Iittala Birds - Where to Buy Iittala Birds at George Watts & Son, Inc. at George Watts & Son, Inc.

The Iittala Birds originated in 1972 with Toikka’s small Flycatchers. Today the collection grows with collectors all over the world who enjoy these art objects as simple reminders of poetry in everyday life. These lyrical creatures are a feat of craftsmanship – each bird is as diverse and individual as those who collect them.

DESIGNERS:

Toikka

Vigna

Penttinen 

The Iittala Birds originated in 1972 with Toikka’s small Flycatchers. Today the collection grows with collectors all over the world who enjoy these art objects as simple reminders of poetry in everyday life. These lyrical creatures are a feat of craftsmanship – each bird is as diverse and individual as those who collect them.

In 2007, Italian artist and jewellery designer Giorgio Vigna began designing Birds for Iittala. His designs demonstrate the craftsman’s skills in individually hand-crafted art objects. Vigna himself describes his birds as small glass jewels.

In 2008, Finnish artist and designer Anu Penttinen was invited to interpret her own version of Iittala birds. With much love and humour, she created six charming birds. Inspired by the world of cartoons and comic books, she gave them the names Ippy the Hippie, Cool Joe, I´m all Bananas, Cottoncandy, Nightbird and Snowball.

All Iittala Birds are mouth-blown in Nuutajärvi, one of the two glass factories owned by the Iittala Group in Finland. To learn more, see also Birds by Tikka and Birds by Vigna.

Professor Oiva Toikka is one of the great names of Finnish design. The Iittala Birds originated in 1972 with Toikka’s small Flycatchers. Today the collection grows with collectors all over the world who enjoy these art objects as simple reminders of poetry in everyday life. These lyrical creatures are a feat of craftsmanship – each bird is as diverse and individual as those who collect them.

Oiva Toikka’s 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 the Lunning Prize, Pro Finlandia Medal, World Glass Now 85 Award, Kaj Franck Design Prize and the Prince Eugen Medal.

Toikka’s visions are still brought to life by craftsmen at the Nuutajärvi factory in Finland, where the Iittala glass workshops have always been located. Each bird is signed “O. Toikka Nuutajärvi” as a proof of authenticity.