Tom Karen design sketchbooks

This material is held atV&A Archive of Art and Design

  • Reference
    • GB 73 Karen-1
  • Dates of Creation
    • ca.1955-2015
  • Physical Description
    • 81 files

Scope and Content

81 sketchbooks of handwritten design notes and sketches by Tom Karen, with annotations on Post-It notes. The sketchbooks cover the period of Tom Karen's positions at Ford, Hotpoint, Philips and Ogle Design and post-retirement. The series includes:

Design sketches for employers and clients and proposals including Airbus, Airfix, BA, Bush, Bond, Cannon, DAF, Eccles Caravans, Hotpoint, Leyland, Meccano, Recaro Seddon, Electrolux, Freight Rover, Kiddicraft, Otosan, Plaxton, Raleigh, Recaro, Reliant, Renault and SAAB.

Design sketches and notes for products including the Reliant Scimitar, Reliant Sotheby Special, Bond Bug, Marble Run, Raleigh Chopper, V8 Aston Martin, Otosan Anadol A1, Triplex Special, Leyland T45 Roadtrain, Renault Trafik and Airbus 300

Handwritten notes for lectures and articles on the subject of product design and designers.

Handwritten notes on Ogle Design company history and staffing and financial details such as turnover, costs and expenses.

Arrangement

The series is arranged chronologically, by company and by decade.