Item No. ：SARP519
Designer：Timo Sarpaneva
Maker：Iittala
Size ：H:195mm W:97mm D:103mm
A sculptural glass work designed by Timo Sarpaneva in 1953, titled “Bird’s Head” (Linnunpää).
It belongs to a group of works created with the 1954 Milan Triennale in mind, and is distinguished by its organic form and the internal void created through the stick-blowing technique.
Molten glass was first gathered on the blowpipe and shaped while rotating inside a cylindrical wooden mold. After the form was further refined with wet cardboard, a hole was opened in the middle with a pointed metal tool, and a water-soaked wooden stick was inserted to create the internal space.
It is a sculptural work that explores both form and the optical qualities of clear glass.
The same group also includes Orchid (Orkidea), one of Sarpaneva’s best-known works, but Bird’s Head differs in its fuller volume and in the sharply defined edge created on the reverse through cutting.
A rare model produced between 1954 and 1957. Signed “TIMO SARPANEVA IITTALA -55,” indicating that this example was made in 1955. It was one of the works that received the Grand Prix at the 1954 Milan Triennale.
Weight approx. 2.2 kg.
* In good condition with no noticeable damage.
Timo Sarpaneva was one of the leading figures of modern Finnish design. Trained as a graphic designer at the Institute of Industrial Arts in Helsinki, he began his career in 1949 after winning second prize in a glass design competition organized by Riihimäen Lasi. Although invited to join the company, negotiations collapsed when he was asked to work without compensation.
While seeking a path as a glass designer, Sarpaneva worked for A. Ahlström in 1950, producing exhibition displays, shop windows, and graphic material. That same year, he received an offer from the Danish glassworks Holmegaard and considered leaving. Instead, he was encouraged by Ahlström to pursue glass design within its subsidiary Iittala, where he began his career as a glass designer in 1951.
His early artistic glass objects quickly gained international recognition, earning the Grand Prix at the Milan Triennale in 1954. He received the award again in 1957 for i-line, a series of mouth-blown utilitarian glassware introduced in 1956. Alongside his close contemporary Tapio Wirkkala, Sarpaneva played a central role in establishing Iittala as one of Finland’s most significant design brands.
At Iittala, Sarpaneva was also active as a graphic designer, creating posters, catalogues, and packaging. The distinctive i mark he designed for the i-line series later evolved into the enduring symbol of the brand.
Working in close collaboration with glassblowers and technicians, Sarpaneva continuously explored new techniques and forms of expression. Through extensive experimentation, he developed the Finlandia series in 1963, inspired by the charred surface of wooden molds. This spirit of innovation extended into textiles, culminating in Ambiente, a pioneering printing technique developed with the Tampella mills, in which fabric was treated as a surface for direct, painterly expression—what he described as “machine painting.”
Beyond Iittala and Tampella, Sarpaneva’s work spanned a wide range of materials and industries, including art glass for Venini, porcelain for Rosenthal, cast iron for Rosenlew, stainless steel for Opa, as well as rugs and graphic design.
He received numerous international awards, including the Lunning Prize in 1956, the International Design Award in the United States in 1963, the Pro Finlandia medal in 1967, and the honorary title of Professor in 1977, among many others.
ELEPHANT offers gift wrapping using our original "HOW TO WRAP_" wrapping paper. Please use this service for gifts to friends, acquaintances, and family.
Click here for gift wrapping
For more details on shipping, please refer to this page.
This is a vintage / pre-owned item. We take great care in our sourcing and select only pieces in good condition.
Any notable damage or condition issues, such as visible chips, cracks, stains, or repairs, are described in the listing. However, minor signs of age and use, as well as small imperfections, may not be noted individually. Please also note that these items were made in a period when manufacturing standards were not as precise as they are today.
If you have any questions or would like more detail about the condition, please contact us before placing your order.
When multiple items of the same product are in similar condition, we may show only one set of product images.
Please note that colors may appear differently depending on your monitor settings, and the actual item may vary slightly in tone.
