Composition S thumbnail 1
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

This object consists of 6 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Composition S

Cutlery Set
1964 (designed), 1967 (made)
Artist/Maker
Rosenthal AG (makers)
Tapio Wirkkala (designer)
Place of origin
Germany (made)

Tapio Wirkkala (2 June 1915 – 19 May 1985) was a Finnish designer and sculptor, a major figure of post-war design. His work ranges from plastic ketchup bottles and metalware to glass, ceramics and plywood in a range of styles. He designed the Finnish markka banknotes introduced in 1955. His range was immense, designing glassware, metalware, stoneware, and jewelry for mass production, as well as individual sculptures in several media.

Object details

Categories
Eating
Metalwork
Product Design
Tableware & Cutlery
Object type
Cutlery set
Parts
This object consists of 6 parts.

  • Knife (Culinary Tool)
  • Fork
  • Spoon
  • Knife (Culinary Tool)
  • Fork
  • Spoon
TitleComposition S (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Stainless steel, forged with a matt finish
Stainless Steel
Forging
Brief description
Cutlery set, `Composition S', stainless steel, Germany, made by Rosenthal, designed by Tapio Wirkkala, 1964.
Physical description
Set of six stainless steel cutlery with matt finished handles 'Composition S' range. The dinner knife, the blade is almost triangular in shape with one serrated edge joins the handle at one corner only. The shaft of the handle meets the blade at one point on a diagonal line. The body of the handle is slightly rounded to form a flattened oval. The dinner fork, four short prongs on a deeply curving bowl, with a straight handle which is slightly rounded to form a flattened oval. The dinner spoon, a deeply curving oval bowl with a straight handle which is slightly rounded to form a flattened oval shaft. the dessert knife, a smaller version of the dinner knife. The dessert fork, a smaller version of the dinner fork. The dessert spoon, similar to the dinner spoon but with a round bowl.
Dimensions
  • Dinner knife length: 8.25in
  • Dinner knife width: 1.125in
  • Dinner knife depth: 0.25in (handle)
  • Dinner fork length: 7.5in
  • Dinner fork width: 1.125in (bowl)
  • Dinner fork depth: 0.75in (prongs)
  • Dinner spoon length: 7.5in
  • Dinner spoon width: 1.675in (bowl)
  • Dinner spoon depth: 1.0in (bowl)
  • Dessert knife length: 7.5in
  • Dessert knife width: 1.0in
  • Dessert knife depth: 0.25in (handle)
  • Dessert fork length: 7.0in
  • Dessert fork width: 1.0in (bowl)
  • Dessert fork depth: 0.75in (prongs)
  • Dessert spoon length: 7.25in
  • Dessert spoon width: 1.875in (bowl)
  • Dessert spoon depth: 0.875in (bowl)
Style
Modernist
Production typeMass produced
Summary
Tapio Wirkkala (2 June 1915 – 19 May 1985) was a Finnish designer and sculptor, a major figure of post-war design. His work ranges from plastic ketchup bottles and metalware to glass, ceramics and plywood in a range of styles. He designed the Finnish markka banknotes introduced in 1955. His range was immense, designing glassware, metalware, stoneware, and jewelry for mass production, as well as individual sculptures in several media.
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
CIRC.8toE-1968

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Record createdMay 10, 2005
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O111919/composition-s-cutlery-set-tapio-wirkkala/
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