Feel the icy allure of Tapio Wirkkala’s Ultima Thule, a Finnish status symbol
The Ultima Thule series has fascinated people since 1968, and these glasses have been used to serve both caviar and champagne. You can often find used pieces at a lower price than brand-new ones.
What is Ultima Thule?
Tapio Wirkkala’s Ultima Thule glass series was first introduced in 1968, and the glasses produced at the Iittala factory were an immediate success, eventually becoming one of Wirkkala’s most iconic products.
The name refers to a mythical past, as in ancient and medieval literature Ultima Thule denotes a land or island far away in the extreme north.
The series includes a wide range of drinking glasses, a bowl, a platter, a pitcher, a carafe, a candle lantern, and vases. Not all pieces were part of the original collection; for example, the vases date from 2023, and their design is only based on Tapio Wirkkala’s original concept. That same year also saw the introduction of a small vase made of ceramic rather than glass.
What makes Ultima Thule glasses special?
The surface pattern, reminiscent of melting ice, makes the series’ glasses unique and gives each piece a lively character. A so-called relief mold blowing method is used in production, but the very first items were crafted using a graphite mold carved by Wirkkala himself.
Ultima Thule glasses gained further momentum in 1969, when Finnair adopted them for use in first class on its new flights to the United States. At that time, in addition to spirits, caviar was served in the set’s caviar dishes. These classic glasses are still used in Finnair’s business class.
Encouraged by their popularity, Iittala hurried to release other similarly styled glasses, and soon imitators presented their own versions. They have never threatened the original series’ tremendous commercial success.
Are Ultima Thule glasses valuable?
Because Ultima Thule has been produced in large quantities, a good rule of thumb is that used pieces tend to cost less than new ones.
