2007 Oiva Toikka Birds by iittala
Birds by Toikka - A collection of many species for 2007 - Now available!
2007 Toikka Birds
Iittala Birds is a unique collection, even in global terms. Every year, Professor Oiva Toikka and the skilled glassblowers assisting him breathe life into yet new species of Iittala Birds. The 2007 vintage of Birds by Toikka is now completed. It consists of six new birds as well as the Annual Bird along with its Annual Egg, both eagerly anticipated by collectors everywhere.
Oiva Toikka explores the opportunities offered by glass, exploiting the renowned Iittala skill with color, the transparency and opacity of glass. There is great virtuosity in the way that filigree and filigree tape have been used to depict the birds’ plumage. In his birds, Oiva Toikka uses glass like a painter uses his palette.
The Annual Flock
Oiva Toikka’s ideas spring from nature and from the artist’s abundant imagination. This year’s new birds include some graceful individuals, painted with an organic palette, such as the Eurasian Wryneck and the Woodcock. The two showpieces in the collection are the magnificent Whooper Swan and the glossy Festive Pheasant. Every bird is an individual with a personality that speaks to you.
Cloud Tern, Annual Bird 2007
A delicate, translucent green against blue plumage. The tradition of the Iittala Annual Bird started in 1993, which was Nuutajärvi Glass Factory’s second centenary year.
Rainbow Bird
The body displays sumptuous luster tape, while the blue and red of the head and the beak introduce a more playful note, characteristic of Oiva Toikka: exquisite, but not too serious.
Whooper Swan, white and grey (pictured)
The long-necked swan, well-loved by Finns, is a challenging shape for glassblowers. This beautiful Iittala Bird comes in the pure white of the adult bird or in the light grey plumage of the cygnet. A swan is a symbolic gift and always deeply appreciated by the recipient.
Eurasian Wryneck
The vivacious wryneck occurs throughout southern Finland. Perhaps Toikka the Artist has momentarily become Toikka the Twitcher, as the bird’s character stems from the pose which is so typical of the species.
Eurasian Woodcock
In the wild, this wader can be identified by its frog-like mating croak. The glass is worked skillfully to produce the bird’s brownish, brindled coloring. This year’s campaign bird: only available in 2007.
Festive Pheasant
A splendid bird, produced in a limited edition of 2000 birds, each one individually numbered. It displays the beauty of glass at its most diverse: glowing colors, metallic luster and multi-hued plumage, skillfully created with heated glass thread.
Iittala Birds and the origins of the tradition
The first birds created by Oiva Toikka and the glassblowers of the Nuutajärvi Glass Factory, the oldest in Finland, saw the light of day in 1973. The first bird was the Flycatcher, appearing in different color variations. Over 300 species have been created, some of them more enduring in production than others. This year, Birds by Toikka contains 43 different species.
Within the Iittala range, Iittala Birds stands out as a collection of individualistic interior decoration elements, to be used to add distinctive detail to your home interior. Iittala Birds is an internationally renowned concept that belongs in the highest echelons of glass production. Every bird has its origin in the artist’s vision, his idea, which is brought to life by professional, experienced glassblowers. Seamless cooperation guarantees success.
Birds by Toikka is a collection with a simple and natural theme, taking us forward along an age-old path of tradition. Each bird is a unique individual, signed with the artist’s name as well as the name of Nuutajärvi - it is the tangible product of skilled artisanship. The passing of time enhances the value of these objets d’art. That is why Iittala Birds are cherished and valued gifts and irresistible to collectors around the world, from Finland to the United States and from Central Europe all the way to Japan.
Anyone who has been lucky enough to witness the birth of a Bird by Toikka will cherish his or her treasure all the more.
