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Timo Sarpaneva Building and Garden Elements

Finnish, 1926-2006

Celebrated glassmaker Timo Sarpaneva was a pioneer of Finnish postwar design. He led the formation of the utilitarian and artistic side of mid-century modern style. Sarpaneva’s glass vases, serveware and table lamps have a sculptural yet functional quality, making them adaptable for both decorative and utilitarian use.

Sarpaneva was born in 1926 in Helsinki and spent his childhood visiting his grandparents in the countryside. There, he was influenced by a barter economy where everything was made by hand and traded for services and wares.

In 1948, Sarpaneva graduated from the Institute for Industrial Arts in Helsinki (now the University of Art and Design Helsinki). He participated in the 1951 Triennale di Milano, submitting an embroidered coffee cozy that confused but delighted the judges and garnered a silver medal.

Around this time, Sarpaneva began experimenting with glassblowing. He transformed the traditional wet-stick method by creating a bubble within the molten glass, allowing him to work from the inside out. In 1954, he returned to the Triennale di Milano and won his first Grand Prize.

In the 1950s, Sarpaneva was hired at the glassware company Iittala, where he became a leading glass designer. Sarpaneva even designed the company logo, which is still used today. He worked for the company for over four decades until his death in 2006 at 79. 

Sarpaneva’s illustrious career earned international recognition. His honors included being named Honorary Royal Designer for Industry by the Royal Society of Arts in London in 1963. He received honorary doctorates from the Royal College of Art in London in 1967 and the University of Art and Design Helsinki in 1993.

In 2018, the Helsinki Design Museum exhibited a retrospective of “the golden boy of Finland’s Golden Age of design”.

On 1stDibs, find vintage Timo Sarpaneva decorative objects, serveware, lighting and more.

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Creator: Timo Sarpaneva
Set of 9 Timo Sarpaneva "Pallo" Door Handles, Primo Oy 1960s
Set of 9 Timo Sarpaneva "Pallo" Door Handles, Primo Oy 1960s

Set of 9 Timo Sarpaneva "Pallo" Door Handles, Primo Oy 1960s

By Timo Sarpaneva

Located in Helsinki, FI

A set of 9 beautiful "pallo" door handles designed by Timo Sarpaneva and manufactured by Primo Oy in Finland in the 1960s. These distinct door handles feature bright red balls ("pall...

Category

1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Timo Sarpaneva Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Metal

Set of 9 Timo Sarpaneva "Lasta" Door Handles in Brass, Primo Oy 1960s
Set of 9 Timo Sarpaneva "Lasta" Door Handles in Brass, Primo Oy 1960s

Set of 9 Timo Sarpaneva "Lasta" Door Handles in Brass, Primo Oy 1960s

By Timo Sarpaneva

Located in Helsinki, FI

A set of beautifully patinated "Lasta" brass door handles designed by Timo Sarpaneva and manufactured by Primo Oy in Finland in the 1960s. Timo Sarpaneva was an internationally wel...

Category

1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Timo Sarpaneva Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Brass, Iron

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Timo Sarpaneva building and garden elements for sale on 1stDibs.

Timo Sarpaneva building and garden elements are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. Many of the original building and garden elements by Timo Sarpaneva were created in the Scandinavian Modern style in finland during the 1960s. Prices for Timo Sarpaneva building and garden elements can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $3,907 and can go as high as $4,993, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $4,450.