Iittala, Timo Sarpaneva vase Finlandia, 1960s
Iittala, Timo Sarpaneva vase Finlandia, 1960s
An iconic vase and artwork from the legendary Finlandia glass series, 1960s. Created by the renowned designer Timo Sarpaneva. Signed by the artist.
For this series, Sarpaneva developed his own unique technique. Each piece was cast by hand in wooden molds made from split logs, which were burned by the molten glass with each casting. This process made every piece one-of-a-kind.
This is one of his most famous glass series.
At the 2018 exhibition of the artist’s legacy at the Design Museum in Helsinki, the Finlandia vases and sculptures formed the most significant composition of all his works. I saw it with my own eyes.
Sarpaneva worked as a designer at Iittala, the flagship Finnish glassworks. He was also famous as a sculptor and industrial designer.
The designer created numerous series of art glass and crystal pieces that became global classics.
In 1956 and 1957, he was awarded the Grand Prix at the Milan Triennale, along with many other prestigious international design awards. He was honored with Finland’s highest decoration, the Pro Finlandia Medal, and held positions as a professor and honorary professor at the Royal College of Art in London and Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture in Helsinki.
Art glass remained the designer’s favorite material. Here’s what Sarpaneva told The New York Times in 1994: “Glass is always very mysterious. It’s constantly changing. And that gives it a sense of magic.”
Iittala Glassworks. Height: 17.5 cm, Diameter 13.5 cm. Catalog number: 3351. During the hand-polishing of the upper rim of a vase of this shape, small technical chips may form just below the edge — these are not defects and are almost invisible to the naked eye. This technical nuance can be seen on the last foto. Otherwise excellent vintage condition