In the mid-1940s, the designer Alexander Girard experimented with a series of abstract sculptures made of glass, foam rubber, corrugated cardboard, driftwood, plywood and solid wood – including an avian figure carved by hand out of wood from an apple tree. These sculptures were presented in the July 1945 issue of the American magazine 'Arts & Architecture'.

Today, the original wooden bird is held by the Vitra Design Museum as a part of the Girard Archive. In close cooperation with the Girard family, Vitra has brought this figure back to life: although its features are reduced to a minimum, the archaic-looking Girard Bird (1945) by Alexander Girard is clearly recognisable as an avian creature. The archaic-looking figure, made from solid maple wood sourced in France, can stand on its feet or tail.