POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

'Anniversary' vase and packaging

Object No. 98/57/2

This limited edition, mould-blown glass 'Anniversary' vase was originally designed by Alvar Aalto in Iittala, Finland, in 1936. The vase was made and issued in 1996 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Savoy vases designed by Aalto in 1936. With their nature-inspired form, the five differently sized vases were among the earliest examples of 'Scandinavian modern' in glass. Like the original series, the soft-brown 'Anniversary' vases were made in the original 1930s wooden moulds rather than modern metal moulds. Since the 1970s the white, blue and clear glass versions of the Savoy vases have been known by their designer's name, Aalto. Scandinavian designers developed a humanising form of modernism by introducing organic design. Turning away from steel and geometry in favour of traditional materials and natural forms, 'Scandinavian modern' emerged in the 1930s. Furniture and glass designed by renowned Finnish architect, Alvar Aalto, were among the most striking examples. Swedish ceramics by Wilhelm Kage and glass, already internationally renowned for its 'Swedish grace', were also admired. Functional yet rejoicing in individual expression, Scandinavian design played a major role in the development of modern post-war design, reaching its height in the 1950s.