What is Ultima Thule glass by designer Tapio Wirkkala, Iittala

Tapio Wirkkala, the most renowned designer of art objects and home decor of 20th-century Scandinavia, created Ultima Thule, his most famous glassware series.

The series was created in 1968 and is still in production. It features an organic design that captures the essential natural patterns of the North: ice, water, wood, and plants.

Ultima Thule glass collection in EMMA Museum in Espoo, Finland. Photo MolnaVintage. All rights reserved

Ultima Thule represents the melting ice of Lapland, Finland’s northernmost region. The incredible base surface appears as if it is made of droplets.

Interestingly, the legendary textured surface of these pieces happened almost by accident: the first items in the series had uneven surfaces due to the quality of the glass.

Pieces from the series can be found in the Design Museum of Finland, the Espoo Museum (Tapio Wirkkala and Rut Bryk Museum), the British Museum, and many others.

Tapio Wirkkala worked at the flagship art glass factory Iittala in Finland and also for Germany’s Rosenthal. He created glassware, utensils, lamps, and jewelry.

He won multiple awards at the Milan Triennale, received the highest honor Pro Finlandia, and became an academician of arts.

Wirkkala’s works are held in the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA), the Design Museum of Finland, the Museum of Glass, and many other museums and galleries worldwide. A city park in Helsinki is named after him.

More pieces by Tapio Wirkkala can be found on our website via this link