2013 Toikka Birds
The mecca of fine Finnish glass, the Nuutajärvi glass factory in Finland has produced spectacular mouth-blown works of art throughout the years. Excitedly, 2013 marks the factory's 220-year jubilee. The collaboration between famed artist Oiva Toikka and the Nuutajärvi glass blowers has resulted in over 400 individual birds over the years. Some of them are inspired by bird books, others stem from the artist’s imagination. This year's annual bird was inspired by the real life Mistle Thrush whose speckled breast and alert mannerisms were expertly captured in glass and proudly join the ranks of iittala collectables.