Finnish Centerpieces

Modern sculptural tray designed by Tapio Wirkkala (1915-1985). Fabulous and very rare modernist tray dish, designed by the silversmith artist Tapio Wirkkala, back in the 1955. The sculptural tray has been crafted by Kultakeskus Oy in the city of Oulu, Finland in the shape of a boat in solid .916/.999 sterling silver with high polished finish. The incredible design is dated 1962 and is made up with a navette shaped piece, with several embossed levels in low and high elliptical with an elliptical hammered recess and an elliptical convex base, which create a fabulous optical effect. This tray is beautiful and elegant piece by one of the great 20th century designers is in lovely condition. It is a piece of sculptural art and will display with great eye appeal. Note: This is the model TW-114. Weight: 186.2 Grams, (119.40 Dwt). Measurements: 95 mm by 301 mm by 26 mm (3.75 x 11.85 x 1.04 Inches). Hallmarks: Stamped and engraved with the Finnish crown mark; the maker's mark, the mark for the assay of the .916 silver, the code for the date of production of 1962, the mark for the town of Oulu and signed in full, "TAPIO WIRKKALA 916H 1-7". Tapio Wirkkala Wirkkala was born in Hanko in 1915. He attended the Töölö co-educational school in Helsinki. His father, Ilmari Wirkkala, was a cemetery architect, and mother Selma (née Vanhatalo) a wood-carver. His sister Helena Korvenkontio and brother Tauno Wirkkala were also artists. Wirkkala's work ranges from designs of plastic ketchup bottles and metalwork to glass, ceramics and plywood in a range of styles. His success as a glass designer began in 1946 when he designed the Kantarelli vase for Iittala, and the mass-produced Tapio collection was launched in 1954. His range was immense, including glassware, stoneware, jewellery, and furniture for mass production, as well as individual sculptures in several media. He designed commemorative postage stamps for the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, and also designed the Finnish markka banknotes introduced in 1955. In the early 1950s, Wirkkala worked as the artistic director at the Helsinki Central School of Industrial Design. The WIR lightbulb designed by Wirkkala for Airam Electric was awarded the Grand Prix at the XII Milan Triennial in 1960. Among his most famous work have been the designs for the Finlandia vodka bottle (1970–1999) and for Iittala's Ultima Thule set of kitchen glasses. Both glassware items feature a dripping icicle look, and in the case of the Iittala's glassware it is said to have taken thousands of hours to develop a glassblowing technique that would produce the effect. Wirkkala did much of his initial design work using a traditional Finnish carving knife, the puukko. Wirkkala designed his own version of the knife, the Tapio Wirkkala Puukko...

Made in Finland, 1970s. Designed by Tamara Aladin and manufactured by Riihimaen Lasi Oy. Made in plum purple glass. They are rare and highly collecti...

Tapio Wirkkala (June 2, 1915 – May 19, 1985) was a Finnish designer and sculptor, one of the pioneers of industrial art in his country. His work in design was recognized in the years...

Tapio Wirkkala (June 2, 1915 – May 19, 1985) was a Finnish designer and sculptor, one of the pioneers of industrial art in his country. His work in design was recognized in the years...

Vintage textured glass Kekkeri bowl by Timo Sarpaneva for Iittala. Manufacturer: Iittala Designer: Timo Sarpaneva Origin: Finland Y...

Tapio Wirkkala (June 2, 1915 – May 19, 1985) was a Finnish designer and sculptor, one of the pioneers of industrial art in his country. His work in design was recognized in the years...

A beautiful handmade to order solid silver bowl by Tapio Wirkkala for Kultakeskus .

A rare large example designed by the Finnish female artist Friedl Holzer Kjellberg using an 18th century Chinese decorating technique. Small incisions are made in the porcelain that creates a transparent and delicate pattern. Incised on base; Arabia F...

Tapio wirkkala was an exceptionally talented designer regardless of the materials used. Although he established super stardom with his art glass objects in the 1950s by winning a num...

Tapio was always a hands on experience kind of designer. He always visited the work area of his objects and collaborated with the glass blowers or other handy and craftsmen that crea...

Beautiful vintage ceramic platter in a large modernist design by Hilkka-Liisa Ahola (1920-2009) for Arabia. The motif is floral with an array o...

1942 Finnish silver centerpiece bowl in Mid-Century Modern style standing on 4 feet in a beautiful, curvilinear design and with faintly gilt interior. It measures 11 1/3'' in length ...

Serving it sculpture no.3 by Milla Vaahtera Dimensions: H 28 x W 28 Materials: Glass In 2021 Milla Vaahtera started a series of unique sculptural and blown glass serving objects. These objects are useful as serving or as vases, but most importantly they are sculptures. Milla Vaahtera is beginning a new series rethinking the objects of home as sculptures. Glassblowers: Paula Pääkkönen, Sani Lappalainen, Otto Koivuranta, Jukka Viuha, Penna Tornberg and many other glassblowers from Nuutajärvi. Vaahtera began to work on this series in May 2017 together with glassblowers Paula Pääkkönen, Sani Lappalainen, Pauli Vähäsarja, Henni Eliala and Jonas Paajanen of Nuutajärvi. The metal parts were prepared by silversmith Kirsi Kokkonen together with Milla Vaahtera. The method was based on dialogue with the glass artists, improvisation and intuition. The ethereal pieces are a revival of the mobile tradition that emerged in the 1930s.The heavy glass parts and the delicate brass seek a balance with each other, thus creating tensions within the works. Milla Vaahtera (born 1981) is a designer and an artist working in Helsinki. The themes of her works extend from body image and sexuality to intuition and dialogues in the creative progress. Vaahtera has graduated as a Master of Arts in 2010 from Aalto University, the School of Arts, Design and Architecture. She did her BA studies in Lahti Institute of Design in 2008. Her work is featured in several exhibitions at galleries and museums including the Design Museum Finland, Lokal gallery and UU Market...