wirkkala Triennale Pendant Light
Tapio Wirkkala Triennale Pendant Light
Average Price
$1,123
Number Available
9
Tapio Wirkkala Triennale Pendant Light
By Tapio Wirkkala
Materials
Glass, Ceramic
Styles
Mid Century Modern, Scandinavian Modern
Shop All

Tapio Wirkkala furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Tapio Wirkkala furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of glass and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Tapio Wirkkala furniture, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 263 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 19 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Tapio Wirkkala were created in the Scandinavian Modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Timo Sarpaneva, Kaj Franck, and Nuutajärvi Notsjõ. Prices for Tapio Wirkkala furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $57 and can go as high as $37,426, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $1,945.