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Tapio Wirkkala for Asko coffee table
Business seller:Verified seller€5,000,-Offer from €4,500,-
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Coffee table by Tapio Wirkkala for Asko Finland, 1958. Model Asko 9013, the laminated birch tree leaf inlaid in the dark padouk. Black lacquered metal legs. Dimensions: height 20.8 in. (53 cm), length 48.8 in. (124 cm), depth 24.4 in. (62 cm). Thickness of the blade: 1.0 inches (2,5 cm). Marked with the Asko - Wirkkala brand.
Very rare beautiful condition. No scratches or dents. As you can see in the photos the wood is not discolored and it still has its original drawing. The plywood inlay is also in excellent condition, without damage or discoloration by furniture oil or other liquids. Few minor spots to the side of the table top, easy to apply with lacquer if you wish (see last photos). Comes with some original screws for the legs plus a few replacement ones.
Tapio Wirkkala (1915-1985) is perhaps the greatest Finnish designer of the last century. His body of work is very extensive and includes all disciplines of the profession: ceramics, (precious) metal, jewelry, graphic design, lamps, furniture and even city planning. Wirkkala had his breakthrough with the Kantarelli vase which he designed in 1946 for Iittala, a company for which he would deliver countless designs. IIttala was also the company that produced the glass for the Idman K2-40 lamp, which won Wirkkala his first gold medal at the Milan Triennale in 1951. (Two more gold medals were to follow in 1954 and 1957) In the same year 1951 - together with Hans Wegner - Wirkkala was also the first winner of the most important Scandinavian design award: the Lunning Prize.
Although Wirkkala's oeuvre is extraordinarily extensive and varied, there is one theme that is central to his work: nature and its patterns. One of the shapes that Wirkkala regularly used in his work is the leaf shape. Around 1950 he already designed a laminated wooden dish in this form. (According to the American magazine House Beautiful 'The most beautiful object of the year') The leaf shape is also reflected in his glassware, his ceramics (Rosenthal) and his silverware (Kultakeskus). However, the most beautiful and refined application of the leaf shape can be found in the coffee tables that Wirkkala designed in 1958 for the furniture manufacturer Asko.
Especially in this model - Asko 9013 - the beautiful contrast between the light laminated birch tree leaf and the dark padouk in which it is inlaid can be seen.
Literature: - M. Aav (ed.), Tapio Wirkkala: Eye, Hand and Thought (Helsinki 2000), p. 380.Wear consistent with age and use. The wood is not discolored and it still has its original drawing. The plywood inlay is also in excellent condition, without damage or discoloration by furniture oil or other liquids. Few minor dents to the side of the table (see last pictures).
ConditionVery goodColorsBrownMaterialMetal, WoodNumber of items1StyleScandinavian, VintageHeight53 cmWidth124 cmDepth62 cmSigns of usageChipped, Dents