Tapio Wirkkala, A Sterling Silver Art-Object, Model TW 36, Kultakeskus, 1959

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Tapio Wirkkala, A Sterling Silver Art-Object, Model TW 36, Kultakeskus, 1959

About the Item

Tapio Wirkkala, A sterling silver art-object, Model TW 36, Kultakeskus, Finland 1959 Artist Tapio Wirkkala (1915 Hanko, Finland-1985 Helsinki, Finland) A giant of Finnish design, Wirkkala was an artist of great diversity for whom no material was alien and who left no area of design unexplored. A glass design competition held by the Iittala glassworks in 1946 was the event that set his career in motion; the first prize went jointly to Wirkkala and Kaj Franck. With an oeuvre that ranges from exceptionally beautiful pieces of glass art to Industrial Design in the form of beer bottles and banknotes, Wirkkala also designed jewelry, sculptures, and furniture. More than any Finnish designer from his era Wirkkala got his inspiration from the natural world. Together with his wife Rut Bryk – a famous artist / ceramist in her own right – he spent several months each year in his country house in Northern Lapland, situated directly at lake Paadar. The inspiration gained there, watching the changing seasons, Wirkkala incorporated in his many designs. The recipient of many awards, honorary titles, and a doctorate, Wirkkala several Grand Prix and gold medals at the Triennale di Milano. In 1951 together with Hans J. Wegner he was the first recipient of the prestigious Lunning prize, often referred to as “The Nobel prize of design”. His works are collected by many important museums in the world, among others: Museum of Modern Art, New York, Design Museum Helsinki, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Design Museum Gent and The British Museum, London. Description A first grade silver (Sterling) flower vase / art object, designed in 1954 by Tapio Wirkalla and executed by the silversmiths of Kultakeskus in 1959. The shape of the vase is oval with two accolades on either side, that taper in a loop to the top and terminate in two outwardly curling lips. This art object is model TW 34 in the oeuvre of the Finnish master and was released in serial production in one size, namely 19 cm high. This particular specimen is a fine early example and is fully marked and in good vintage conditions (no inscriptions or dents). Execution Kultakeskus Oy, Hämeenlinna, Finland, 1959. Handcrafted. Marked TW (Tapio Wirkkala), 916H (Sterling 916/1000 silver fineness), Kultakeskus Oy mark (reclining lion), Finish National control mark (crown in heart shape), Year mark for 1959 (F7) and Hämeenlinna city hallmark (three stylised towers). Later added is a letter C mark, most likely a tax-stamp. Condition This object is in good vintage condition, some minor scratches and wear consistent with age and use. No cracks, dents or inscriptions. Literature Marianne Aav, Tapio Wirkkala eye, hand and thought: p. 360 Dimensions: W. 4.0 cm D 3.65 cm H 19.4 cm Weight: 244 grams. Shipping Worldwide complimentary shipping.

Creator:
Kultakeskus Oy (Manufacturer),Tapio Wirkkala (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 7.49 in (19 cm)Width: 1.97 in (5 cm)Depth: 1.97 in (5 cm)
Style:
Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Silver,Sterling Silver,Hammered,Hand-Crafted,Polished
Place of Origin:
Finland
Period:
1950-1959
Date of Manufacture:
1959
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. This object is in good condition, some minor scratches and wear consistent with age and use. No dents, cracks or inscriptions.
Seller Location:
EL Waalre, NL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU5141225386992

Shop All Tapio Wirkkala

Tapio Wirkkala

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.

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