Iittala Alvar Aalto Vase

Vintage Aalto vase in clear glass, designed by Alvar and Aino Aalto in 1936. Stamped at bottom. Small bubble in glass from production, see image.

Size: 4.75" tall 

Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto (1898–1976), working alongside his wife Aino, created this vase in 1936 as part of a collection of custom furniture and objects for restaurant Savoy in Helsinki. The vase also won first place at the 1936 Karhula-Iittala Glass Design Competition. It then went on to be manufactured by Iittala and was displayed at the 1937 World's Fair in Paris, where it received international recognition. Compared to the decorative objects of the time, the simple yet organic shape of this vase was a revolutionary statement. Still in production, each Aalto vase is handblown, then handcut before going through several polishings.

During his career Alvar Aalto designed private houses, public buildings, town plans and city centres, furniture and glass designs. It was characteristic of Aalto to treat each building as a complete work of art. He adopted the principles of user-friendly, functional design in his architecture, enriched by the use of organic forms and natural materials.