Designer: Oiva Toikka

Oiva Toikka is a Scandinavian design legend. For many years he worked for the Nuutajärvi glassworks. Toikka became famous for his series of art glass with the flora and fauna of Finland.

He equally successful worked with both laconic and decorative forms. His items are often unusual and impulsive.

Oiva Kalervo Toikka (born May 29, 1931 in what was then rural Viipuri, Finland - died 2019) began his creative journey studying ceramics at the University of Art and Design in Helsinki, graduating in the mid‑1950s. He soon joined Arabia’s art department in Helsinki (1956 - 1959), where his sculptural approach, distinct from the prevailing functional norm, began to mature.

Famous series of Oiva Toikka

In 1963, Toikka moved to Nuutajärvi glassworks (later part of Iittala), taking charge of product development. There, he introduced iconic lines such as Kastehelmi (“Dew Drop”, 1964) and Flora (mid‑1960s), which remained in production for decades.

From 1972 onward, he crafted more than 300 unique mouth‑blown glass birds for Iittala’s "Birds by Toikka" series, each bird a one‑off, showcasing his playful impulsive style.

His aesthetic expanded beyond glass: Toikka also designed stage costumes for key Finnish theatres and occasional textiles for Marimekko. Over a 50 year career, his work earned top honors: the Lunning Prize (1970), Pro Finlandia Medal (1980), Kaj Franck Prize (1992) and Sweden’s Prince Eugen Medal (2001). In 1993 Helsinki’s arts university named him professor of arts, and a decade later, he was made honorary fellow.