TOM Karen, the British inventor and designer behind the wildly popular children’s game Marble Run and the iconic Raleigh Chopper bicycle, has died at the age of 96, his family confirmed. He died on New Year’s Eve surrounded by his family.
Karen was hailed as a wildly inventive and creative man by close associates and friends and is responsible for some of the UK’s most recognisable products.
His daughter Eugenia commented to The Guardian that “it was a privilege to have been close to such a creative person. He made things constantly and even his most throwaway creations were things to be treasured. I have a paper Spitfire that he casually made for my sons in minutes, but it captures the aircraft’s character perfectly.
“He had such an extraordinary life and found such happiness living his last couple of decades in Cambridge.”
Karen served as managing director of Ogle Design for most of his life, from 1962 to 1999, during which he designed numerous popular items that have now become part of British iconography.
Karen graduated in aeronautical engineering and worked in Ford, Hotpoint, and Phillips before becoming chief designer and managing director of Ogle.
During his tenure, he oversaw the design of the Bush Radio TR130 radio, the Raleigh Chopper, the Bond Bug, the Reliant Scimitar GTE, the Anadol A1 (FW5), a series of lorry cabs for Leyland, and the Marble Run toy.
He retired from Ogle in 1999 but continued his passion to create and design. For his services, he was awarded an OBE and many of his sketches are on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum, England.
His favourite, and “most inspired creation” however remains Marble Run, a children toy game.
An exhibition celebrating the designer’s life and work is taking place at the Museum at One Garden City in Letchworth, Hertfordshire.
Josh Tidy, the curator of the show remarked that “Tom was a true great. I had the pleasure of meeting him several times over the last year or so, putting together an exhibition, Tom Karen: Creations. know Tom was thrilled with it which makes me happy, at this sad time.”
Danny Hopkins, the editor of Practical Classics magazine commented, “Tom’s contribution to industrial design was huge. Yes, his showstoppers, the Bond Bug and the Raleigh Chopper grabbed the headlines, but more profound were his more subtle moments of genius: the rising kick-in waistline of the Reliant Scimitar – look at most modern SUVs. That’s Tom.”
In a previous interview with The Guardian in 2017, Karen admitted he still designs including bird sculptures, corrugated cardboard trees and games.
“I have a butterfly mind, and I’m still flooded with ideas,” he said. – The Vibes, January 4, 2023
.jpeg)
