Kaj Franck, a 1940s wooden doll, "Toto".

Turned and painted birch. Height 16 cm.

Age-related wear. A piece has cracked.

More information

Kaj Franck designed the Toto dolls in the 1940s. In post-war Finland, there was a shortage of materials, but wood was available and used to manufacture many kinds of objects – including these dolls. The Toto dolls were sold in the toy departments of several department stores, with Stockmann's toy department being one of the most important. The dolls were also marketed through the magazine Kotiliesi, and readers could order them directly through the magazine. Later Artek has produced Toto dolls as a new production.

More about Kaj Franck

Kaj Franck was a Finnish ceramist, designer, and glass artist, born in Vyborg in 1911. He graduated as an interior architect in 1932 from the Central School of Applied Arts in Helsinki and worked for much of his career at the porcelain factory Arabia. He also taught at the School of Art and Design and was granted the title of professor in 1972. Franck was a timeless functionalist who often experimented with playful elements in his designs. Soft, clean lines were frequently combined with strong colors and beautiful details.
Franck held strong beliefs in equality and sustainability, values that underpinned his revolutionary design. He sought a balance between function and elegance, resulting in versatile and practical tableware that could be mass-produced and sold at reasonable prices. In 1952, the groundbreaking collection "Teema" was launched, embodying his vision and setting a new standard for tableware. Beyond social consciousness, Franck's career was marked by a pursuit of the essential. He endlessly studied basic forms, particularly focusing on proportions.
Kaj Franck is one of the most renowned post-war designers in Finland and has received significant international recognition and awards for his designs. Design Forum Finland annually awards a prestigious prize in Franck's name to support designers who creatively shape high-quality industrial design.

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