01 THE STORY
From Sketch to Table
The line begins with Tias Eckhoff's study of proportion. In Una, the handle, transition and functional form are resolved as one continuous object.
02 THE DETAILS
The Details
Una has a slender, rounded form with drop-shaped handles and a Bauhaus-influenced simplicity. The soft geometry gives the pieces a stable grip and a calm, continuous line.
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 Una Dessert Forks — Designed by Tias Eckhoff
What happens to Una’s drop-shaped handle when the fork becomes smaller?
The dessert fork concentrates the same design language that defines the wider Una series. Tias Eckhoff’s slender, rounded form remains in harmony with the distinctive drop-shaped handle, allowing the smaller utensil to retain the same soft and balanced character.
Why is the drop shape so important to Stelton Una?
The handle is central to Una’s identity. Its drop-like form gives the cutlery a recognisable silhouette while supporting the design intention behind the series: a grip that feels both soft and stable in the hand.
Who designed Stelton Una?
Una was designed by Norwegian designer Tias Eckhoff and introduced in 1973. Eckhoff was one of the important figures in Scandinavian industrial design, and Una reflects his ability to combine strong formal identity with close attention to how an object feels when used.
Why does Stelton connect Una with the Bauhaus era?
Una relies on form, proportion and function rather than applied ornament. Stelton describes the collection as a favourite among admirers of the Bauhaus era, and its restrained geometry and functional clarity make that connection easy to understand.
Why might a dessert fork reveal Una’s design particularly clearly?
A smaller utensil concentrates the relationship between handle, grip and functional end. With little decoration to distract the eye, the rounded form and drop-shaped handle become especially easy to notice, showing how Una creates personality through silhouette and ergonomics alone.