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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Tapio Wirkkala Coffee Table
By Tapio Wirkkala
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Designed for Asko, Finland in 1958. These tables are highly sought after and regarded as Tapio Wirkkala's most important production furniture. Made from hand-sculpted solid el...
Elm
Tapio Wirkkala Inlaid Coffee Table for Asko Danish Modern
By Tapio Wirkkala
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant Inlaid Danish Modern Coffee Table, designed by Tapio Wirkkala, Finland, circa 1960s. Signed with brand underneath. Retains warm original patina.
Brass
$7,224 / set
H 21.07 in W 21.46 in D 21.46 in
Modern Vintage Three Coffee Tables Side Tables Sofa Tables Maison Jansen 1970s
By Maison Jansen
Located in Vienna, AT
Three modern Hollywood Regency style vintage coffee tables side tables or sofa tables Maison Jansen 1970s France. Finest quality table...
Brass, Steel
$2,072
H 21.86 in W 42.72 in D 17.33 in
Mid-Century Modern Vintage Coffee Table Attributed to Paolo Buffa, Italy 1940s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Vienna, AT
Mid Century Modern vintage coffee table design attributed to Paolo Buffa circa 1940 from solid mahogany and veneered mahogany clear lacquered. A classic and elegant coffee table with...
Mahogany
Elegant Side Table in Mahogany by Ole Wanscher, 1950s
By Ole Wanscher, A. J. Iversen
Located in Lejre, DK
Side table in mahogany, designed by Ole Wanscher for cabinetmaker A.J. Iversen. Great original condition. Measures: H.58 W.63/123 D.48 cm.
Mahogany
Swedish Grace Coffee Table, 1930s
Located in Karlstad, SE
Elegant Swedish grace / Art Deco coffee table, produced in Sweden, 1930s. This table features a thick circular table top in elm root veneer. The table top is supported by four richl...
Elm
Contemporary Nicole Coffee Table in Walnut and Brass
By Stuart Scott
Located in Trowbridge, Wiltshire
This new release is a fresh take on our signature piece, the Nicole Side Table. The Nicole Coffee Table is expertly lathe turned from thick sections of solid seasoned timber. An eleg...
Walnut
$858
H 21.86 in W 25.2 in D 16.34 in
Coffee Table Made In Black High-Gloss Colour By Piero Lissoni From 2006
By Piero Lissoni, Fritz Hansen
Located in Lejre, DK
This coffee table, designed by Piero Lissoni and manufactured by Fritz Hansen in 2006, is a sophisticated piece that seamlessly blends modern design with high-quality materials. The...
Metal
Coffee Table / Side Table Made In Rio Rosewood From 1960s
Located in Lejre, DK
This coffee table in exquisite Rio rosewood epitomizes the essence of Danish design from the 1960s, showcasing unparalleled craftsmanship and timeless elegance. Crafted with meticulo...
Rosewood
Swedish Coffee Table by Bruno Mathsson
By Firma Karl Mathsson, Bruno Mathsson
Located in Karlstad, SE
An elegant and understated table in birch, designed with the lightness and organic simplicity closely associated with Bruno Mathsson’s work. The softly rounded top is paired with sle...
Birch
$2,961
H 23.23 in W 35.44 in D 22.45 in
Swedish Modern Coffee Table in Birch, Glass and Rattan by Bodafors, 1940s
By Bodafors
Located in Karlstad, SE
Beautiful coffee or side table made of birch, rattan and glass by Bodafors, Sweden. The table consists of the original glass tabletop with etched ornaments, supported by a birch fra...
Glass, Rattan, Birch
$9,238
H 12.21 in W 48.82 in D 24.41 in
Tapio Wirkkala Mid-Century Coffee Table for Asko, Birch & Ebony
By Asko, Tapio Wirkkala
Located in PARIS, FR
Tapio Wirkkala coffee table for Asko (Finland) – Created by Wirkkala in the early 60s, it is the most iconic of its tables with its 3 marquetry inserts: the emblematic leaf and the 2...
Iron
Tapio Wirkkala for Asko Square "Rhythmic" Coffee Table, 1950s
By Tapio Wirkkala, Asko
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Tapio Wirkkala Asko Finland birch and exotic wood veneer coffee table. Featuring a squared multi layered wood surface, supported by four chrome-plated steel legs and brass capped fee...
Brass, Steel
Tapio Wirkkala Coffee Table by Asko in Finland
By Tapio Wirkkala
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Rare coffee table designed by Tapio Wirkkala. Produced by Asko in Finland. Rosewood, steel, brass and “Mussel” and “Leaf” veneer inlay.
Brass, Steel