The Aalto vase is an iconic piece of Finnish design, created by Alvar Aalto and his wife Aino Marsio in 1936. It is also known as the Savoy vase. The Savoy vase was part of a range of furniture created by Alvar and Aino Aalto for the Savoy restaurant in Helsinki, which opened in 1937.
The Aalto vase won a design competition in 1936 for the glassmaker Iittala, which still produces it today. Aalto was inspired to design it by the folds of a Same (Eskimo) woman's leather dress.
The design of the vase consisted of a series of pencil drawings on rough paper, before Aalto created the first blown-glass prototypes with the help of a set of wooden sticks stuck into the ground to make the shapes of the molten glass undulate.
The initial production of the vase was fraught with difficulties, and the original idea of using thin sheet steel moulds had to be abandoned in favour of a wooden mould, which would gradually burn down.
The vase was presented at the 1937 Universal Exhibition in Paris. Its original height was 140 mm. Aalto never won any money with it, as his design belonged to the Iittala company for which the competition had been organised.
The vase is produced in a wide range of colours, and its simple lines have made it a constant success since its creation.
clear
H95 mm
H120 mm
H160 mm
 H160 mm + H95 mm
H220 mm
H251 mm
H270 mm
Vase fleur en 4 parties – 180 x 360 mm
ultramarine
H160 mm
H220 mm
H270 mm
H251 mm
copper
H160 mm
H220 mm
H251 mm
H270 mm
opal white
H95 mm
H120 mm
H160 mm
H220 mm
H251 mm
linen
H160 mm
H220 mm
H251 mm
salmon
H160 mm
H251 mm
moss green
H160 mm
H220 mm
H251 mm
 H270 mm
cranberry / gris
H160 mm
H160 mm
H220 mm
H251 mm
 clear
grey
linen
orange Séville
clear 50 x 380 mm
white 50 x 380 mm
 clear 50 x 95 mm
white 50 x 95 mm
clear H75 mm
grey H75 mm
cranberry H75 mm
linen H75 mm
stainless steel
pink gold-plated steel
358 mm
358 mm
504 mm
504 mm
50 x 182 mm
50 x 182 mm
60 x 358 mm
60 x 358 mm
388 x 397 mm
339 x 346 mm
Alvar Aalto
Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) is a recognised master of modern architecture and design. Born in Kuortane, Finland, Alvar Aalto quickly came to prominence after graduating in architecture from Helsinki Polytechnic in 1921.
In 1924, he married the architect Aino Marsio and formed a lasting partnership with her. During his remarkable career, Alvar Aalto designed major public institutions - concert halls, museums, universities, libraries, etc. - as well as private homes throughout the world. - as well as private homes throughout the world. The furniture, lighting and objects he has created derive organically from his architectural work.
Alvar Aalto's unique aesthetic has played a decisive role in defining Finnish design and making it known throughout the world. The foundations of his aesthetic are based on a harmonious relationship with nature, a functionalism concerned with beauty, an extreme attention to detail and an ingenious use of materials.
Alvar Aalto's creations were soon exhibited in museums around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. His reputation there began in 1930, with the presentation at the New York World's Fair of the Savoy vase, whose undulating design, as lively and fluid as the Finnish lakes that inspired it, caused a sensation. The legendary vase is one of the most famous glass objects in the world and remains a timeless element of Iittala.
