The Annual Bird 2024 of Iittala’s Birds by Toikka collection is called Alder Trush. This feathered friend has a very classic form, very typical of Toikka's birds, and a head shaped from blue glass. Its opal-white plumage is decorated with brown, blue and green dots of coloured glass, creating a unique pattern on each carefully hand-crafted bird. Alder Thrush is a return migrant of sorts, as the 2014 annual bird shared the same name, albeit with a slightly different appearance.
In addition to collectors, the Annual Bird might be of interest to fans of Finnish art glass or those celebrating an anniversary or achievement in 2024: each bird is engraved to mark the year, and it is only available for the year 2024 (or while supplies last).
The first glass birds of the Birds by Toikka collection were designed in 1972 by Professor Oiva Toikka, renowned for his unique contribution to Finnish art glass. So far hundreds of species have been created, some of them more enduring in production than others. Each bird is a mouth-blown, one-of-a-kind individual, signed with the artist’s name. The passing of time enhances the value of these art objects – that is why Birds by Toikka are cherished and valued gifts and irresistible to collectors around the world.
