Set of 4 Jäänsärkijä / Icebreaker glasses by Tapio Wirkkala for Iittala, Finland, 1970s.
The Icebreaker series by Tapio Wirkkala transforms the moment of breaking ice into a sculptural experience. Each glass is hand-blown and pressed, its surfaces smooth and minimal, yet the base reveals a subtle geometry — cubes and voids like openings in a frozen lake, providing access to the water beneath.
Compact yet commanding, these glasses invite touch and contemplation. The clean, tactile form contrasts with the intricate suggestion of fractured ice below, making each sip an encounter with Nordic landscapes distilled into glass.
Objects that hold more than liquid — they hold memory, structure, and the quiet poetry of frozen nature.
Only one set available.
OBJECT SPECIFICATIONS
PRODUCT: Set of 4 Jäänsärkijä / Icebreaker glasses
DESIGNER: Tapio Wirkkala
MANUFACTURER: Iittala
ORIGIN: Finland
PERIOD: 1970s
MATERIAL & TECHNIQUE: Pressed glass
COLOR: Clear
TEXTURE: Smooth with sculptural base evoking ice cubes
CONDITION: Excellent condition — unused
DIMENSIONS: (+/–) Height: 6.5 cm; Diameter: 8 cm
Tapio Wirkkala
A pioneer of 20th-century design, Tapio Wirkkala (1915–1985) transformed everyday objects into lasting icons. No other designer captured the northern landscape as a material experience quite like him. His glassworks — carved like wind over snow, melting into glacial textures — seem to hold breath rather than boast.
With Wirkkala, glass forgets its transparency. It thickens, fractures, freezes — like a lake caught in the moment before thaw. His glass objects, designed for the Finnish company Iittala, does not imitate nature — it distills it. Every ripple, bubble, and edge recalls glacial forms not as decoration, but as memory in solid state.
Today, Wirkkala’s textured glass pieces are highly prized by collectors and design lovers worldwide. They represent a perfect synthesis of art, design, and nature, influencing generations of glassmakers. His works serve not only as functional tableware or decorative objects but also as timeless art pieces embodying the spirit of Scandinavian and Nordic modernism.