Tapio Wirkkala became famous after winning the Iittala glass design prize in 1946. Tapio was highly versatile, and these lamps are just a fraction of his contribution to Scandinavian design. IKEA bought the lamps from the Idman factory in Finland. Tapio had also designed the beautiful light bulbs, which were part of the overall design and were called Idman bulbs. Normal light bulbs did fit as well, but they didn’t look as impressive.
In late 1961, IKEA signed a contract to become the sole distributor for Idman in Sweden, even though IKEA product manager at the time, Ulla Karlsson, thought they cost too much. YKSI and KAKSI were introduced as early as the 1962 IKEA catalogue. The following year Wirkkala lamps were given a whole page, which also introduced VIISI, KUUSI and NELJÄ. They were presented with the words, “Perhaps no name is as synonymous with modern lighting as Tapio Wirkkala, the famous Finnish designer who has won awards around the world in recent years.”
But for lovers of Tapio’s design, the joy was short-lived, and the lamps were never seen in an IKEA catalogue again. Product manager Ulla Karlsson was right – the lamps cost too much.
