Kaj Franck "Kukkopullo"

A "Kukkopullo" or “Rooster bottle” designed by Kaj Franck for Nuutajärvi Notsjö, Finland. The body of the turn mould-blown vessel is in olive green. The free-blown, tool-formed speckled bird is multicoloured.

This decanter and stopper (model KF 502/1502) was produced between 1957 and 1968. It won Milan's Gran Premio Internazionale Compasso d'Oro in 1957. 

The almost unique working practice of Scandinavian glass designers was to design
functional democratic products -intended for mass production- parallel to exclusive one-off or limited-edition art pieces. What makes the Kukkopullo one of Franck’s best designs is how it brilliantly bridges these two spheres he operated within.

Franck took functional design and production very seriously. He attempted to solve many design problems such as stacking and standardization of form. However, at the same time he constantly explored the creative potential of glass by experimenting with different techniques, shapes, and pigments. In the Kukkopullo we see the result of Franck’s engagement in the two divisions. Marrying austere form with chair-worked glass sculpture the Rooster bottle is a successful synthesis of the art & utility departments. The Kukkopullo is a great illustration of how Franck's career typifies the now revered Nordic approach to industrial glass design in the mid-20th century.