This document provides information about various glassware products from the Finnish company Iittala. It summarizes different collections and the designers that created them, including the iconic Alvar Aalto Collection from 1936. Key designers discussed are Alvar Aalto, Oiva Toikka, Tapio Wirkkala, Timo Sarpaneva, Kaj Franck, Heikki Orvola and Klaus Haapaniemi. The document highlights iconic and classic designs from each collection and designer, such as the Aalto vases, Kastehelmi beads, Birds figurines, Ultima Thule textures, and Taika illustrations.

1. Nordic glass
Finland
24.3.2014

2. Iittala
• What started as a glass factory in Iittala,
Finland, today celebrates generations of
essential objects that are made to enrich
people’s everyday lives. We believe objects
should be distinctive, combinable and multi-
functional, with lasting design that inspires
individual use and expression.
• As a company based in Finland, where quality,
aesthetics and functionality are important
values, Iittala believes in interior design that
lasts a lifetime. The progressive philosophy of
our design heroes, Kaj Franck and Alvar Aalto,
still inspires us to keep Iittala forever relevant.
• We don’t just create beautiful objects. We
believe in timeless design that will never be
thrown away.

3. Alvar Aalto Collection
• Designer - Alvar Aalto , designed in 1936
• In 1936, Alvar Aalto created his classic series of
glass vases. The Alvar Aalto Collection has been
a staple of modern Scandinavian design and the
most iconic series in the Iittala range ever
since.
• With their eternal and flowing form, Aalto
vases seems to mimic the water they hold.
Today, just as then, each and every vase in the
Alvar Aalto Collection is mouth blown at the
Iittala glass factory.
• For instance, it takes a team of seven skilled
craftsmen to take an Aalto vase through all its
steps in production.
Aalto vase 160 mm clear
Aalto vase 251 mm white
Aalto vase 160 mm flaming red
Aalto vase 120 mm rain
Aalto vase 201 mm salmon pink

4. Alvar Aalto Collection
Alvar Aalto
• 1898-1976
• Born in Kuortane in 1898, Alvar Aalto made his name
as a master of modern architecture through his
unique style and exceptional talent. He worked
closely with his wife Aino Aalto.
• Aalto designed concert halls, libraries, hospitals,
museums and private homes, among others, all
around the world. His works were exhibited in the
New York Museum of Modern Art already in the
1930s. Aalto also designed several objects which
were originally intended to become parts of buildings
and decorations. However, the objects took on a life
of their own.
• The most famous of the objects designed by Aalto is
the Aalto vase, which was first seen at the 1937 Paris
World Exposition. Independently and together with
his wife Aino Aalto, Alvar Aalto designed a number of
versatile objects.

5. Kastehelmi
• Designer - Oiva Toikka, designed in 1964
• The Finnish word “kastehelmi” means “dewdrop,”
which refers to the rings of small glass beads that
give each piece in the Iittala Kastehelmi collection
its distinct character. Originally designed by Oiva
Toikka in 1964, the Kastehelmi series was
relaunched in 2010 to celebrate his 50th year as
one of Iittala’s most iconic designers.
• The idea of using droplets of glass as decoration
came to Oiva Toikka when he was thinking of ways
to hide the joint marks left by the production
process. The result was Iittala Kastehelmi, which
features rings of tiny glass bubbles that extend
outwards from the centre of each piece. Today, as
then, Iittala Kastehelmi is one of the most beloved
series in the Iittala range.
Kastehelmi bowl104 mm 35 cl clear
Kastehelmi plate 315mm grey
Kastehelmi votive 64mm 1,9 l clear

6. Birds by Toikka
• Designer Oiva Toikka designed in 1972
• Professor Oiva Toikka is one of the greatest names in
Finnish design. His iconic collection of Iittala Birds by
Toikka first took flight back in 1972 with the creation
of the small Flycatchers. Today Iittala Birds by Toikka
can be found in the homes of collectors all over the
world who enjoy them as simple reminders of the
poetry of everyday life.
• Drawing from nature and his passion for art glass,
Toikka has created more than 400 birds over the last
forty years. Iittala Birds by Toikka are all individually
mouth-blown, making each one as unique as those
who collect them. These lovely little creatures are
treasured objects of art that are sure bring joy to any
house, office or space they call home.
Birds by Toikka Magpie 255x150mm

7. Kastehelmi
Oiva Toikka
• Professor Oiva Toikka is one of the greatest
names in Finnish glass. His imaginative, rich and
bold glass art deviates from the streamlined
aesthetic of Nordic design. He has worked in
the performing arts for as long as he has in
glass. The Birds collection is Toikka’s best-
known work. He has enjoyed an international
career and received numerous awards, among
them Lunning Prize, Pro Finlandia Medal, World
Glass Now 85 Award, Kaj Franck Design Prize
and the Prince Eugen Medal.

