Libuše Niklová

This first monograph on one of Czechoslovakia's most important designers, Libuse Niklov (1934-1981), explores the rich and delightful world of her plastic toys, featuring nearly 500 color photographs and archival reproductions. Her whistling accordion-pleated Tomcat, and inflatable Buffalo and Elephant have been treasured possessions for several generations of children in Czechoslovakia, occupying a unique position in twentieth-century product design, and many of them are firmly established icons in the Czech design canon. This fun, accessible book gathers her oeuvre into three chapters: "Plastic Playthings 1954-1964," "Accordion and Vernian Toys 1963-1967" and "Inflatable Toys 1963-1981." Full-color reproductions of the toys are punctuated with quotes from Niklov and her colleagues, and with sketches and archival photographs. Also included are a biography and a booklet, inserted toward the rear, listing all of her works.