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.
$280Sale Price / item|20% Off
Vintage Cristal 1960s Vase Mod. 3586 by T. Wirkkala for Karhula- Iittala
By Tapio Wirkkala, Iittala
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Vintage cristal vase mod. 3586 designed by T. Wirkkala for Karhula- Iittala. Good condition: alone slightly opaque at the edge.
Glass
Tapio Wirkkala Crystal Ice Bucket with Tongs, Finland, 1950's
By Tapio Wirkkala
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Tapio Wirkkala Crystal Ice Bucket with Clasp, Finland, 1950's, original tongs
Crystal
7 DESSERT BOWLS iittala ultima thule tapio wirkkala 1960s
By Tapio Wirkkala, Iittala
Located in Mannheim, DE
7 'Ultima Thule' dessert bowls designed by Tapio Wirkkala for Iittala in 1968. Dimensions in cm: Height 5 cm, diameter 11.5 cm. Dimensions in inches: Height 1.96", diameter 4.52"....
Glass
Tapio Wirkkala for Iittala – “Tapio” Glassware Service
By Tapio Wirkkala
Located in Rio De Janeiro, BR
Tapio Wirkkala for Iittala – “Tapio” Glassware Service Complete 36-Piece Set Original Boxes Made in Finland A rare opportunity to acquire an exceptionally complete and beautifully ...
Crystal
1970s Tapio Wirkkala Set of 5 Niva Liquor Shot Glasses Iittala Finland
By Tapio Wirkkala, Iittala
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1970s Tapio Wirkkala Set of 5 Niva Liquor Shot Glasses Iittala Finland 2.75 h x 2.25 diameter Preowned vintage condition set of five Please see all images.
Art Glass
Lalique Ganymede Crystal Ice Bucket / Champagne Cooler / Vase
Located in New York, NY
Vintage crystal ice bucket, vase or champagne cooler from Lalique entitled Ganymede, dating from the 1980s. 9 in tall, 9 3/4 in wide and 8 3/4 in deep. 9.8 lbs. In excellent condi...
Crystal
$120Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 6.88 in Dm 2.38 in
1960s Tapio Wirkkala Set of 4 Iittala Highball Tumbler Glasses Finland
By Tapio Wirkkala, Iittala
Located in Chula Vista, CA
For your consideration, a Set of 4 Glasses Highball Tumbler designed by Tapio Wirkkala for Iittala. Finland, Scandinavian modern. No signature visible. Dimensions: 2.38 Diameter x 6...
Glass
Crystal and Ormolu Lion Head Ring-Handle Ice Bucket
Located in New York, NY
Crystal and ormolu lion head ring-handle ice bucket. Elegant diapered crystal basin with gilt rim and finely chased lion ring handles perfect for chillin...
Crystal, Ormolu
Vintage Vase "Orkidea" by Timo Sarpaneva for Iittala
By Iittala, Timo Sarpaneva
Located in Berghuelen, DE
A large vintage "Orkidea" (Orchid) vase designed by Timo Sarpameva for Iittala in 1953. Marked with incised signature 'TIMO SARPANEVA 236 / 1990' on the base. An authentic piece of F...
Art Glass
$200
H 7.09 in W 5.52 in D 2.76 in
Tapio Wirkkala for Iittala, Vase in Clear Art Glass, Finnish Design, 1960s
Located in København, Copenhagen
Tapio Wirkkala for Iittala. Vase in clear art glass. Finnish design, 1960s. In very good condition. Measures: 18 x 14 cm. Sticker.
Art Glass
Tapio Wirkkala Line-engraved Vase Model 3327, Iittala 1950s Finland
By Iittala, Tapio Wirkkala
Located in Helsinki, FI
A beautiful Line-engraved art glass vase model 3327, designed by Tapio Wirkkala and manufactured by Iittala in Finland in the 1950s. in the manufacturing process the glass is blown i...
Art Glass
Mid-Century Italian Mini Ice Bucket Diamond Cut Crystal Towle William Adams
By Baccarat
Located in Chula Vista, CA
For your consideration, Italian crystal mini ice bucket crystal with silver plated hardware. Stamped ITALY , TOWLE- William Adams. Dimensions: 9" H x 4.75" diameter. Please visi...
Crystal, Silver Plate
$200Sale Price|20% Off
H 2 in Dm 5 in
Freeform Crystal Iceberg Ashtray / Catch All by Tapio Wirkkala Iittala Finland
By Iittala, Tapio Wirkkala
Located in San Diego, CA
Gorgeous freeform crystal iceberg ashtray / catch all by Tapio Wirkkala for Iittala Finland, circa 1980s. The piece is in very good vintage condition with no chips or cracks and meas...
Crystal
Glass Bowl by Tapio Wirkkala for Iittala glassworks
By Tapio Wirkkala, Iittala
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A beautifully executed vessel or ice bowl in the form of a drinking glass having an organic free-form base evocative of winter ice.
Glass
Lalique Frejus Set of 6 Aperitif / Liquor Glasses
By Lalique
Located in Mérida, YU
This is a set of six exquisite appetitive glasses from the renowned Lalique brand. Crafted from clear crystal and featuring a stylish twist stemware design, this vintage set is a mu...
Crystal
$2,434
H 6.5 in W 5.71 in D 5.71 in
Vintage Boxed Cartier Crystal Ice Bucket Sterling Silver-Gilt Tongs 20th Century
By Cartier
Located in London, GB
An elegant vintage Cartier ice bucket, presented in its original fitted box, complete with sterling silver-gilt ice tongs. This piece was retailed as part ...
Crystal, Sterling Silver, Ormolu
Tapio Wirkkala for Ittala Lunaria Ice Block Bowl
By Tapio Wirkkala, Iittala
Located in New York, NY
Nice center bowl designed by Tapio Wirkkala for Ittala. Clear glass with textured ice surface. Original clean and undamaged condition, unsigned.
Art Glass
Tapio Wirkkala Ultima Thule for Iittala, Finland
By Tapio Wirkkala, Iittala
Located in Vienna, AT
Consists of: 12 whiskey glasses, 6 shot glasses, carafe. Whiskey glasses with upper diameter 7, height 8.5 cm shot glasses with upper diameter 4.5, height 5.5 cm, carafe height 22 c...
Crystal