{"product_id":"sarp520","title":"i-203 PLATE(BLUE GREY) 180mm with BOX","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"item-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \"i-line\" series, introduced by Timo Sarpaneva in 1956, occupied a position between art glass and industrial product design. It was marketed as refined domestic glassware, priced around 20–30% higher than ordinary glassware of the time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the 1955 H55 exhibition, Iittala’s strong emphasis on art glass also drew a more critical response, prompting renewed discussion about design for everyday life. Against this background, \"i-line\" can be seen as Sarpaneva’s answer to that question—offering a new direction for Iittala.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother defining feature of the series was its subtle color palette, developed around grey and extended into blue, lilac, and green.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mark created for \"i-line\"—a lowercase “i” set within a red circle—was adopted the following year as the symbol for Iittala’s art glass as a whole, and later became the company’s long-standing brand mark. The “i” inside the red circle represents a blowpipe inserted into a glowing furnace, with molten glass gathered at its tip.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe series was exhibited at the 1957 Milan Triennale, where it received the Grand Prix, marking Sarpaneva’s second Grand Prix following his award for art glass in 1954.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis example is a color-rim plate from the \"i-line\" series, designed in 1956.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was made using the steam-blowing technique, developed in collaboration with highly skilled glassmakers. A gather combining clear and colored glass was pierced from the colored side with a pointed metal tool, into which a water-soaked wooden stick was inserted. The steam generated from the wood was then used to expand the form into a sphere, after which the opening was widened to create the final shape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClear glass appears at the center, while the rim is formed in a thinly stretched layer of colored glass. The transition between the two creates a delicate watercolor-like effect, with the gradation enhanced by subtle differences in thickness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVariations can be seen from piece to piece in size, glass thickness, the angle of the rise, and the width of the colored rim, while the way the form tapers toward its thin edge also reveals the distinctive character of the steam-blowing technique.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was produced from 1956 to 1960. The cut signature on the underside of the rim, together with its original price, suggests that this was one of the more art-glass-oriented models within the \"i-line\" series.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSigned “TIMO SARPANEVA i203.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt also retains its highly rare original box, designed by Timo Sarpaneva himself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e* Minor scratches are present, but it remains in good condition with no noticeable damage. The box shows wear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top: 48px;\" class=\"black-text-01\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTIMO SARPANEVA｜1926–2006｜FINLAND\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTimo 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWorking 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.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"TIMO SARPANEVA","offers":[{"title":"BLUE \/ SARP520","offer_id":49751947804912,"sku":null,"price":24750.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0786\/5761\/8160\/files\/SARP520_1.jpg?v=1779425319","url":"https:\/\/elephant-life.com\/en\/products\/sarp520","provider":"ELEPHANT","version":"1.0","type":"link"}