8. Ultima Thule
• Designer - Tapio Wirkkala, designed in 1968
• Inspired by the melting ice in Lapland, Wirkkala
originally created the surface in the 1960s after
carving into a graphic mould. An exclusive
design reflecting the thousands of hours spent
perfecting the glass-blowing technique required
to produce the effect. The patterns gradually
change as the glass burns the surface of the
wooden moulds.
UltimaThule goblet 34cl
UltimaThule ice lip pitcher 150cl
UltimaThule d.o.f. 28cl

9. Chantarelle
• Designer - Tapio Wirkkala, designed in 1947
• Chantarelle art piece is a classic design by Tapio
Wirkkala. It was designed in 1947. The vase
gets it's inspiration from the chanterelle
mushroom. This strikingly elegant piece of
Wirkkala art glass is mould blown with delicate
line-cuts on the surface.
Chantarelle 210 mm

10. Ultima Thule and Chantarelle
Tapio Wirkkala
• 1915-1985
• Born in Hanko, Finland. Tapio Wirkkala is known
as the versatile genius of design. His
contribution to design includes everything from
glass products to the design of banknotes and
graphic art. During his career, Wirkkala has
participated in many interntional exhibitions, as
well as being the artistic director of the
University of Arts and Design in Helsinki for
many years. He has won a large number of
awards, including three gold medals at the
Triennale in Milan in 1951, followed by another
three in 1954.

11. Claritas
• Designer - Timo Sarpaneva, designed in 1983
• Every Claritas piece is a unique work of art. Air
bubbles, layers of coloured glass and shapes are
taken to their extremes, demanding intimate
knowledge of the glass material from the glass
blowers and polishers. With all the unattainable
colours that Sarpaneva could only dream ofin
the 1980s, Claritas objects are now glowing in
majestic forms.
Claritas 210mm Ring of Trajanus

12. Festivo
• Designer - Timo Sarpaneva, designed in 1966
• The story goes that designer Timo Sarpaneva
originally designed the Festivo candle holder as
a wine glass for himself. The idea was to fit an
entire bottle of wine into a single glass. A
rough-surfaced, ice-like glass was born, with
the bowl and base sections blown separately.
When the base sections of the glasses were
sitting in the factory on their own, the idea
came to use them as candle holders – and so
the prototype of a new classic was born. The
Festivo series has been manufactured since
1967 and has become a true icon of the Finnish
home.
Festivo candle holder 120mm
Festivo candle holder 150mm
Festivo candle holder 215mm

13. Claritas and Festivo
Timo Sarpaneva
• Designer and sculptor Timo Sarpaneva (1926-
2006) was an internationally known force in
Finnish design. It was written that this master
of many materials had "a rare ability to be
mesmerized and to worship beauty". His rise
towards the top of the design world began in
the 1950s.
• Sarpaneva's works are exhibited in homes and
museums around the world. His designs extend
from utility glassware and art glass to textiles
and graphics. Sarpaneva has had an important
role at Iittala. He designed the "i" logo, which
serves as the symbol of the company. Iittala's
selection also includes a cast iron pot designed
by Sarpaneva already in the 1960s, which has
become an internationally recognised design
icon.

14. Ateenan aamu
• Designer - Kaj Franck, designed in 1953
• Ateenan aamu (Morning in Athens) is a
sculpture made of glass pendants. When
moved by the wind, the fragile glass bubbles
make a soft, melodic sound reminiscent of the
church bells in Athens on a Sunday morning.
Ateenan aamu 3-set 630 mm

15. Ateenan aamu
Kaj Franck
• 1911-1989
• Born in Vyborg, Finland. Kaj Franck is described
as the conscience of Finnish design. He
removed everything excessive in his designs,
leaving only the essentials. Kaj Franck has been
awarded a large number of Finnish and
international awards and prizes and his work
has been displayed at a range of design
museums around the world. Some of his most
famous objects are the Teema tableware and
the glass series Kartio.

16. Taika
• Designers - Heikki Orvola, Klaus Haapaniemi,
designed in 2006
• ‘Magic’ in Finnish, Taika lets you choose from
a variety of bold and enchanting pieces.
Haapaniemi’s illustrations inspire your own
imagination and storytelling. These
fascinating and magical designs gradually
reveal their details and layers of meaning to
the viewer.
• In the beginning of 2014 Taika has expanded
to home interior with new textiles - the Taika
owl has landed on the merino wool cushion
covers and a throw in a more laid-back
fashion than in the crockery.
• More Taika novelties will be launched mid-
April. In the new Taika parts, the form
continues the geometric lines while adding a
slight sense of softness.
Taika bowl 0.6L black
Taika plate 30cm black
Taika serving plate 41cm
oval black

17. Taika
Heikki Orvola
• 1943
• Born in Helsinki, Finland, in 1943. Heikki Orvola
is one of the driving forces within Finnish
design. He works in glass, ceramics, cast iron
and textiles. Orvola has worked for the
industrial art business, but he has also worked
in a variety of different materials as a form of
pure, artistic expression. During his career as a
designer, Heikki Orvola has received awards
and prizes, including the Kaj Franck prize in
1998 – perhaps Finland’s most important
design prize.

18. Taika
Klaus Haapaniemi
• 1970
• Klaus Haapaniemi has had plenty of coverage
recently in the Finnish as well as foreign media. His
CV of design work is impressive: garment prints for
Diesel, Levis, Marimekko, Dolce & Gabbana, Cacharel
and Bela’s Dead, a new brand. He has also worked as
Creative Director of the Italian fashion house
Bantam, published a book entitled ‘Giants’ together
with the Finnish writer Rosa Liksom, produced
illustrations for the Observer newspaper, shown his
work in exhibitions – and done a few other things in
between. The international WGSN trend analysis
service has dubbed him as one of the most
important rising stars in illustration and design. The
international media often refer to Klaus
Haapaniemi’s Finnish roots, and even the Finnish
national epic, the Kalevala, has been mentioned. It is
true that his illustrations have references to folklore.