Ken Garland

The images from the classic Galt Toys catalogues of the 1970s have been with me ever since I first saw them. In fact the experience of visiting the local Galt Toy shop in Farnham was an irregular treat, where the marble rolling games and wooden puzzles available were unlike anything you’d see in any other toy shop. Responsible for not just the overall graphic look of the stores, but also the concept and creation of many of their games, was graphic man Ken Garland.

Having studied at Central School Of Arts And Crafts in the 1950s, he became the art editor of Design Magazine, and eventually set up Ken Garland And Associates in January 1962. Just prior to this he’d produced some graphic “house style” work for Abbatt Toys, but through various moves within and outside of that firm, he ended up working for James Galt and Company. The rest is graphic design history. He designed their flagship store in Carnaby Street (before it became the fashion avenue of the Swinging 60s) and not only took care of their overall design, but created and produced several of their most iconic games: Connect, Marble Run (made of wood), Fizzog, Anymals and more besides.

Amongst studious graphic folk his work is legendary.

For me, the award winning design of the 1969 / 70 Galt Toy brochure is one of his greatest graphic triumphs. I may well have come across it as a child, but first really came across it when I was studying the history of advertising. The image would appear across a broad range of creative award books, design annuals and the like. It’s playful, clever, and has never really left me as an image.

So I approached Ken at the end of last year, we went and had lunch and asked if I could reproduce it in fine print form. I got his approval and have produced 25 exceptionally high resolution Giclee prints, with the dimensions of 60 cm wide and 42 cm high, perfect to fit into any A2 off the shelf frame. Printed onto medium weight fine art paper they look exceptional and most importantly have the approval of Ken Garland.

Each print is hand numbered, annotated with “Galy Tots”, “Galt Toys Catalogue Cover 1969 / 70”, “Ken Garland And Associates” and is hand signed by the great man himself. There will also be a Trunk logo embossed on the bottom right corner.

This is the first time any Ken Garland prints have ever been made available. Truly a British modern design first.

The print is available in ye olde trunk shoppe right now.