I believe this specific Diver design was introduced in 1991 and retired in 1997 (source: Birds by Toikka Book – Werner Söderström Osakeytiö – Helsinki – 2008 – page 33). The body is white and dark grey, and the neck and head are dark, slightly lustre. The beak is black and shiny. The bird is signed on the base O. No chips, cracks, restoration or other flaws. Height: 110 mm/ 4.33′. Length: 130 mm/ 5.12′. Weight (unpacked): 266 g. The item location is Lisbon, Portugal. I will send it worldwide well packed and safe. This listing is for 1 Oiva Toikka glass bird. Oiva Toikka’s birds were handmade in Nuutajärvi, a glass-making village in Finland. The creation of the birds demands great technical and artistic insight from the glassblowers. Each bird is unique, featuring its own distinctive colour variations. His imaginative, rich and bold glass art is a departure from mainstream Nordic design. Toikkas individual style is also evident in the utility objects he creates as they often deviate from the traditional clean-lined puritanism of Finnish design aesthetics. In addition to glass, his artistic activities cover staging, fashion design and plastic interior design elements. Toikka has gained a solid international reputation throughout his prolific career, which dates back to the 1950s, having worked with well-known designers and artists both in Finland and abroad. He has won several prestigious awards including the Kaj Franck Design Prize and the Prince Eugen Medal. In 1993, Toikka was given the honorary title of Professor of the Arts by the state of Finland. Birds by Toikka, a series designed for Iittala combines the artists limitless imagination with his expertise in the characteristics of glass. The unique and colorful birds, which are all handmade, have become the passion of collectors worldwide. The item “Oiva Toikka Bird Iittala Diver Mustapaauikku Dark Grey and White Body Dark Neck” is in sale since Sunday, April 26, 2020. This item is in the category “Pottery & Glass\Glass\Art Glass\Scandinavian\Other Scandinavian Art Glass”. The seller is “sonicoutinh6″ and is located in Lisbon. This item can be shipped worldwide.
- Style: Mid-Century Modern
- Original/Reproduction: Vintage Original
- Features: Signed
- Object Type: Figurine
- Color: White
- Glassmaking Technique: Hand Blown
- Type of Glass: Blown Glass
- Subject/Theme: Bird
- Brand: Iittala
- Country/Region of Origin: Finland
