Tom Karen, the person behind a few of the UK’s most recognisable designs, has died aged 96.
Mr Karen died peacefully on New Yr’s Eve surrounded by his household.
He was managing director of Letchworth’s OGLE Design from 1962 till 1999.
Throughout his tenure, he designed a number of well-known British merchandise – together with the Raleigh Chopper bicycle, the three-wheeled Bond Bug car, and the kids’s recreation Marble Run.
A retrospective of Tom Karen’s profession is at present happening at One Backyard Metropolis in Letchworth.
Tom Karen, the person behind a few of the UK’s most recognisable designs, has died aged 96. Mr Karen died peacefully on New Yr’s Eve surrounded by his household
City historian Josh Tidy, who curated the exhibition, stated that Mr Karen was ‘thrilled’ with it. ‘Tom was a real nice,’ he stated.
‘I had the pleasure of assembly him a number of occasions over the past 12 months or so, placing collectively the exhibition which celebrates his life and work, and runs till March tenth, (we could have a condolence e book in situ, which we’ll cross on to his household).
‘I am very happy on reflection that we had been in a position to do the exhibition final 12 months – well timed because it turned out, and as we feared. I do know Tom was thrilled with it which makes me completely happy, at this unhappy time.’
Talking to the Guardian, his daughter Eugenie stated it was a ‘privilege’ to have been near ‘such a inventive individual’.
In 2019, he was appointed OBE within the New Yr Honours. Reflecting on Marble Run on his web site, Mr Karen known as it ‘my most impressed creation’. He stated the thought got here to him whereas watching his youngsters play with a easy picket marble run
‘He had such a unprecedented life and located such happiness dwelling his final couple of a long time in Cambridge,’ she added.
Mr Karen was born in Vienna in 1926, however settled in England in the course of the struggle in 1942.
In 2019, he was appointed OBE within the New Yr Honours.
Reflecting on Marble Run on his web site, Mr Karen known as it ‘my most impressed creation’.
He stated the thought got here to him whereas watching his youngsters play with a easy picket marble run.
‘It occurred to me that if such a recreation might be made up of numerous parts and be assembled in alternative routes to make up a run, it might supply an inviting check and find yourself with a massively satisfying reward,’ he stated.
He added: ‘I discover it massively rewarding to know that tens of millions of kids around the world have derived countless pleasure taking part in with my marble run.’
