Iconic Alvar Aalto Savoy Vase Model. 3030 in Opaline White, Iittala 1960s

An iconic Savoy vase by Alvar Aalto in opaline white for Iittala, dating from the 1960s to the early 1970s. The vase is in good condition, presenting only slight markings to the base consistent with its age and use. It is fully signed on the bottom.

Alvar Aalto won a competition held by the Karhula-Iittala glass factory in 1936, which was organized for the 1937 Paris World Fair. His winning entry, titled ‘Eskimoerindens skinnbuxa’ or ‘The Eskimo Woman’s Leather Trousers,’ featured a series of free-formed vases and bowls in various shapes and sizes. The most celebrated design from this collection is the Savoy vase, named for its inclusion in the original interior that Aalto and his wife, Aino, created for the Savoy restaurant in Helsinki.

This competition victory marked a significant breakthrough in Aalto’s career, further solidifying his international reputation beyond his work as a world-famous architect.

Alvar Aalto (1898–1976) is revered as one of the great masters of modern architecture and design. He was known for his holistic approach, often creating complete environments by designing not only the buildings but also the interior surfaces, furniture, lighting, and glassware within them. His wide-ranging work spans architecture, furniture, textiles, glass, sculpture, and painting, though he always viewed himself primarily as an architect, considering other disciplines to be branches stemming from that central trunk.

Aalto’s long career, stretching from the 1920s to the 1970s, reflects an evolution through various styles—from Nordic Classicism and Modernism to a distinctive organic style that emerged in the 1940s. His furniture designs, particularly his innovative use of bent plywood, are considered masterpieces of Scandinavian Modernism and profoundly influenced Mid-Century design.

Today, Aalto’s works remain highly sought after by collectors and institutions alike, achieving record prices at auction and holding a prominent place in both private collections and major museums worldwide.