01 THE STORY
From Sketch to Table
The line begins with Tias Eckhoff's study of proportion. In Tiki, the handle, transition and functional form are resolved as one continuous object.
02 THE DETAILS
The Details
Tiki creates a strong contrast between rectangular handles and softly rounded spoon and fork forms. The meeting of strict geometry and softer functional shapes gives the series a distinctive rhythm.
A note from Tias Eckhoff
Tias Eckhoffs relationship with cutlery became especially important in 1962, when he designed Maya for Norstaal. The broad handle narrows into a triangular form, while rounded edges give the pieces a strong but comfortable grip. The design became one of the defining Scandinavian cutlery patterns of the twentieth century, later entering Phaidon Design Classics and museum collections including MoMA in New York and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Eckhoff continued to explore the table through collections including Una, Chaco and Maya 2000, each revisiting proportion, balance and the relationship between strict geometry and softer curves. His work rarely depended on ornament. Character emerged instead from the way an object was refined — slowly, physically and with extraordinary attention to the smallest shifts in form.
“I work slowly, I would like to file on a piece of cutlery for a year.” — Tias Eckhoff
Tias Eckhoff
Questions about Stelton Tiki Dessert Forks — 12 Pieces
How long is the Stelton Tiki dessert fork?
Each Stelton Tiki dessert fork measures 17.5 cm according to Stelton’s product specifications. Its compact scale preserves the collection’s distinctive contrast between a more rectangular handle language and the softly rounded functional end.
What happens to Tiki’s geometry when the fork becomes smaller?
The contrast becomes more concentrated. Tias Eckhoff’s rectangular and softly rounded forms remain clearly visible, but the smaller dessert fork brings the transition between the two geometries closer together and makes the underlying design idea particularly easy to read.
Who designed Stelton Tiki?
Tiki was designed by Norwegian designer Tias Eckhoff and introduced in 1974. Eckhoff was one of the pioneers of Scandinavian industrial design, and Tiki reflects his ability to create strong identity through proportion, geometry and function rather than ornament.
Why is the fork one of the most important pieces for understanding Tiki?
Stelton specifically highlights the fork and spoons as pieces where Tiki’s dramatic contrast between rectangular and soft-rounded shapes is especially visible. The dessert fork therefore captures one of the central ideas behind the entire collection in a particularly compact form.
How can a cutlery design from 1974 still feel so graphic today?
Tiki does not depend on decorative motifs associated with a particular period. Its identity comes from the meeting of opposing geometries: straight and rounded, strict and soft. That structural clarity has helped the collection retain the modern-classic character Stelton associates with it.