Tag: Finnish design

Designer Desire: Tapio Wirkkala

Montage of Tapio Wirkkala designs

Tapio Wirkkala (1915-1985) was a Finnish multidisciplinary designer; he created an abundance of objects in metal, glass, wood and ceramics. His output ranged from jewellery to furniture, barware to serveware and lighting to sculpture. His designs can even be found on the country’s money, having won the Bank of Finland’s banknote competition in 1947.

After serving in the Finnish Army during WWII, Tapio Wirkkala went to work for glassware firm, Iittala; a working relationship that would last the rest of his life. I especially like his organic, hand-blown Kantarelli (Finnish for ‘chanterelle mushroom’) vases. From the mid-1960s he designed glassware for Italian firm, Venini, based in Murano.

He created ceramics for companies including Rosenthal for whom he produced the Pollo vase and the Composition Secunda Grey, Variation and Eisblume series.

Because of his prolific output and lengthy career, his vintage designs are pretty easy to come by – albeit not always cheaply. Explore sites such as Etsy, Pamono and Vinterior.

Some of his ranges such as the Tapio drinking glasses for Iittala and Bolle bottle vases (shown at top) for Venini are still in production today.

Portrait of Tapio Wirkkalacredit

Additional image credits:
1stDibs | Bukowskis

Designer Desire: Nanny Still

Montage of Nanny Still glass designs

Nanny Still (1926-2009) was a mid-century Finnish glass designer. She’s also known by her married name, Nanny Still-McKinney.

She designed for Riihimäki for approaching 3 decades; from her graduation from the University of Art and Design, Helsinki in 1947 until the 1970s. Some of her ranges include Polaris, Neptuna, Harlekiini (Harlequin), Fantasma, Majakka (Lighthouse) and Pajazzo.

In 1972, she was presented with the Pro Finlandia Medal for Meritorious Artists of the Order of the Lion of Finland.

In 1959, she and her husband moved to Belgium; whilst living there, she created designs for Rosenthal from 1977. Some of the Studio Linie series that she produced for them include Arabesk, Taiga and my favourite – Blütenregen – which roughly translates as ‘blossom shower’.

You can readily acquire examples of her glassware on eBay and Etsy and Tradera.

There’s a 1995 catalogue available entitled, Nanny Still, 45 Years of Design from an exhibition held at both Riihimäki Lasimuseo and the Glass Museum of Charleroi in Belgium.

Portrait of Nanny Still holding one of her Polaris bottlescredit

Additional image credits:
Bukowskis

Designer Desire: Anna-Greta Eker

Montage of Anna-Greta Eker jewellery and metal designs

Anna-Greta Eker (1928-2002) was a Scandinavian jewellery and metalwork designer. Born in Åland in Finland. She attended the Ateneum School of Crafts in Helsinki, graduating in 1951. Between 1952 & 1955, Eker worked at Hopea Keskus in Hämeenlinna. Later on, she went to work for Auran Kultaseppä Oy in Turku.

In 1959, she moved to Fredrikstad, Norway where she began making jewellery for Plus, the Applied Arts Centre. That same year, she married Erling Christoffersen who was head of the silver department at the company. They first met 3 years earlier in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany at Staatliche Höhere Fachschule für das Edelmetalgewerbe where they both studied goldsmithing. Plus was established in 1958 and closed in 1978. The aim of the not-for-profit centre was to unite artist and industry.

My favourite of her designs is the Tre series (a few examples are shown in the montage above). The pieces are composed of silver and stained birch, the latter being the national tree of Finland. Tre translates as ‘three’ the number of wooden beads in each set of rows. There would be beautiful kinetic movement when worn.

I also love her Kule series which translates as ‘ball’. The range, which she made from 1962 while working at Plus, consists of sterling silver rings, bracelets and armbands with differing numbers of entwined balls.

Portrait of Anna-Greta Ekercredit

Additional image credits:
1st Dibs | Bukowskis

Designer Desire: Ulla Procopé

Montage of Ulla Procopé ceramic shapes and patterns for Arabia of Finland | H is for Home

Ulla Procopé (1921-1968) was a Finnish mid-century modern ceramic designer and decorator.

In 1948, Procopé graduated from the School of Arts and Crafts (later known as the Aalto School of Arts) in Helsinki and began working for Arabia immediately after graduating. She began in the factory’s hand-painting department under Olga Osol, after which she moved, two years later, to the model & decoration department.

She designed both the shape and pattern for the Liekki (1957-1978), Valencia (1960-2002), Anemone, Ruska (1960-1999) and Meri series. She designed the shapes of much of the Arabia output including the Pomona series of lidded preserve jars whose decoration was designed by Raija Uosikkinen.

She spent her entire career at Arabia, working there until 1967, the year before her untimely death in Tenerife.

Her Arabia designs are readily available on eBay and Etsy.

Portrait of Ulla Procopécredit

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1stDibs | Barnebys | Bukowskis | What’s Blogging My View