iittala Oiva Toikka Glass Birds Collection

Small miracles. Mankind's stubborn joy in artistic expression will always find a way, and a material. Yet we must confess to our admiration for Oiva Toikka, who over the last 30 years has created our wonderful collection hand-blown glass birds.

His apparently limitless imagination, combined with a sophisticated knowledge of glass, has made it possible for him and his glass-blowers to create small miracles of life, sought after by collectors all over the world. Birds are individually handmade which makes each bird unique.

Professor Oiva Toikka is one of the greatest names in Finnish glass. His imaginative, rich and bold glass art deviates from the streamlined aesthetic of Nordic design. He has worked in the performing arts for as long as he has in glass. The Birds collection is Toikka's best-known work. He has enjoyed an international career and received numerous awards, among them Lunning Prize, Pro Finlandia Medal, World Glass Now 85 Award, Kaj Franck Design Prize and the Prince Eugen Medal. Each bird is acid-stamped on the base with Oiva Toikka's signature and his studio in Nuutajarvi, Finland.

One of the glass-art world's most beloved collections, iittala's mouthblown crystal birds pay tribute to the distinctive plumage and personalities of nature's feathered friends. These unique avian artworks are highly collectible, and for good reason - only a limited number of new designs are released each year, and many on a limited production run. Renowned Finnish glass artist Oiva Toikka began creating the vibrant and idiosyncratic birds in 1973 and continues to design new species every year. Individually mouthblown by Toikka's team of glassblowers at ittala's Nuutajarvi Glass Factory, each glass bird features a imaginative blend of color, filigreed texture, and interpretation for a most singular design.

From the first bird born in 1973 - the crystal-winged Flycatcher, now re-issued for the 215 Anniversary of Nuutajarvu - to 2008's Common Redpoll and extraordinarily detailed Eurasian Woodcock, each work of artglass pleases the eye of art lovers, collectors, and birders alike. Styles range from the playful Owlet with its big blue eyes to the bold rendering of the Red Ibis to the exquisite filigree feathers of the Whooper Swan Cygnet. Standing from approximately 2 to 11 inches tall, each glass bird is tagged and acid-stamped with "O. Toikka Nuutajärvi" as proof of authenticity and arrives nestled in iittala's signature tissue paper and gift box. These crystal birds make a precious gift to a loved one, an exceptional accent piece, and, when collected together, a one-of-a-kind glass aviary sure to be the highlight of any home decor.

When you purchase the iittala Toikka Glass Birds from Fjorn Scandinavian we will contribute $5 from each order to support the National Audubon Society's mission to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity.

Click here to read about Ovia Toikka's Glass Birds as featured in the Pursuits section of Time Magazine.

Unless otherwise noted, all iittala Oiva Toikka Glass Birds ship within 2-3 days. Free UPS Shipping and Insurance for all iittala orders through 10/31/08. Use code: iittala