Birds by Toikka Northern owl with foot

Oiva Toikka designed Northern owl with foot for Japanese Scope to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2020. The original package included the Hirahira fabric designed by Fujiwo Ishimoto.

Birds by Toikka is a collection of beautiful and imaginative glass birds designed by the Finnish designer Oiva Toikka. The birds are a statement of Toikka’s endless creativity and the glassblowers’ craftsmanship. The first piece, Flycatcher, was launched in 1972 followed by new species every year. The creation of a single unique bird requires the co-operation of up to five glassblowers. Occasionally, according to Oiva Toikka, an exquisite shade is an outcome of a lucky mistake: due to the poor acoustics in the workshop the order of the colour powders can be misheard. Each bird has a signature of authenticity.

Oiva Toikka

Functionality and enduring design are in the core of the design philosophy of the Finnish glassware company Iiittala. Founded in 1881, Iittala started as a glass manufacturer, and today, glass and art glass are still an essential part of its heritage. Perhaps the most famous singular object of Finnish design, the Aalto vase, was designed for Iittala in 1936 by Alvar Aalto.