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Tapio Wirkkala Porcelain

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.

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Creator: Tapio Wirkkala
ROSENTHAL - Tapio Wirkkala - Porcelain Tea Cup & Saucer - Germany - 20th Century
ROSENTHAL - Tapio Wirkkala - Porcelain Tea Cup & Saucer - Germany - 20th Century

ROSENTHAL - Tapio Wirkkala - Porcelain Tea Cup & Saucer - Germany - 20th Century

$238Sale Price|30% Off

ROSENTHAL - Tapio Wirkkala - Porcelain Tea Cup & Saucer - Germany - 20th Century

By Tapio Wirkkala, Rosenthal

Located in Chatham, ON

ROSENTHAL (Manufacturer) - STUDIO LINE (Series) - TAPIO WIRKKALA (Designer) - Mid Century porcelain tea cup and saucer - gilt decorated rims - raised whiplash pattern and handle - ea...

Category

Late 20th Century German Scandinavian Modern Tapio Wirkkala Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Tapio Wirkaala "Porcelaine Noire" Dish Plate for Rosenthal Studio Linie, 1970s
Tapio Wirkaala "Porcelaine Noire" Dish Plate for Rosenthal Studio Linie, 1970s

Tapio Wirkaala "Porcelaine Noire" Dish Plate for Rosenthal Studio Linie, 1970s

$295Sale Price|30% Off

Tapio Wirkaala "Porcelaine Noire" Dish Plate for Rosenthal Studio Linie, 1970s

By Rosenthal, Tapio Wirkkala

Located in Reggio Emilia, IT

Vintage dish plate in black porcelain designed by Tapio Wirkkala for Rosenthal Studio Linie “Porcelaine Noire” serie with shiny and matte tone-on-tone dec...

Category

1970s German Post-Modern Vintage Tapio Wirkkala Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Tapio Wirkkala Composition Secunda Grey Set 34 Piece
Tapio Wirkkala Composition Secunda Grey Set 34 Piece

Tapio Wirkkala Composition Secunda Grey Set 34 Piece

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Tapio Wirkkala Composition Secunda Grey Set 34 Piece

By Rosenthal, Tapio Wirkkala

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Rare coffee and cake set in Rosenthal (Germany) bone china designed by Tapio Wirkkala, Finland 1963. 6 mocha cups with their saucers 6 coffee cups with their saucers Coffee pot Milk jug Sugar bowl 6 cake plates 20cm...

Category

1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Tapio Wirkkala Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

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Tapio Wirkkala porcelain for sale on 1stDibs.

Tapio Wirkkala porcelain are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of porcelain and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Tapio Wirkkala porcelain, although black editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original porcelain by Tapio Wirkkala were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider porcelain by Raymond Loewy, Lorenz Hutschenreuther, and Wallendorf. Prices for Tapio Wirkkala porcelain can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $450 and can go as high as $1,800, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $1,296.

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