Item No. ：SARP526
Designer：Timo Sarpaneva
Maker：Iittala
Size ：H:70mm φ:64mm W:109mm 100ml
Please contact us using the form below for price and availability.
Please include the item name or Item No. in your message.
The "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.
At 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.
Another defining feature of the series was its subtle color palette, developed around grey and extended into blue, lilac, and green.
The 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.
The 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.
This is the i-151 children’s mug (100 ml), designed in 1956 as part of the i-line series, together with its original packaging.
The distinctive pair of large handles is a functional design that allows children to hold the mug securely with both hands. From 1956 to 1958, the model was produced in two sizes, 100 ml and 200 ml. From 1959 onward, only the newly designed one-handled mug (250 ml) remained in production, continuing until 1970.
The i-151 children’s mug was one of the early models in the i-line series and was also exhibited at the 1957 Milan Triennale.
On the original cube-shaped package, the i-line logo is spot-printed in the three series colors: grey, blue-grey, and lilac-grey.
At Iittala, product packaging began to be developed in 1956, and soon after the launch of i-line, Timo Sarpaneva also began working on packaging designs for the series.
Green-grey, which had been part of the original 1956 i-line color range, went out of production in 1957. Since only grey, blue-grey, and lilac-grey appear on the original package, it is thought that this package was introduced around 1957, after the discontinuation of green-grey.
As the i-151 children’s mug was produced only until 1958, this cube-shaped package is believed to have been used for only a very short period, from around 1957 to 1958.
The package was also designed so that children could play with it as a toy.
The children’s mug itself is rare because of its short production period, but this original package is even scarcer. Featuring the early graphic use of the “i” that would later become Iittala’s logo, it is also a historically important document, pointing to the origins of the company’s brand identity.
* In good condition with no noticeable damage. The package shows some sun fading.
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 feel free to use it for gifts to friends, family, or loved ones.
For gift wrapping details, please see here.
For more details about shipping, please visit our Shipping Information page.
We accept international orders worldwide.
For more details, please visit our International Shipping 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.
