Tapio Wirkkala was born in 1915 and died in 1985. He was a major Finnish designer and sculptor in the post-war era. His design range was tremendous and very influential, designing official currency, glassware, dinnerware and jewelry for manufacture, as well as creating individual sculptures in several media. Wirkkala also designed his version of the traditional Finnish puukko. Wirkkala was a successful award winning international designer, working for the Iittala glassworks, the Venini factory in Italy and the Rosenthal porcelain plant in Germany. ”I operate from intuition, immediate perception… The design of an object is drawing and correcting. The making of several different models and again correction, and drawing again. There can be hundreds of drafts and sketches. And all this work does not even lead anywhere… If the mark of sweat is visible in the design of an object, it is unsuccessful. The work should not be seen in the finished piece. "